A little over an hour after the sirens have stopped blaring and Muslims have broken their nearly 13-hour fast, scores of mosques in Hyderabad prepare for the arrival of worshippers for Taraweeh (extended night prayers). Men enter these mosques, some directly from office, others from home. But there is more. In at least a dozen mosques in the city, women, some wearing burqa, others donning the hijab, are seen entering prayer spaces, and joining the congregation.
Women say that praying in a congregation gives a strong feeling of community. It also enhances the piousness with which Ramzan is associated. “Getting ready and going to the masjid , and even walking to the gate is a different feeling during Ramzan . You know that whatever you are doing is for Allah. And since this is such a pure month, the feeling increases manifold,” says Syeda Naina Hussain, an entrepreneur.
Around quarter past eight, there is a steady stream of worshippers entering Masjid-e-Baqi, a mosque on Road Number 12, Banjara Hills. It is here that more than 200 women, including Ms. Hussain, join the obligatory Isha congregation, followed by Taraweeh.
In congruence with Islamic injunctions, such mosques have a separate entrance for women. There are exclusive spaces for performing wazu , ablutions, and women-only washrooms. “Those who were reluctant are encouraging women to join the congregation. It is true that women are discouraged from praying in congregations in mosques in the sub-continent. However, little planning to accommodate women ahead of Ramzan can be done easily. Plus, it would be best if this is done at the designing stage of the mosque,” Ahmed Sayeed, secretary of Masjid-e-Baqi, says.
Across the main thoroughfare from the sprawling St. Alphonsus Church complex, but tucked away in a quiet corner, is the Mahmood Habib Masjid and Islamic Centre. Founded in 2007, a couple of the masjid’s many aims were to replace the Urdu bayaan with English, and to welcome women in the mosque.
“The congregation in the masjid brings about a sense of community. Of course, there is the sawaab or reward as well,” says Najma Sanai, a congregant of the MHMIC. “Going abroad, we saw how things there are, and that there are prayer spaces for women in masjids. In fact, around 20 years ago, we began Taraweeh prayers at home for family and friends.”
Mirza Yawar Baig, a management consultant, with specialisation in family business, who till recently served as the khateeb and imam of MHMIC, says that only a few mosques in India have exclusive prayer spaces for women. But, for the MHMIC, the idea was different, and Prophet Muhammad never prohibited the entry of women into mosques.
“We made the women’s section bright, comfortable and attractive,” he says. “We recognised where the real power of influence lies at home. And so we decided to open whatever we did in masjid to them,” he adds.
There are other masjids in Hyderabad that have a large women congregation. Popularly known as College ki Masjid and on the Muffakham Jah College of Engineering and Technology campus, the place of worship witnesses nearly 300 women worshippers every day.
While many from other faiths are under the impression that entry of women into mosques is restricted, Islamic scholar Maulana Rashid Naseem Nadwi, Head of the Department of Arabic, English and Foreign Languages University, points out that this is far from the truth. “ Ulama (Islamic scholars) from the sub-continent are of the opinion that the best place for women to pray is at home, and the Hadith (Prophetic tradition) indicates this. But, this does not mean that entry of women in masjids is prohibited. In fact, during Prophet Muhammad’s time, women used to go to masjids.”
