Kids at Taraweeh

Are young children allowed inside the masjid you attend for Taraweeh prayer?

I have been along to Taraweeh with my husband twice so far this Ramadan to one of the popular masjids in Riyadh – it’s the King Khalid masjid where Sheikh Khaalid Al-Jaleel now leads the prayer.

I left my older children at home since I am lucky enough to have a responsible teen and another who is almost a teen but I couldn’t leave the newest addition (8 weeks old) at home since she is breastfed.  I discovered at the first Taraweeh of this Ramadan that children are not allowed inside so I stayed in the courtyard of the masjid and prayed there and when baby wanted to be held or fed I just sat and quietly listened. I had the baby in the carseat so she was comfortable and so I could join in some of the prayer. I think she was mesmerised by the Qur’an as she was very settled! She’s probably used to the sheikh’s qira’ (recitation) as I have playing some of his Qur’an cd’s in the kitchen while I cook!

I have been to the same masjid before for other daily prayers and there was no problem taking children in but since this is Taraweeh prayer and the masjid gets very full and too many people take along small, unruly children, there is this rule for the month of Ramadan. Understandable really when you see the unruliness of the children – running around, throwing dirt, kicking and throwing water bottles and leaving the litter for others to pick up and so forth. It makes me wonder why people take such small children along to such a long prayer. The children will inevitably become bored and won’t be able to keep still – their antics only serve to distract their mothers and others from their prayer.

Nasheed: (Ana al-Abdu) I am the slave…

Just wanted to share because I love this nasheed!

A little excerpt of the lyrics:

I am the servant who is afflicted by sins

I have come back beseeching the Healer

I am the wandering, homeless servant, I wronged myself

and I have come to Your door repenting

I am the wandering, homeless servant, I wronged myself

and I have come to Your door repenting

I am the servant who acquired sins

and was prevented from repenting by his false desires

I am the servant who became sad over his slips

Over his slips, worried and despondent

The du’a of the one who is opressed

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said to Mua’ad Ibn Jabal (RA),

‘Beware of the supplication of the unjustly treated, because there is no shelter or veil between it (the supplication of the one who is suffering injustice) and Allah (SWT)’  [Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The prophet (SAW) said,

‘Three men whose dua is never rejected (by Allah) are: the fasting person until he breaks his fast the just ruler and the one who is oppressed.’[Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi - Hasan]

Would you pray for Palestine?

Everybody must be aware now of the carnage being inflicted on Gaza and there are many bloggers around blogosphere posting on this subject. A very dear sister has posted this idea for staging a peaceful protest through praying for our brothers and sisters in Gaza for 24 hours.

She says:

I am calling you sisters, I am trying to arrange something different, something more Islamic than anger and shouting. I am asking you, would you pray for Palestine? Would you join to the group of praying people in the park, if you would know they were there 24 hours praying for Palestine?

Only thing you would have to take with you, would be your prayers mat and the water bottle to make wudu. Would you do this? And if you are an Imam who reads this, would you lead the prayers 24 hours for Palestine? And if you are not able to pray, would you be able to help those who can by offering them hot drinks if it is cold or offering them warming blankets?

Could we do something like this as a one big Muslim ummah?
I would, so would you come to pray with me?

She has also posted a few facts about the injustices that have been suffered by the Palestinians over the past 6 decades.

Islamic Charitable websites

Some Islamic Charity work websites where you will find projects ranging from disaster relief to more ongoing projects (sadaqa jariya) such as sponsoring orphans, helping to fund the building of orpanges, wells and other projects. Whichever country you reside in, you should be able to find a website below where you can go to find out how you can help.

Islamic Relief USA

Islamic Relief UK

There are also Islamic Relief partners in the following countries: Germany, Beligium, Netherlands, France, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey, Sweden, Malaysia, South Africa, Canada

Just go to the Islamic Relief UK website and click on the appropriate flag for your country.

Muslim Hands - Various projects including orphan sponsorship

Alyateem.com - Orphan welfare

ICNA Relief – Canada

Sister Farhana’s blog, Sketched Soul  where she has several charitable projects going on and updates regularly.

Girls Orpanage in Africa

Charity in Islam

Today is blog action day against poverty so let us look at the importance of charity in Islam and how Allah has made it incumbent upon us all to help those less well off than ourselves. Below are some verses from the Qur’an and some ahadith which illustrate the importance of charity.

Charity in The Qur’an

* In the Qur’an, Allah swt, informs us of the rights of the poor upon the wealth of others:

Verily, the Muttaqûn (pious) will be in the midst of Gardens and Springs (in the Paradise) (15) [...] And in their properties there was the right of the the beggar who asks, and the poor who does not ask the others. (19)  Qur’an 51:15-19

* If the poor have a right on on our wealth then it follows quite logically that there should be a punishment for those who are able but do not give:

But as for him who will be given his Record in his left hand, will say: “I wish that I had not been given my Record! (25) [...] (It will be said): “Seize him and fetter him; (30) Then throw him in the blazing Fire. (31) “Then fasten him with a chain whereof the length is seventy cubits!” (32) Verily, He used not to believe in Allâh, the Most Great, (33) And urged not on the feeding of Al-Miskin (the poor). (34) Qur’an 69: 25-34

Every person is a pledge for what he has earned, (38) Except those on the Right, (i.e. the pious true believers of Islâmic Monotheism); (39) In Gardens (Paradise) they will ask one another, (40) About Al-Mujrimûn (polytheists, criminals, disbelievers), (And they will say to them): (41) “What has caused you to enter Hell?” (42) They will say: “We were not of those who used to offer the Salât (prayers) (43) “Nor we used to feed Al-Miskin (the poor); (44)  Qur’an 74:38-44

* And of course those who freely give, will be rewarded:

Verily, the Abrâr (the pious and righteous) shall drink of a cup (of wine) mixed with (water from a spring in Paradise called) Kâfûr. (5) A spring wherefrom the slaves of Allâh will drink, causing it to gush forth abundantly. (6) They (are those who) fulfill (their) vows, and they fear a Day whose evil will be wide-spreading. (7) And they give food, inspite of their love for it (or for the love of Him), to Miskin[] (the poor), the orphan, and the captive, (8) (Saying): “We feed you seeking Allâh’s Countenance only. We wish for no reward, nor thanks from you. (9) Qur’an 76:5-8

* The sanctity of the human life:

Because of that We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land – it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind. And indeed, there came to them Our Messengers with clear proofs, evidences, and signs, even then after that many of them continued to exceed the limits (e.g. by doing oppression unjustly and exceeding beyond the limits set by Allâh by committing the major sins) in the land! (Qur’an 5:32)

Charity in the Hadith

On the authority of Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, The Messenger of Allah, the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

Every person’s every joint must perform a charity every day the sun comes up: to act justly between two people is a charity; to help a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting up his belongings onto it is a charity; a good word is a charity; every step you take in prayers is a charity; and removing a harmful thing from the road is a charity.  (Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 26).

The prophet (PBUH) said: ‘Seven (types of) people will be covered with Allah’s shade on a day when there is no shade but His Shade, (from among them) a man who gives a charity hiding it, that (even) his left hand does not know what his right hand has spent’

The generosity of A’isha, may Allah be pleased with her:

 

She was given a gift of one hundred thousand dirhams. She was fasting when she received the money and she distributed the entire amount to the poor and the needy even though she had no provisions in her house. Shortly after, a maidservant said to her: “Could you buy meat for a dirham with which to break your fast?” “If I had remembered, I would have done so,” she said. *

 

The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said, “The most beloved deed before Allah is that which continuous, even if it is little.” 

 

This kind of continuous charity is called sadaqa jariya; not only is it the best form of charity in the eyes of Allah, it is also the most beneficial kind of charity for those who are in need of it. Immediate issues must be addressed – food and water given to the starving but contributing to building wells, planting crops, building irrigation systems and establishing schools are the things which will benefit the people in the long run to help them out of their poverty.

 

 

Blog Action Day – Poverty

 

 Tomorrow, October 15th is Blog Action Day 2008 

Bloggers Unite

On October 15th bloggers everywhere will publish posts that discuss poverty in some way. By all posting on the same day we aim to change the conversation that day, to raise awareness, start a global discussion and add momentum to an important cause.

Why

Every blogger has a unique voice, audience and perspective. By speaking to their readers on topic about an important issue we can discuss global issues like poverty in a new and hugely multi-faceted way. And from discussion springs action.

88 Ways to Take Action Against Poverty Right Now

(list from the blogactionday.org website, click title above to go to the website)

1. Eat meatless meals 2x a week. Donate that grocery money to a local food bank. – TarotByArwen
2. Be homeless for a day/night. – Lex
3. Stop putting off adopting a child through an organization like Compassion International (or adopt another one). – Lex
4. Make a loan on Kiva, or buy a couple gift certificates and give them away to friends. – Lex
5. Get a group together to go door-to-door collecting canned foods for your local soup kitchen/shelter. – Lex
6. Take a homeless person to dinner and actually sit/talk with him. – Lex
7. Stop being lazy. Find a way to do your job better so that you can save an hour a day, or be that much more productive. – Alex Shalman
8. Stop buying junk to make yourself look pretty and donate it to homeless people and hungry people. – Craigsnede
9. Make flyers to stick in the local library. – Craigsnede
10. I’m interviewing a Capuchin monk vowed to Poverty about his work with Detroit’s poor for my blog, and I’m trying to arrange a fund raiser with my author and PIVTR radio station friends.
11. Find a gripping picture or video having to do with poverty and publish it on the Web.
12. Stop drinking Coke and bottled water for a day and save on plastic. Will save a lot of plastic if each of us does it for only one day.
13. Share your skill or knowledge, so they can improve their knowledge to increase their life/prosperity.
14. Visit an orphanage.
15. Stop being lazy.
16. Give comfort to the poor.
17. Donate.
18. Check your closet and make sure that anything you have not used last winter is taken to a charitable organization. Ask your friends and neighbors and volunteer to pick up the clothes, launder them and deliver them to those organizations. They will do no good in your closet and a world of good to someone in need.
19. On one day only eat food that you have asked someone for directly or for the money you need to buy it. Pay attention to the feelings.
20. Have a “sponsor me” day. Donate money to a poverty relief cause for everyone who leaves a comment on your blog that day.
21. Designers for Blog Action Day group on Flickr. Submit your designs: http://www.flickr.com/groups/bad2008design/
22. Organize a Hunger 101 Program for a local youth group. Our Girl Scout community learned about what they could do to help the working poor in our community. http://spedr.com/da5f This inspired them to organize several Take Action events: http://spedr.com/krfw
23. Add the “Women Rock” badge to your website or Facebook page.
24. If any of us knew or aware about any organisation which can help educate them, like, skills centre, entrepeneurship centre..u know, stuff they do to help these pople actually do something to improve their life, we might try to collect name carsd from these organisations (NGOs or ministries), and walk around and passed these cards to them, with of couse, maybe some donations of any supplies.
25. Skip a weekly trip to the grocery store and donate the money saved to a food bank. I do this once a year for my family of 5. For that week we only eat what is left in the pantry or fridge. By the end of the week, pickings are slim and we get a sense of what it feels like to not have the luxury of tasty, well balanced meals every night.
26. Make a personal fundraising page in 5 minutes on Firstgiving.com. Raise money securely online for any US-based nonprofit committed to ending poverty in the US or around the world. Here’s an example page: http://www.firstgiving.com/bapbwm.
27. Have dinner on the floor and make it a very small meal (like chicken broth, watered down milk, and maybe a small piece of bread?) Talk about the blessings you have and that the meal represents those who don’t get to eat “big” on a daily basis.
28. Volunteer at a soup kitchen!
29. Play freerice.com!
30. If you have take out coffee, skip it for an entire week, donate the savings!
31. Give 5 bucks to a homeless person who looks hungry!
32. Talk with your children about poverty and who it affects.
33. Save your old stuff and sold it for charity
34. Support charity organization in your country. Reducing poverty may start in your nearest region.
35. Do something to touch 3 people or to reach out to 3 people and get them to pay it forward.
36. Give a gallon of water to each of 3 people who need it?
37. Give a $10 gift certificate to each of 3 homeless, single mothers so that she and her children can have one hot meal at a fast food restaurant?
38. Ask 3 entrepreneurs to each make a donation to 3 people or causes?
39. Holding perhaps daily or weekly community classes for imparting knowledge from our side and educating the local masses is something we all can do by coming together at grass root level.
40. Avoiding overconsumption.
41. Contributing to relief funds which can assist this cause.
42. Host a 1 day famine and collect donations. With the donations, pass it to a Welfare/Poverty Organisation.
43. Plan a pot luck/BBQ or a get together inviting close friends and neighbours, to bring awareness and also to raise funds for a shelter home. Funds can be used to purchase the necessary groceries for the home.
44. Pray for the comfort and safety of the world’s poor. Pray for the strength, wisdom and courage to help each of them find prosperity.
45. Combat corruption!
46. Don’t just talk to your kids about poverty – get them involved by having them go through their toys and clothes to find concrete things to pass along. The next time they want you to buy something for them – talk about what that money could buy for someone who had no food… then follow through and donate the money you didn’t spend.
47. Donate your time and expertise to teach a class to those trying to find a new way to earn a living.
48. To add to the previous suggestions, rather than just donate money to homeless people, why not use the money you would use on yourself for a coffee to buy one for someone else. If you get coupons for free beverages or meals, keep them with you and give them to someone in need.
49. As you find organizations to which you like to donate food, clothing, etc., spend some time volunteering for that organization. Contribute to the organizations you are already supporting in other ways.
50. Educate others. If you are a teacher, talk to your students about poverty. Get their opinions. Inspire them. If you work in other areas, strike up a conversation with your colleagues in the lunchroom or lounge. Get educated so you can answer questions and provide information that might spur others into action.
51. Visit The Hunger Site every day and click the link to feed the hungry. It’s fast and it’s free and there’s absolutely NO excuse not to do it every day you’re online!
52. Be compassionate.
53. Invite friends to watch documentaries how poverty destroyed ones life,family and their future.
54. Do not waste water on that day.
55. Express your love and compassion for one street child by having an enrollment conversation with her.
56. Ask your child to share her food with the child of your maid on that day.
57. Make a list of five items you haven’t used for long and have no plans to use them in future either. And distribute them among local poors with all humility.
58. Compose a poem on the theme ‘Making Poverty A History’ and get it published in a local magazine or paper. Also, ask your baby to recite the poem in her school.
59. Talk to your five relatives about the poverty issue and invite them to come up with their suggestions to eradicate poverty.
60. Organize a drawing competition for kids on the poverty theme and exhibit their works in a local school or community centre.
61. Do not overeat on that day.
62. Save electricity on that day and contribute the equivalent savings to a local charity.
63. Contribute your one day salary to a child rehabilitation centre.
64. Get a few friends, gather all your unused items, sell it and buy something a meal for the poor in your neighborhood.
65. Travel to a poor country or area. Look for ways to make a difference on the ground there.
66. On your next off day from work, go to a homeless shelter and help serve food to those who are there, talk with them, listen to their stories, you will find that they were at one time, alot like yourself.
67. Let’s learn to love and respect one another, and to give to those who have less.
68. Pictures. It’s one thing to say that the milk my son spilled at lunch this afternoon was more than some kids get. But some people don’t see how real that is unless they’re looking at a picture.So, I’m looking for them.
69. Talk about poverty.
70. To most Americans, it’s not real unless we see it. I’m going to be revamping my blog so that poverty is prominent, and I’m talking about it more often.
71. Don’t stop at the generalities. War, famine, corruption, etc. all happen, and should be resisted. However, let’s dig deeper and go into the specifics. Not just talking about thousands of people dying of thirst … let’s talk about a real person.
72. Pull out the hearts of the readers, and make them confront what they know is right and wrong.
73. The more intelligent we are and the more productive we are, the more fruitfully we can spend our time, and the more we can produce to give away.
74. The reason why poverty still exists in Indonesia is because people are giving cash money to the poor at the streets and those money usually being used for things that usually destructive/not good (buying drugs, etc.) In order to stop poverty, the government already got their program to fight it but it didn’t go successfully for people still think that they are better off at the streets and there’s this what-so-called ‘mafia’ that organize these poor people at the streets.
75. In order to fight this, the people started to give food/meal/clothes to the poor instead of cash money so it would stop the process.
76. I think in order to stop poverty is to give what the people really need, not just giving it away for the sake of ‘being kind’
77. Fund educational programs for women.
78. Ensure that women have legal protections.
79. Educate people about the plight of women around the world.
80. Educate yourself on one aspect of poverty that affects women, whether it’s educating yourself on what’s going on with rape or abortion legislation in your own local area, or finding out what you can do to help women in other countries attain the basic human rights they deserve, by doing research on organisations that help women and contributing to those organisations in some way.
81. Do a campaign of creative advertisements for public awareness and a call to action. Do a poster, do an ambient campaign, write a radio or TV spot.
82. Breadline Africa is launching a Blogger Bake Off to help raise awareness and funds. If you want to do something on Blog Action Day, you should turn your talking (which is very worthwhile) into action: donate to a charity. Organisations that use funds directly in poor communities will be using your money where it can do the most good: at the grass roots level.
83. Educate yourself.
84. Prepare a space in your home for the poor to stay as needed.

Pick something from this list. Go NOW. Do it. And the world will be richer in mind and body.

This is a very important issue and it is something that is mentioned time and time again in the Qur’an and Hadith. So many times we are reminded of the rights of the poor over us and the importance of generosity to those who are worse off than ourselves. Even for the well-off person there are countless benefits in giving sadaqa to the poor and I hope to discuss this issue in more depth tomorrow. For now, read through the list above and see if there is something you can do and perhaps think of making a post in support of Blog Action Day tomorrow.

Tag: When in the masjid

Ammena came up with this tag and is asking about the mosque or prayer area and is asking for 3 hadith to be posted on this subject. 

She says,

Having spent a considerable amount of time at the masjid this month, masha’allah, reciting with my sisters and praying with my community I have realised a few things about people and how they pray [...] I got thinking yesterday, yes my mind does tend to wander!! about a blog post.. ‘if I could post ahadith around this masjid, what would they be?’ .. just 3… and im going to make it into a tag post [...] 

Sooooo, here goes…

The immediate things that I notice when I go to any masjid or prayer room (musalla) in this country are shoes. Yes shoes! Shoe racks or shelves are always provided, I have never been to a masjid where they are not provided yet there is always a pile of shoes in the immediate entrance into the praying room for everyone to trip over. It’s an even bigger problem for mothers who wish to take the stroller with baby in, into the prayer room (I am referring to prayer rooms that have a corridor along the side where the stroller can sit and not dirty the carpets). Why can people not remove their shoes and place them on the shelf? I’m sure it would be far easier to find their shoes after prayer if they did this as the shoes get kicked around by people trying to step over them or wade through them. So, this reminds me of the hadith of ‘removing the harm’ from the public right of way: 

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessings be upon him) said: Faith has over seventy branches or over sixty branches, the most excellent of which is the declaration that there is no god but Allah, and the humblest of which is the, removal of what is injurious from the path: and modesty is the branch of faith.

&

In Muslim, it is reported on the authority of  `Aishah  (May Allah be pleased with her) that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “Everyone of the children of Adam has been created with three hundred and sixty joints; so he who declares the Glory of Allah, praises Allah, declares Allah to be One, glorifies Allah, and seeks forgiveness from Allah, and removes stone, or thorn, or bone from people’s path, and enjoins good and forbids evil, to the number of those three hundred and sixty, will walk that day having rescued himself from Hell”.

The next thing I have noticed after my Jumu’ah prayer experience last week is the lateness of those coming to pray Jumu’ah prayer. As you know, I arrived at the mosque and found the ladies entrance locked so I had to resort to sitting outside the mosque for the duration of the prayer and khutbah whilst I waited for my husband. In that half hour I observed the men coming for prayer. We arrived just as the imam was arriving so it was only minutes before he began his khutbah and the carpark, even at that time, was almost empty. As I sat on the step to the ladies entrance I saw the carpark slowly filling and men walking from nearby villas, 5 minutes walk away. Many men were arriving towards the end of the khutbah and there seemed to be a rush as the iqama for the actual salah was called. Do they not know about the reward for arriving early in the mosque on a Friday? Please read:

Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 13, Number 51:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, “When it is a Friday, the angels stand at the gate of the mosque and keep on writing the names of the persons coming to the mosque in succession according to their arrivals. The example of the one who enters the mosque in the earliest hour is that of one offering a camel (in sacrifice). The one coming next is like one offering a cow and then a ram and then a chicken and then an egg respectively. When the Imam comes out (for Jumua prayer) they (i.e. angels) fold their papers and listen to the Khutba.”

Lastly, I was at the Eid prayer just over a week ago and had the pleasure of praying in congregation and then sitting for the khutbah and joining in the du’a that the imam made in the second part of his khutbah. I was most disappointed to hear the two ladies next to me talking virtually non-stop throughout the khutbah and even the du’a and there were many other ladies in the room also chatting instead listening and benefitting not only from the words of the imam but from the reward of listening:

Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 13, Number 56:

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle (p.b.u.h) said,

“When the Imam is delivering the Khutba, and you ask your companion to keep quiet and listen, then no doubt you have done an evil act.”

I tag, in no particular order: OmLujain, Umalmujahid, UmmK, Redwan,  Nabbu,  UmmHibaat (again… just to heap the pressure on a bit more ) UmmAdam and Brandy.

Rules as follows:

• Link back to the person who tagged you.
• List 3 hadith you’d like to pin up in your masjid and why.
• Tag some of your fellow bloggers by linking to them in your post and don’t forget to post a comment on their blog to let them know they’ve been tagged.

Beautiful recitation

This really is a ‘must hear’ recitation, masha’Allah Tabaarak Allah! Sheikh Adil Kalbani is the imam of the mosque my husband usually goes to for Taraweeh but at some point in the month the sheikh went to Makkah where he was leading some of the Taraweeh prayers. Sheikh Khaalid Al-Jaleel took over in the sheikh’s absence. We bought the, thus far, only available cd with his recitation and we are both hooked! Thanks to the beauty of the internet I have managed to find out that Sheikh Khaalid Al-Jaleel prays at the Masjid Al-Khayr in Riyadh so insha’Allah my husband can visit that mosque and *if* (read previous post, grrr!) there is a ladies’ section I can also go insha’Allah!

Do click on the videos below and listen. You won’t be disappointed. The surah being recited is Surah Ibrahim and it is in two parts, hence two videos.

Eid and Jumu’ah

Eid was good alhamdu Lillah. Not that we really did a lot but going along to Eid prayer made a huge difference to me. It gave me that Eid feeling and set me up for the day so everything just went swimmingly.

I haven’t been to Eid prayer for a few years due to having small children but felt that this year, since we would only be gone about forty-five minutes my eldest daughter would be able to keep the youngest (nearly 2 years) occupied. And she did alhamdu Lillah.

I woke for fajr at 5am, prayed and then proceeded to get ready to leave the house. I had a shower as is sunnah before going to Eid prayer and since I have a new abaya I decided it would be appropriate to wear that, (pyjamas underneath but, shhhhhh, don’t tell anyone. It was a clean pair!) We had to leave the house by 5:45am as here in Saudi Eid prayer is performed immediately after Shurooq (sunrise). We arrived at the mosque at 5:55am just as the Imam was making the first Takbir. It was a really beautiful, calming feeling being in the mosque, praying behind the imam, listening to his recitation and then after the prayer quietly listening to the Eid khutbah and trying to pick out parts that I might understand.

For the rest of the day, I felt so contented all due to the fact that I had prayed in the mosque so I talked to my husband about going to Friday prayer (Jumu’ah) a few days later and we agreed that I would go and my eldest daughter would again keep my youngest daughter occupied.

Friday came (yesterday) and I woke up a bit later than planned but I jumped out of bed, took a very quick shower and got dressed and was ready to leave the house within ten minutes. We decided to go to the same mosque that we had visited for Eid since we knew that there was a ladies’ section, we parked and walked around to the entrance. I said salaams to my husband as he went in the main entrance and I proceeded to walk around to the side entrance… locked. I couldn’t believe it, I really was devastated. My husband was already inside the mosque so there was no way of calling him. I didn’t have my mobile phone and assumed his would be switched off anyway. I never felt so marginalised and unimportant; I just sat on the marble step to the ladies entrance and the tears flowed. I listened as the imam made his khutbah and then I heard the shuffle as all the men stood up to begin prayer. I listened as the imam recited Ad-Duha (surah 93)… “Maa wadda’aka rabbuka wa maa qalaa” (Your Lord [Oh Muhammad] has neither forsaken you nor hates you). I truly felt forsaken by men at that moment though.

After the uplifting Eid prayer that had made my day, the experience of going to the mosque for jumu’ah was such a kick in the face and made me feel low for the rest of the day. I just ask myself why?? It doesn’t take that much effort to unlock the door for ladies even if it turns out that no ladies come. Two minutes extra time if that.

We will have to go to a more central mosque next time and I will ensure that I do have my mobile phone with me!