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Home Front: Culture Wars
Mosque moves forward with effort to ban Morgantown woman
2004-07-26
Efforts to ban a West Virginia woman working to improve Muslim women's rights from a mosque founded by her father 23 years ago are moving forward. Asra Nomani, a member of the Islamic Center in Morgantown, has been notified by e-mail that the mosque's executive committee has received a petition signed by 35 of 135 fellow members seeking her expulsion. The e-mail did not specify what the harmful actions and practices were, and repeated requests by Nomani for a copy of the petition, names of her accusers and charges against her have been rebuffed. Nomani says she takes the ban seriously but does not fear it because she hasn't done anything wrong. Nomani says a professor of Islamic law at the University of California at Los Angeles has agreed to help her with her case. The American Civil Liberities Union also is involved. The 38-year-old single mother is one of the founding members of Daughters of Hajar. Their goal is to fight for gender equality in worship. Nomani took a deep breath and her first steps in the fight last year by entering the front door of her mosque and praying on the main floor. Nomani says she's been told the effort to ban her will likely fail. But even if the panel votes against banning her, the mosque's Board of Trustees will make the final decision.
Posted by:TS(vice girl)

#12  In another article she is quoted saying "young arab students preaching hate" have taken over her mosque. I wonder where they came from? It was on Drudge but the link is gone.
Posted by: FlameBait93268   2004-07-26 11:29:56 PM  

#11  I can see this one coming. Tonight on Lifetime: "Honor Killing".
Posted by: tu3031   2004-07-26 11:15:19 PM  

#10  In the face of the hardcore Islamists, the Muslim Sheeple are expected to fold - and never seem to fail to disappoint. Nomani has already staked out a dissenting position via the wymyn's rights thing - so she will, if form holds, end up alone and thus out. The moskkk, as all in the West, is "run" by an association, she has no more "say" in the matter than any other member. Enlisting the aid of outsiders, Islamic or not, will further isolate her opinions. If she wins, the moskkk will be cut off from the Wahhabi money pipeline. IMHO, the Trustees will correct any error made by the panel as Shari'a will rule in the end - and she's definitely on the wrong side of that... walking in the front door and praying alongside the myn - how dare she!

I hope some follow-up becomes available. This could be one of the seeds that actually does offer the hope of creating the environment capable of producing a Moderate Muslim or two. *fingers crossed*
Posted by: .com   2004-07-26 8:35:55 PM  

#9  35 out of 135?! No wonder they hate democracy!
Posted by: Anonymous5901   2004-07-26 4:46:15 PM  

#8  Bulldog--LOL--Great stuff, keep it up!

Wonder what the Systahs think of the 72 raisins clause?
Posted by: Dar   2004-07-26 3:32:20 PM  

#7  why should she have to start a new mosque, and lose whatever is invested in land, building, books, and "good will" in the other one? As someone who's actually participated in founding a new Synagogue, I can tell you this sort of thing isnt all that easy, and in a town as small as Morgantown, where its probably hard to get the critical mass for a Mosque, it makes perfect sense for her to fight to keep HER mosque.

Please see upcoming disputes over PECUSA assets:)
Posted by: Liberalhawk   2004-07-26 3:30:20 PM  

#6  The Islamic Laws of Perpetual Motion- (n.) A branch of physics discovered in the early 21st century, concerning cyclical, never-ending lawsuits over Islamic law versus the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Islam-grow up. Let people worship together.
Posted by: jules 187   2004-07-26 3:12:07 PM  

#5  dreadnought: hopefully not. I prefer a scenario where the Systahs issue their own fatwas declaring it haraam to engage in sexual relations with member of the other sects. Similar result.
Posted by: Bulldog   2004-07-26 2:51:12 PM  

#4  BD,

From your keyboard to God's ear...
Posted by: dreadnought   2004-07-26 2:44:33 PM  

#3  Why doesn't she and others who agree with her simply start another mosque?

And so the Systah sect of Islam was born. Conflicts between Sunni and Shia were put aside as members from each united to stone the reviled "Splitter Systahs" and all suspected of sympathising with the new breakaway Systah'hud faction, which was deemed supremely heretical in fatwas issued by imams, worldwide. In a bloody period of battles, mostly fought between small groups and individuals, in a period that became known as the "Week of the Glorious Bloody Kitchen Sinks", half of all Muslims died. The victory was Pyrrhic, however. Islam became extinct within a lifetime.
Posted by: Bulldog   2004-07-26 2:38:14 PM  

#2  Why doesn't she and others who agree with her simply start another mosque?
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2004-07-26 2:25:28 PM  

#1  Note to nomani: go with the Kevlar hijab.
Posted by: Super Hose   2004-07-26 2:19:58 PM  

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