A few days before the holy month of Ramadan began, I went to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. The crowd near the Prophet’s tomb is always large at this time of year so I tried to choose the least congested time. Contrary to my expectations, the small area allocated to women for viewing the tomb was very crowded, even at dawn. As a part of the huge crowd, I felt both joy and sorrow at the same time. It was joyful because women suffer more to reach the presence of the Prophet, peace be upon him, than men. It was sorrowful because there was no end in sight to the suffering of women visitors who merely wanted a glimpse of the tomb. Female visitors from abroad suffer more than local ones because of inadequate arrangements for them. I tried my best to get as close to the tomb as possible but I failed and when the time allotted to women ended, I had to leave disappointed. This is the situation that forces me to continue writing, demanding greater consideration for women at both the holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah.
Women have asked that the visiting hours at the Prophet’s Mosque be extended until midnight, if not for the entire night. I understand that last Ramadan, men could visit it round the clock and in other months, until 11 p.m. I stress once again the need to treat women as men are treated. Women from far away often go to great hardship to save money to travel to the two holy mosques and they should not be disappointed when they visit them.
Why are women crushed into a narrow space while men are allowed to take all the rest? Islam does not differentiate between men and women in the matter of pious deeds and obedience to God. Instead of the limited hours allocated to women around the Prophet’s tomb, I request that the whole sacred area including rawdah and mihrab — the prayer niche — the Prophet’s pulpit and the main viewing area be left open for women. I wonder why women today are not entitled to view the tomb freely from the main viewing area as they did 20 years ago. Has some new regulation been added to Islam since then? Has some new evidence barring women from performing an unambiguously permitted act been recently discovered?
The answers to both questions are negative; halal — what is lawful — and haram — what is unlawful — are the same for men and women according to the Shariah. The Shariah is abundantly clear in the Prophet’s declaration that his daughter Fatima’s hand would be cut off if she were to commit an act of theft.
There is a difference of opinion among some scholars who say that women are not allowed to visit tombs. I don’t accept that religious knowledge is the exclusive possession of a particular group; every scholar will naturally have evidence to support his claim. In the Hadith regarding the woman whom the Prophet, pbuh, saw wailing at her son’s tomb, the objection was not to her visiting the tomb but to her behaving without self control. Further, it is well known that the Hadith, “I had earlier prohibited you from visiting cemeteries but now I permit to do so” is addressed to women. The supporters of the ban on visiting graves, however, maintain that the Hadith is “weak.”
No doubt those who support the ban will make a furor over what I am saying. I am talking here about the Prophet’s tomb and no other. Visitors to Madinah realize and approve this and therefore discard the advice of the mosque guides that offering only two rakaa at the rawdah is required and that there is no need to visit the tomb itself.
I will continue writing about this until the authorities listen to what I say. All doors should be open at dawn instead of a single one when women visitors in the thousands are waiting to enter. The officials can see in the observation camera photos the crowds of women shoving, pushing, falling, and perhaps trampling one another. Their misery is increased because the door in front of them might not be opened. Another one will suddenly open, making the crowd dash wildly to reach it. Once the crowd thins a bit, the open door is closed and another one is then opened. I demand that all doors be opened at the same time when the women’s turn to visit the tomb comes so that they may peacefully enter the viewing area. If only the authorities would listen to some of the scathing remarks by visiting women who are greatly disturbed by the way they are treated.
At the Grand Mosque, women used to view the Kaaba through the holes in the golden barricades placed between the men’s and women’s areas in the square surrounding the Kaaba. Recently the golden barriers have been replaced by aluminum barriers without holes. It is too high for anyone to peer over. No one can say the change was made to stop men and women from mixing. They mix in most areas of the mosque, not only near the area for circumambulation or between Safa and Marwa. Women want the present barricades to be replaced with the old type which have holes.
I would also like to see an end to the crude behavior of women guides in the Haram Mosque when dealing with pilgrims and visitors. The pilgrims should be handled in a gentle and kindly manner. The guides’ behavior should not violate the sanctity and grandeur of the Holy House. The Kaaba is a sign of God and should be held in great respect. What covers it should not be struck with sticks or anything else. Some guides strike, and raise their voices at, praying pilgrims who cling to the wall-covers. I still remember seeing a guide beating a woman violently and pulling at her shoulder bag because she had kissed the covering.
Some guides strike women pilgrims with their folding fans for praying behind men’s rows in front of Kaaba. I was shocked to hear one of them ask a pilgrim “What brought you here?” Doesn’t the guide know that it is Almighty God who brings people there in response to the prayer of Ibrahim, may God’s peace be upon him? At the same time, I must also say that there are many guides who deal with the pilgrims with the utmost kindness and understanding.
Arab News Features 15 November 2002