Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Muslim prayers

426 replies

Amibeingtoosensitive · 14/03/2017 19:11

My DD (9) had R.E today
They were learning about Muslim prayers. All fine.
They then went on to get prayer mats and say a Muslim prayer, with their shoes off, on their knees as a group.

AIBU to feel uncomfortable about my DD being made to do a religious practice we do not believe in.

OP posts:
wizzywig · 14/03/2017 19:12

I guess you arent if you feel like that about any religion

FannyFifer · 14/03/2017 19:14

Nope I fail to see any issue with this.
An active participation of how Muslim folk pray, so what.

GoodnightSeattle · 14/03/2017 19:17

Would you feel this way if it was any other religion you didn't believe in?

SayNoToCarrots · 14/03/2017 19:17

I think it's a bit weird. I wonder whether Muslims would feel comfortable with group of nine years olds play-acting serious parts of their religion.

Saucery · 14/03/2017 19:17

YANBU, as they were not praying, they were pretending to pray. Which makes a bit of a mockery of the Muslim way of prayer imo. Plenty of resources out there for them to understand how faiths approach their God without playacting it and making it meaningless.

MyBeloved · 14/03/2017 19:17

I don't think students are made to pray as other religions do, so no, YANBU. Learning about other religions and being made to pray are entirely different things in my opinion.

VivienneWestwoodsKnickers · 14/03/2017 19:18

What did you say when they did this for another religion?

BartholinsSister · 14/03/2017 19:19

Were the prayers answered, or did it turn out to be hogwash?

Livelovebehappy · 14/03/2017 19:19

I wouldn't be happy about it. Some children will have been raised in households who follow their own religion, and so it would go against their own beliefs to practice another religion, even if just briefly. Fair enough to learn about different religions, but can you see those families of Jewish, Islamic faith etc being accepting of their children being forced into church and kneeling down praying to god? Not a chance.

WelshMoth · 14/03/2017 19:19

I wouldn't have any issue with this and we are regular chapel goers. As a one-off experience, I would be quite happy for my DC to experience other religious practices. Knowledge opens the mind!

smythe55 · 14/03/2017 19:20

Do they sing Christmas carols at Christmas? Light a Menorah in RE?

Are you concerned they could catch Islam by learning about it, or that it could be seen as mocking a serious religious practice, having those who don't believe play acting it?

If the latter, I have some sympathy, and depending how it was done, and how Muslims feel about it, I would object. Better for the kids to visit a mosque, than risk making a mockery of other people's beliefs.

sariassong1 · 14/03/2017 19:20

How would you feel if next week they pretended to practice another religious ritual, eg; taking Holy Communion etc?
I do get it though. I suppose it's about religious tolerance. Believe in it or not, it's nice to have some respect.

Original poster
Amibeingtoosensitive · 14/03/2017 19:20

Yes, my children also don't pray to God in assembly at school. I'm uncomfortable with any religion, we're not religious so why should they be forced to participate in any?

I can't see why they needed to do this? So many other ways to learn about it.

OP posts:
Tonka4 · 14/03/2017 19:21

I'd be furious. Religious education should not be taught in schools full stop. You shouldn't be filling kids heads with this nonsense, which is exactly how religion works, get them when they're young...

WelshMoth · 14/03/2017 19:22

Surely if we expose all our DC to all types of religious practices, it may teach a bit more tolerance and understanding? It's not about 'conversion', it's about education.

Original poster
Amibeingtoosensitive · 14/03/2017 19:22

How would you feel if next week they pretended to practice another religious ritual, eg; taking Holy Communion etc?

I would feel exactly the same.

OP posts:
Crumbs1 · 14/03/2017 19:23

It's role play, surely? JUst as dressing up and going through a Jewish wedding might be role play or christening a doll,might be. If you don't believe in Islam how could it possibly do any harm? It's trying to teach children about how other people live, which strikes me as a good thing. Like teaching French and tasting snails - not something you'd necessarily want to do all the time but makes the lesson interesting.

Original poster
Amibeingtoosensitive · 14/03/2017 19:24

Surely if we expose all our DC to all types of religious practices, it may teach a bit more tolerance and understanding? It's not about 'conversion', it's about education

I'm happy for her to be educated. Not happy for her to be doing religious practices

OP posts:
smythe55 · 14/03/2017 19:24

As a Christian, I would see a fake "holy communion" as quite disrespectful. Like Jews can see fake "Seder meals" as disrespectful.

I would go in to school, and offer to help arrange a mosque visit, many are used to school groups, as a better alternative. I wonder if a visit from an Imam could be arranged?

Saucery · 14/03/2017 19:25

It's not education though. Nor is it indoctrination. It is meaningless and trite because it will not mean to them what it means to someone of that faith.
I totally agree they should be taught about the faith of others.

Derlei · 14/03/2017 19:25

I'm not Christian and went to a non-catholic school yet we said the Lords Prayer everyday and sang hymns every morning. It makes no difference. The more young kids are exposed to the peaceful practices of Islam (as opposed to having the T word shoved down the throats every other day) the better

smythe55 · 14/03/2017 19:26

But, OP, perhaps you're better doing this: [http://www.secularism.org.uk/your-rights--withdrawal-from-re.html] withdrawal from RE.

sariassong1 · 14/03/2017 19:28

If you don't believe in these practices then surely it's harmless?
I don't believe in any religious practices therefore I'm happy to have a go at any of the benign rituals cos they don't hold any power for me.

Astoria7974 · 14/03/2017 19:29

I'm not Christian and was forced to sing hymns at assembly and learn about all the biblical religions but not my own. When I asked about Hinduism the teacher said it's not a proper religion but a collection of religions, and so I Stopped going as it was optional.

Jazzywazzydodah · 14/03/2017 19:30

YANBU

I'd have a big problem with this as unless you go to a religious school I really don't think religion belongs there.

I agree with R.E as in learning about the different kinds of religion but to actively take part in an any act of worship I'd be pissed off.

I'm still staggered that in this day and age folk still believe in gods. Ffs!