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

No it also has an alternative meaning which has fairly much displaced the original one. This article explains the history and its current alternative meanings https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/woke-meaning-definition-4467326

Well clearly this didn’t happen.

I do wish mumsnet would remove these posts.

It stopped for a matter of minutes, which has happened since 2021, let’s not be dramatic about it.

The place for praying is either in a church or at home. It's outrageous that we are having to accommodate this sort of thing instead of pushing back. Happened to me in a gym a few years back. I made a point of stepping over the idiot on the prayer mat, to be fair I didn't have much choice because he was completely in the way in a smallish space.

Also, still deeply uncomfortable with the football being stopped the other week as well. Religion, fine, if that's your thing but it does not trump all other activities. Grrr.

What’s wrong with being “woke”?

Doesn’t it mean you’re enlightened and considerate of others? Is that bad?

Ridiculous.

Wars based on religious intolerance? Making exceptions to laws for religious beliefs? Having to have guards posted outside certain schools? Indoctrinating children?

A lone man in the children's area is never acceptable for obvious reasons.
It's about safeguarding.
It's not about "culture" - any lone man hanging around a children's area is inappropriate.
He would have been moved on quickly if he were wearing a collar.

A grown man using a child's play area to pray to Allah is not child friendly.
He's not there with a child for a start so should not be using that space.
I would view it as intimidating.
Ditto if he turned up at the playground.

That’s so nasty, jobsworthy and discriminatory.

Because it is taking up space in the children’s area of a library and the praying stops them using the reading mat. Would it be ok for me to walk into a restaurant and start doing yoga?

I’m quite surprised the floor of a library met the hygiene requirements for Muslim prayer.

Can’t see what’s intimidating or unsettling about it, even if it was an inconvenience for a few minutes.

Are you unsettled by Christian prayer, or just the Islamic kind? Had he knelt down and belted out the Lords Prayer, would this thread still exist?

Nothing is wrong with them in areas designated for prayer and rest or areas open to all. But to take over a children's section, which is typically the noisiest, liveliest area of the library is inappropriate.

I agree adults shouldn’t be allowed to take over the children’s space in a library. Who they are and the reason they’re doing so is irrelevant. Suggest you contact the library to point this out.

I don’t know about Inverness, as Scottish rights are different. But in England (where there’s no right to accommodation for many people who are homeless) a lot of the (discretionary) provision (e.g. hostels) is hellish - lots of v traumatised people with unmet support needs. And mixed hostels can feel unsafe for women, especially survivors of male violence. Women also feel even more unsafe bedding down on the streets. So they often stay awake at night and try to sleep in public places in the daytime.

Cuts to housing, housing benefit, support services and local authorities from 2010 (still ongoing) have created record homelessness and many hostels, day centres, women’s refuges and public spaces (like libraries and community centres) have closed. Putting even more pressure on those that are left. Libraries can be one of the last peaceful and safe havens. They shouldn’t be. But lots of voters don’t want money spent on these things again. So they are. It’s what happens. The way to tackle it is for voters to demand adequate housing, social security and increased investment in public services/spaces.

If there were no kids in the kids’ section before you arrived, maybe the praying man and sleeping woman thought it’d be OK to use the kids’ section - and maybe the library staff didn’t mind. But as soon as someone arrives with kids, they should move - or be asked to move. If it’s a big library, surely they should provide a prayer room, especially during Ramadan.

I think elsewhere in the library, fair enough- but the kids space should be just for kids. Yanbu

This has reminded me when I was in university I asked the university librarian if I could book one of the study rooms for five minutes to pray. There were at least 3 that were free, she said no and told me to pray in the library floor.

I imagine if the fellow wanted a place to pray he could have prayed by the
"Advanced claymore sharpening, trans for hard men, or alternatively Deer disemboweling for the Lesbi-feminist collective" no, he chose the children area.

Having read a lot about islam and prayer schedules, there is a usually wide window in which one can pray. Say between sunrise and midday for an example. You are not required to pray at the stroke of eleven or will turn into a stone if you miss it by one minute. Most reasonable Muslims appreciate this. A few, the " we'll do what we goddam want, make Saudi great again" and especially their "Allies" are the ones push, pushing.

🎯

Maybe he asked if there was a space he could pray quietly and was told that corner?

in my experience people usually do ask where they can use without being a disturbance.

no idea about the sleeping

Me too. It’s like the recent post where a person apparently only had the option of a woman in a niqab or a trans person to carry out her gynaecology appointment. This was taken down by MN as it was fake. It’s all so far fetched and obviously designed to whip up anti-Muslim rhetoric, and as is evident from the comments on here, it works.

Chortle.

Am in agreement that this kind of outrage post is probably manufactured. See also the 77th Brigade, the interwebs is rife with all sorts desperate to win our hearts and minds for whatever reason.

But just to throw a feline amongst the avian, recently a certain Tangerine Scream was prayed over by multiple wealthy and powerful evangelical Christian Nationalists, and described as anointed by God in the Oval office as he allegedly leads the righteous in a not Holy / Holy War dependent on one's perspective. Obviously he has started a trend for performative prayer in inappropriate places. It might even be a TikTok challenge by next week.

It absolutely is, but people in safe areas don't believe this happens. I come across it frequently in my job/area. If they want to continue praying while I continue using spaces how they were intended to be used whilst singing a cheery song, on they go. But usually they move on.

All libraries are dedicated ‘warm
spaces’. At least they are in my area. Along with things like youth clubs and other community buildings.

If this is true then YANBU but YABU for not having a more direct conversation with the library staff at the time.

Agree there is a time and place. Prayer seems to trump every single thing for some Muslims - 20 yrs ago when I was mid pregnancy my midwife thought there may be a problem so I was sent to hospital. While sat in the waiting room a Muslim lady was pretty much carried in by two men, she was in significant pain and spoke no English. Their first question to medical staff, before even helping her to a bed/chair or booking her in was “where can we go to pray” and off they went leaving a relative in agony with no or little English. Seems extraordinary to me as a non practicing atheist!

We stopped going to the library as it became the hang out for the local drug addled…fortunately our many local charity shops have huge book sections!