An analysis of women's access and participation in the mosques in the contemporary world

Abstract

In Muslim countries, mosques that designate areas for women's prayer rarely allow women to line up directly behind men in the same hall, as was the practice in the Prophet's Mosque during his lifetime. In many Arab countries, it is common to separate men's prayer place from women's, particularly in smaller mosques. The distance between the two prayer areas vary from one mosque to another. The majority of mosques in Muslim countries house specified places of prayer for women, which take shape of small rooms in the basement, on the ground floor, in a closed balcony or in a small building attached to the mosque. This paper aims to analyze the accessibility, permeability and scope of participation of women in the Mosque in the current scenario of modern world.