Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

735 replies

sunshine240778474 · 13/03/2026 20:12

Yesterday I took the kids to the local library (Inverness, scotland). The local library has a kids area. The kids area has a nice artificial grass mat for the kids to sit and read their books on.

When I entered the library there was a man who had folded the kids mat over so he could kneel on the floor and pray to Allah.

Therefore this prevented the kids from sitting on the mat and reading their books.
The man was praying for a while.

I don't have a problem with someone praying if that's what they want to do.

Is it appropriate to be doing it in the kids area in a local library?

Also, there was a woman curled up in the corner of the library sleeping. This was also in the kids area.

I've seen people sleeping in the library on a few occasions now. I've never seen it in the kids' area.

Ofcourse, I feel sorry for her if she's tired, but again is it appropriate to be using the local library, especially the kids area, as a shelter?

I left the library, and told the staff politely, I didn't find it kid friendly.

Was I being unreasonable?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
MyAgileHedgehog · 13/03/2026 21:28

Thursday? What time... ish?

CruCru · 13/03/2026 21:28

Oh crumbs, so he was actually praying out loud?

AgnesMcDoo · 13/03/2026 21:28

sunshine240778474 · 13/03/2026 21:26

@HippityHoppityHay exactly. I didn't really want to listen to it to be honest. Not that I have a problem with it. It's just not something I would choose to listen to. I'm sure if I started praying to jesus christ in some Muslim countries in a public space I would definitely be moved on. I respect people's religion, but they should also respect that some people might not want their child's learning space taken over for it.

What does religious intolerance in other countries have to do with this?

Original poster
sunshine240778474 · 13/03/2026 21:26

@HippityHoppityHay exactly. I didn't really want to listen to it to be honest. Not that I have a problem with it. It's just not something I would choose to listen to. I'm sure if I started praying to jesus christ in some Muslim countries in a public space I would definitely be moved on. I respect people's religion, but they should also respect that some people might not want their child's learning space taken over for it.

OP posts:
Tacohill · 13/03/2026 21:26

JollyHostess101 · 13/03/2026 21:01

So if I wanted to go grab some books enroute to pick up my child from nursery I shouldn’t be allowed to 😂

Show quote history

I assumed it was a child’s seating area, rather than just the shelves of books.

No lone adult should be using a space specifically designed for only kids.

Newyearawaits · 13/03/2026 21:25

I don't think it's appropriate for anyone to pray or worship in communal areas that impact on others.

JLou08 · 13/03/2026 21:20

JaneBoleyn · 13/03/2026 20:23

I think id try to lean on the perspective that anyone walking into a library should be welcomed.

I agree. A library is one of the very few public indoor places people can just go and be for free. Even without the fantastic resources for education, just having an open public space that anyone can access is such a vital community resource.

CruCru · 13/03/2026 21:19

CakeMeHomeIveSeenEnough · 13/03/2026 21:14

YANBU. It's a library—somewhere to read, study, browse, and borrow books—not a place for praying or sleeping on the floor.

I was going to say something like this.

SpiritAdder · 13/03/2026 21:18

sunshine240778474 · 13/03/2026 20:47

@Creepybookworm most occasions I have went into this library there has been people sleeping. Without sounding judgemental a lot of them look like drug users. Again, I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't have somewhere to sleep, but the library isn't a shelter. The health visitor encourages mums to take their children to the library for learning. I felt more like a shelter then a library. I don't feel safe. Again the body odour was horrendous. People sleeping with their shoes and socks off.

Isn’t a public library one of the designated warm spaces for people in fuel poverty?

I don’t understand what isn’t child friendly about you saw there?

CakeMeHomeIveSeenEnough · 13/03/2026 21:14

YANBU. It's a library—somewhere to read, study, browse, and borrow books—not a place for praying or sleeping on the floor.

HippityHoppityHay · 13/03/2026 21:14

JollyHostess101 · 13/03/2026 20:59

Ahhh I work in a library and we often have people come in who are homeless as we’re warm and safe some do fall asleep but it tends not to be in the kids area and like the poster above we turn a blind eye.

As for the praying I’d probably let them finish then ask them to do it somewhere else next time!

I would not risk that approach.
The man might target her on another occasion.
Religious zealots are often unstable.

I would say something at the desk or send an email instead.

NFPorterkeeponkeepingonNsoul · 13/03/2026 21:12

Jackanory is quite appropriate for a library I would have thought

HippityHoppityHay · 13/03/2026 21:12

Religion should be a private matter only.
Anyone imposing their religion on others is a jerk.

Blueharmonica · 13/03/2026 21:11

GladHedgehog · 13/03/2026 21:07

😆 hilarious

Show quote history

Not really, a man entering children’s area and obstructing children to worship an invisible magic deity is a performative act of aggression.

AgnesMcDoo · 13/03/2026 21:07

sunshine240778474 · 13/03/2026 20:47

@Creepybookworm most occasions I have went into this library there has been people sleeping. Without sounding judgemental a lot of them look like drug users. Again, I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't have somewhere to sleep, but the library isn't a shelter. The health visitor encourages mums to take their children to the library for learning. I felt more like a shelter then a library. I don't feel safe. Again the body odour was horrendous. People sleeping with their shoes and socks off.

they don’t have anywhere else to go. Particularly during the day.

GladHedgehog · 13/03/2026 21:07

Blueharmonica · 13/03/2026 20:52

What utter nonsense, this was a deliberate provocation in an attempt to intimidate.

Show quote history

😆 hilarious

Coffeeandbooks88 · 13/03/2026 21:06

Adults aren't allowed in the children's area if they don't have a child where I am.

Blueharmonica · 13/03/2026 21:04

OrdinaryMagicOfAcorns · 13/03/2026 20:56

I did not mean to wander in on a deliberate goad. I don’t know Inverness library specifically
[Still like my idea though]

Edited
Show quote history

You’re doing fine.

intrepidpanda · 13/03/2026 21:03

I would have told him to move

TheMoanerLisa · 13/03/2026 21:02

tonyhawks23 · 13/03/2026 20:29

I don't get why it's inappropriate?what's wrong with prayers and rest?

Nothing wrong with prayer and rest, but most definitely not in the children's reading area of local library.

Moanella · 13/03/2026 21:02

No YANBU.
It’s just another way in which men seem to be marking their territory.
Purely performative.

AgnesMcDoo · 13/03/2026 21:01

Both are fairly quiet activities.

was there somewhere else in the library he could have prayed?

if not the a library is probably quite an appropriate place to pray and it won’t have taken long

as for sleeping - I mean that can happen to anyone.

try and find your tolerant place

Original poster
sunshine240778474 · 13/03/2026 21:01

Why did they need to move the mat which prevented the kids sitting on it to read their books?

AIBU to question praying and sleeping in the library kids area?
OP posts:
JollyHostess101 · 13/03/2026 21:01

Tacohill · 13/03/2026 20:53

Adults should not be allowed in the kid section without kids, regardless of what they’re doing.

I would speak to the staff and ask them to put a sign up saying they’ll be asked to leave if in their without a child.

I am surprised by the man praying in such a public space and I’m surprised he didn’t go to a church or somewhere more private and quiet like many Muslims do.

But I’m not surprised by the woman sleeping.
Many homeless people use the library as a safe, warm place to go and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.

I had a home but was broke and couldn’t afford electricity or the internet, so everyday I’d take my DC to the library and I’d charge my phone and use the free 30mins on the internet to send emails and look for jobs and my DC would play and read books, all whilst being warm and safe.
The library was an absolute lifeline for us.

So if I wanted to go grab some books enroute to pick up my child from nursery I shouldn’t be allowed to 😂

JollyHostess101 · 13/03/2026 20:59

Ahhh I work in a library and we often have people come in who are homeless as we’re warm and safe some do fall asleep but it tends not to be in the kids area and like the poster above we turn a blind eye.

As for the praying I’d probably let them finish then ask them to do it somewhere else next time!