Can I ask if, if you're a Muslim woman, do you pray at the mosque?

[lucydogz]

I'm not starting this for a bunfight, but am interested to hear a Muslim woman's view on this.... I've recently chatted to some Muslim women and they, knowing I'm a Christian, were chatting about me going to church. I was really surprised, when I asked them which mosque they went to, all of them said that they and their daughters didn't go but prayed at home instead. Is this usual? Is a mosque seen as a men's space?

It depends. Some mosques have a space for women and some don't.

I work in an area with a few mosques, and have visited one. Just an in Judaism, they separate men and women for prayer, although women are allowed in the mosque. Two of them near me have a separate room or building for women.
Interestingly, an imam told me that as well as Islamic principles, a reason to do it separately is so that men and women are spared the embarrassment of praying with each others backsides in front of them. Which makes sense :)

each others backsides in front of them
It does make perfect sense, I wonder which came first the practical solutions or misogamy, christianity has managed misogamy perfectly well without separation during prayers.

FWIW, there was a tradition (I'm not sure when it stopped) of there being seperate areas for unmarried young men and women.
Coming back to mosques though, I find it surprising that the moslem women I know (and their daughters) just don't go to the mosque.

I don't pray at the mosque often simply because I have young children and it is quite a hassle to get there, plus friday prayers are very very busy and I am always worried about them running off while I pray. I used to go very often before I had children, and when I only had my eldest, but unfortunately it is a struggle when you don't have a mosque within walking distance. In Islam, it is mandatory for men to pray all their prayers in congregation, whereas women can pray anywhere, which is why many simply pray at home. It doesn't mean that mosques are seen as a male space, and women are encouraged to attend whenever it's practical. I love having a women only space, and I actually often stop by to breastfeed my youngest when I am out and close to a mosque. Also, islamically women are perfectly allowed to pray with the men, and I have done so in places where there was no separate area. I think many of us just like to have our own space, just like non- muslim women value women- only groups/ activities.

I converted to Islam about a year ago now and live in the Middle East so there are plenty of mosques around. The smaller ones don't tend to have a separate ladies areas but women pray at the back so the men aren't looking at your backside when you're bending to pray. The larger ones have a ladies section. As @malaguena said there is more space for men because it is obligatory for men to pray in congregation but not for women.

I often go to the mosque for Friday prayers (like a Christian going to church on a Sunday) because I enjoy learning from the sermon and because I enjoy talking to other Muslim women. I also usually choose a mosque where the ladies section is separate so that I can chat to and meet new women.

christianity has managed misogamy perfectly well without separation during prayers.

true dat

Misogyny perhaps? But thanks for the snarky comment on a thread where I was just asking a question, as I was genuinely curious. That'll teach me.

As with everything, you'll find different flavours (or practices, in this case). Most mosques have men and women spaces, and as said above men HAVE to pray in mosque and for women its ideal but not an obligation. Some places have separate rooms/areas and in some women can pray behind the men.

As for misogyny, I fail to understand how is it misogynist when its harder on men to have to attend the prayers at mosque compared to the freedon to pray anywhere for women. Beither does the Christianity comparison works, as the prayer styles are completely different between Chtistianity adn Islam.

i actually far prefer to pray at home than go to the mosque. i think because of the life stage im at right now with young children i cant deal with communal prayer atm with their demands and little urgencies. my mother now goes to mosque very regularly to pray as we have all left home, i think i maybe the same as my children get older. i feel more sorry for my husband that he has to go to mosque every friday and cannot miss the friday prayer as i can do week in, week out, years on end now.

what i do think we miss as muslim women is that personal relationship with an imam that christian women can have with their pastor/priest. the imam is always on the men's side, we can contact him by email or phone calls if lucky but otherwise they tend to be far more accessible to men than women. i find out more about my faith going online than speaking to my local imam. not because of religion per se, but traditional mosques that do have a prayer area theres still an inhibition. men can go up to speak to the imam straight away after a prayer, women have to make appointments or send someone to ask on their behalf. i cannot enter the mens prayer area to speak to the imam and he is waylaid by a hundred others before he gets out for me to talk to him.

1 Corinthians 14:34-35, Paul wrote: “As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church” (vv. 33-35) christianity had its only form of segregation. Im a convert to islam from christianity. God made it less of a hardship for women for example we are not able to pray during menses, so some young girls who may attend prayers at the mosque regularly all of a sudden dont turn up for a week may make them feel a little embarrased, as everyone would obviously know why. Nothing prohibits us nor is it an obligation but just down to personal choice

**own not only

And yy to having young children. God does not burden you more than you can bear.

Sometimes I go to the mosque sometimes I don't.

It's not obligatory for women to pray at a mosque as it is for men.

And frankly as we pray five times a day I'm really glad we don't have to go pray at the mosque morning prayers start at 3am currently.