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

YABU. It is Ramadam, so prayer time is strict and adherred to religiously. It is possible the chap was out on appointments that took longer and I doubt there are many mosques in Inverness. He therefore asked if he could have a quiet, East facing spot to pray in the library. Who could possibly refuse without causing offence? As for the woman sleeping. Libraries are designated warm spaces, and maybe she was homeless? Yes, it was inconvenient, but the prayers would not have lasted that long and the sleeping woman could have been asked to move by staff. It sounds like this was during the day, rather than a busy after-school period, so at the time it would have been quiet there.

How would you have responded if it was a female praying, of any religion?

As we’ve established it’s not sex specific space, and it’s just that the activity itself is in the wrong place, would your reaction be as strong?

Are you anti prayer in the wrong place, or anti Muslim/man?

How would you have responded if it was a female praying, of any religion?

As we’ve established it’s not sex specific space, and it’s just that the activity itself is in the wrong place, would your reaction be as strong?

Are you anti prayer in the wrong place, or anti Muslim/man?

How would you have responded if it was a female praying, of any religion?

As we’ve established it’s not sex specific space, and it’s just that the activity itself is in the wrong place, would your reaction be as strong?

Are you anti prayer in the wrong place, or anti Muslim/man?

I must be the only poster who finds this quite amusing. I doubt very much it is a common occurrence, maybe a one off. Nobody died.

The Library staff could put up a big notice saying, 'This is a designated area for children's use of the library only'.

YABU. It is Ramadam, so prayer time is strict and adherred to religiously. It is possible the chap was out on appointments that took longer and I doubt there are many mosques in Inverness. He therefore asked if he could have a quiet, East facing spot to pray in the library. Who could possibly refuse without causing offence? As for the woman sleeping. Libraries are designated warm spaces, and maybe she was homeless? Yes, it was inconvenient, but the prayers would not have lasted that long and the sleeping woman could have been asked to move by staff. It sounds like this was during the day, rather than a busy after-school period, so at the time it would have been quiet there.

YABU. It is Ramadam, so prayer time is strict and adherred to religiously. It is possible the chap was out on appointments that took longer and I doubt there are many mosques in Inverness. He therefore asked if he could have a quiet, East facing spot to pray in the library. Who could possibly refuse without causing offence? As for the woman sleeping. Libraries are designated warm spaces, and maybe she was homeless? Yes, it was inconvenient, but the prayers would not have lasted that long and the sleeping woman could have been asked to move by staff. It sounds like this was during the day, rather than a busy after-school period, so at the time it would have been quiet there.

YABU. It is Ramadam, so prayer time is strict and adherred to religiously. It is possible the chap was out on appointments that took longer and I doubt there are many mosques in Inverness. He therefore asked if he could have a quiet, East facing spot to pray in the library. Who could possibly refuse without causing offence? As for the woman sleeping. Libraries are designated warm spaces, and maybe she was homeless? Yes, it was inconvenient, but the prayers would not have lasted that long and the sleeping woman could have been asked to move by staff. It sounds like this was during the day, rather than a busy after-school period, so at the time it would have been quiet there.

YABU. It is Ramadam, so prayer time is strict and adherred to religiously. It is possible the chap was out on appointments that took longer and I doubt there are many mosques in Inverness. He therefore asked if he could have a quiet, East facing spot to pray in the library. Who could possibly refuse without causing offence? As for the woman sleeping. Libraries are designated warm spaces, and maybe she was homeless? Yes, it was inconvenient, but the prayers would not have lasted that long and the sleeping woman could have been asked to move by staff. It sounds like this was during the day, rather than a busy after-school period, so at the time it would have been quiet there.

YABU. It is Ramadam, so prayer time is strict and adherred to religiously. It is possible the chap was out on appointments that took longer and I doubt there are many mosques in Inverness. He therefore asked if he could have a quiet, East facing spot to pray in the library. Who could possibly refuse without causing offence? As for the woman sleeping. Libraries are designated warm spaces, and maybe she was homeless? Yes, it was inconvenient, but the prayers would not have lasted that long and the sleeping woman could have been asked to move by staff. It sounds like this was during the day, rather than a busy after-school period, so at the time it would have been quiet there.

I didn’t say it was a single sex space.

Given the crime stats and the fact that it is a children’s space, it is VERY relevant that it is a man. We used to know this.

Had a Muslim woman been praying, or a woman of any religion, that would have been equally as inconvenient and misplaced.

Funnily enough I have never seen any footage of Muslim women doing this, only men. Any idea why that would be?

Only in the context of single sex spaces, which a library definitely is not.

The only relevant fact is that someone was in the children’s space without a child, because a library is not a sex specific space so the fact it’s a man isn’t actually relevant.

Had a Muslim woman been praying, or a woman of any religion, that would have been equally as inconvenient and misplaced.

The issue is his age and activity. Making it about anything else is just assumption and prejudice - men aren’t specifically excluded from libraries, and neither are Muslims.

I hope you have the same attitude to the Iftar held in Trafalgar Square yesterday, 'the largest in the west' according to Sadiq Khan.

There’s an event planned in London, by a well known convicted criminal, for May 16th.

It’s being held “Under God,” so is at least marketed as a Christian event. In a public space.

That’s at least as bad, and misplaced, as praying in Trafalgar Square…. right?

Yes, and the same arguments that are used to justify men in female only spaces. We all know where that has ended up.

It does seem like this race to the bottom driven by a mindset of “I am more tolerant than thou, therefore I Am A Good Person”.

What is the Christian part of it? The name? Wouldn’t that cover any monotheistic religion rather than just Christianity? If the roads are closed then this is an organised event through the appropriate authorities? Do you think you might be reaching just a bit hard here and looking a bit silly

Under God, so whilst I believe that’s likely just a cover for what is really a political event, if we take them at their word that it’s a Christian event - they shouldn’t be closing roads for it, because religion shouldn’t inconvenience?

That sounds like a political rally rather than a religious ritual?

Only in the context of single sex spaces, which a library definitely is not.

The only relevant fact is that someone was in the children’s space without a child, because a library is not a sex specific space so the fact it’s a man isn’t actually relevant.

Had a Muslim woman been praying, or a woman of any religion, that would have been equally as inconvenient and misplaced.

The issue is his age and activity. Making it about anything else is just assumption and prejudice - men aren’t specifically excluded from libraries, and neither are Muslims.