AIBU to question praying and sleeping in the library kids area?

It’s inappropriate why are we accepting this shit

(I also know libraries well as I worked and qualified in them and expected to stay there. Sadly like many tens of thousands I was forced to look for a living elsewhere.)

It does not matter how much time it takes the point stands. We are not a dominant Muslim society, nor even a dominant religious society: we are a secular society which has been good enough in the past to accommodate a lot of foreign religions. They need to co exist peacefully in neutral spaces that are dedicated to other things. No one gets to take over shared spaces for ‘just this’ or ‘just that’ or by a slow process of accumulation the shared space will no longer exist. Libraries are places of citizenship. For all. This is why there were also questions about them being used to promote particular political decisions of our time (ie trans people doing readings dressed in drag). It’s a hard neutrality to maintain.

It’s a convenient space for children, not for religious ceremonies.

No, I’m not interested.

One of the libraries I took my son to was frequented by a very smelly sleeping homeless person. He was sat in the children's area too.
Great that he had somewhere warm to sit - but not great in the children's section. Maybe seemed worse as it was tiny.

Well, like I said, if the area was empty and noone was using it, he probably thought it was a convenient empty space and that he wouldn't be hurting anyone
Now he knows it does get used, he hopefully won't do it again. If he continues to, then I agree, it's selfish and inconsiderate.

Btw, in case you're interested, I looked it up and according to Google it's usually around 10 minutes or less.
This ties in with times I have seen Muslims praying in public places, I've witnessed it for maybe around 8 mins at a rough guess.

Great post.

Quite. Perhaps the mum and kids also were on limited time? This is the problem of how to balance everyone’s access.

Some people seem to think that a library is a community space and that therefore everyone should be allowed to use it for anything and everything they want. That’s not how it works. Libraries are not dumping grounds for behaviours, nor for the endless problems forced by the social problems caused by an anti-democratic elite.

We have to have restrictions on what shared spaces are used for to enable everyone to use them. You minimise opportunity for conflicts so that everyone can have access to the core service provided by the space, which in the case of libraries is public information and help to be able to access that information in future ie literacy support. Only thus can equality of access and democratic rights for all be granted.

If you want public prayer rooms or hostels then put them somewhere else.

My point is that yes I agree this is a global conspiracy, possibly run by the most powerful people in the world, rather than one entitled man’s selfish behaviour.

It’s Ramadan, praying at certain times is important to Muslims during Ramadan.

Different things are important to different people, perhaps there can be a space for religious ceremonies and a space for children’s areas in libraries and everyone respects the boundaries in order to be respectful to each other?

Brilliant post.

I hate these threads. They really bring out the worst in people.

Assuming this actually did happen, which I highly doubt…

He could have been with his kids who were having fun, or playing up, and was late for prayer. It’s Ramadan, praying at certain times is important to Muslims during Ramadan.

He could have been from a culture that wouldn’t blink an eyelid at someone kneeling down to pray wherever they were because, you know, it’s praying. Not flashing or throwing bricks at passers-by.

If he’d been asked to stop and move, he would probably have done so and apologised.

Yet instead, it’s assumed that he’s a terrifying selfish Muslim Man, who is asserting his superiority in order to subjugate all the mums in the library by deliberately preventing their children from sitting on one particular mat in a massive library section full of other mats and chairs.

Honestly, I despair.

No it couldn't.

Any group of people trying to influence others thoughts, beliefs or actions in the pursuit of power could be defined as a conspiracy. What's your point?

I’d have the same view if it was a morris dancer, the space was for children and guardians not for random men to monopolise as they see fit.

The meaning of 'woke' is a pain in the arse.

Not many Christians would use the mat praying, many of us manage to pray out and about without anyone noticing, we can just pray on the go or stand quietly.

Ime Christians are taught to be discrete about prayer and that woman was in trouble for silent prayer outside the abortion clinic which is a difficult one

Luke 18 - Pharisee and widow, him with in your face praying is contrasted against the poor widow

Typical guy takes up space reserved for someone else. So manly, so selfish

I am as woke as they come but this situation would really annoy me. This is not a matter of woke or not here. There already aren't enough areas in this country where kids are truly welcome. I often feel pets are more welcome than kids! A designated space for kids to read with their parents is not appropriate for conducting religious rituals, whichever they are, or for sleeping. Libraries may be a safe space for those in fuel poverty or struggling with homelessness but there should be other spaces in the building for them, not the kids area.

I’ve got it, don’t worry.

I’m assuming you’d have the same issue if the prayer was Christian?

The location? In a childrens play area?
Not a quiet room. Not a rest room. Not a prayer room.

Just take your time with it, happy to explain any of the longer words.

Yes but it only seems to work one way