Women pray along with men at Lucknow mosque

Bombay News.Net
Tuesday 2nd September, 2008 (IANS)

This Uttar Pradesh capital for the first time is witnessing Muslim women offering prayers along with men at a Sunni mosque.

The move to hold prayers jointly comes after the initiative of the All India Women's Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) members, a board official said.

'The collective prayers will be offered during the fasting month of the holy Ramadan, which started from Tuesday,' said Shaista Amber, chairperson AIMPLB.

'In the evening, you will witness a rare sight, at least for Uttar Pradesh, in which men and women will offer prayers jointly at a mosque in Lal Kuan locality here,' she added.

The AIMPLB alleged that owing to some self-professed religious leaders, women in the state were not allowed to hold prayers in mosques.

'Our initiative is just a first step to a revolution against narrow-minded self-proclaimed religious leaders, who think they are custodians of Islam,' said Amber.

All are equal in the eyes of Allah, so why should there be any kind of discrimination in performing prayers at mosques, she said.

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