That Friday prayer
I'm gonna try to annoy as many people as I can with this, so as to follow the model of Dr. Wadud and her followers.
To start with, I'm not getting into the legal argument of whether it is halal, haram, makrooh, or encouraged to have a woman lead the Friday prayers. I've stated my stand regarding that in my previous post. Its sickening to see uninformed Muslims (me included) debate God's religion as if its a game of Monopoly.
A few women think that this is the start of something great. The start of the path to equality. To me, this is the end of my support to those who call themselves progressive, and have no regard or respect for what might be sacred.
I started out taking it easy. But I'm really pissed now. I started out thinking those are a bunch of narrow minded feminists, who think the world revolves around them. Let them have it. I disagree with what they're doing, I'll say what I think, but it doesn't really matter, and I don't really care. So many have screwed up before, never mattered. Doesn't matter now. But as it turns out, they're not just that. They're a bunch who think they know God's word better than all the rest. A bunch who think it will definetely take a woman to "change" Islam. Well, it might, and it might not, does it really matter who does. And is it Islam we're after, or the way Muslims live it?!
Did they ever think that they're far from doing that. Not in a million years will you get the support you want. Dar ElIfta, headed by Mufti Ali Goma'a, denounced what you did by the way (yes, now you'll say that's expected after you were cheering him). I'm sure you don't care that you have no support. Who cares about people's support, if you have God's support. You were praying, He must be pleased with you. Well, that I don't know. I truly wish He is. Just make sure to pray the way He'd like to be prayed for.
With every argument I made about this, I kept saying:"If those for a woman leading Friday prayer genuinly believe that the salah will be accepted and they have some valid legal Islamic reasoning, then may God reward them for that. If they don’t (and its just about “equality” and women leadership), that’s too bad, but they’ll still be able to do what they want. Nothing new about this. As well, those who have their valid reasoning in opposing this, should also be free to pray in the way they see best, and should be free to voice their concerns".
And it was never good enough. I had to endorse what they were doing, and bless it, otherwise I'm a tyrant, who's obsessed with the traditional patriarchal definition of Islam. Why don't you understand! I'm saying, do as you please, just keep me out of this (out of your prayers).
My problem is not with the act itself, of a woman leading Friday prayers, but with the sorry way its been carried out. Its like they're the only Muslims, and they're the only ones who know the word of God best. Did you ever think that you might, just might, be wrong! And hence, did you ever think of inclusion, and embracing others, rather than exclusion and isolation.
How many established Islamic rules have you broken, female leading Friday prayer, mixed lines of men and women, and unveiled women in prayers. Ok, you're questioning their legality, and being established don't make them right (I've cautiously questioned the veil myself before). But extremes lead to extremes. Dialogue, sane discussion, legal reasoning might've resulted in inclusion and acceptance.
What is this, the women's uprising.. but against who.. God.. oh no, sorry you were praying.. then against closed minded men who were monopolizing religion for their own benefit and for the submission of women, men who disregard any respect for the word of God. We don't care about the word of God, all we care about is women's submission!
Is there anyone who's against what you've done, whom you think might be sincere in any way, sincere in wanting equity for women, as well as sincere in pleasing God, the way God wants to be pleased?!
I'm closing the comments again here because I don't want a bunch of ignorant uninformed Muslims making up a new religion on some silly blog using on-the-spot, superficial reflex arguments. I'm closing the comments because I've had enough discussing this, which is nothing but a waste. Remember, this blog is about me. I'm not trying to convince anyone with what I'm saying here, and I don't want anyone to try to score points by making silly comments. You've already made your point on Friday, why do you care to come and booo at me. You definetely have a stronger voice elsewhere than I do over here.
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UPDATE: Here's another one along the same lines as this one, but Ahmed Rehab has been following the "progressives" closer than I have, and is not as pissed off as I am yet. Via Sabrina.
UPDATE 2: I noticed something about Dr. Amina Wadud. She's veiled!! So while I (kind of) disputed the veil (saying that its nothing compared to prayers), she's actually wearing it. And not just in the prayers, but all the time. But yet, she's disputing the way we pray, and doing it in that way. Interesting.
