Women Allowed in Mosque for the First Time But Cannot Perform Rituals

1,000 year-old mosque welcomes women inside for the first time.

Women Allowed in Mosque for the First Time But Cannot Perform Rituals[/tweetthis]

Thazhathangady Juma Masjid is a mosque that is situated in Thazhathangady, and is among the Heritage Zones of Kerala, India. The mosque is situated on the banks of one of the famous rivers in Kerala, the Meenachil river. The mosque is world famous for its rich architecture, intricate wooden carvings, and its overall beauty. It is also called as the Taj Juma Masjid, in comparison to its architectural beauty to that of the Taj Mahal. Thazhathangady Juma Masjid is one of the oldest mosques in India, dating back to the 8th century. The mosque has an inner courtyard, a traditional bathing area, a wooden gabled roof that has been exquisitely carved, and latticed windows that are absolutely lovely. In effect, the whole mosque resembles that of the palace of a king.

According to the President of the mosque committee, Nawab Mulladom, the committee decided to allow women inside the mosque because of their intense desire to visit the holy place. The mosque, however, will not be open to women every day. When the committee decided to let the women enter the mosque, they decided on the dates April 24 and May 8. Thousands of Muslim women, wearing their traditional attire, visited the mosque last Sunday (April 24th). May 8 will also see a lot of women flocking to the mosque.

According to the chief Imam of the Thazhathangady Juma Masjid, Moulavi Sirajjuddeen Hasni, women will not be allowed to perform any rituals inside the mosque. The mosque has arranged separate facilities for the same.

#Follow Women Allowed to Enter Indian Mosque for First Time in 1,000 Years: A 1,000-year-old mosque in Kerala,… https://t.co/wyX9Yrk9Qp

— GARAGAR (@agiltegar) April 25, 2016

All the men inside the mosque were asked to leave before the women were let in, last Sunday when the mosque was opened for the women. One of the Muslim women, Fathima, who got the opportunity to enter the masjid, said that she had always wanted to enter and offer worship in all the historical mosques that she had visited in her life. Now, her wish has come true.

The perception of women varies geographically across the Muslim world. For instance, how much a society or more specifically, men, are tolerant towards the presence of women. In some mosques, especially in the West, men are very conservative when it comes to allowing women inside the mosque.

Resources

• The Hindu
• India Times

Follow the Conversation on Twitter