I once offered my prayers at King Abdul Aziz International Airport’s north terminal that serves foreign airlines operating in the Kingdom. I was shocked at the poor condition of the place reserved for prayer. It is an isolated and antiquated place that looks more like a cellar than a place of worship. I stared recalling the condition of the airport mosque in Singapore, a country where Muslims form 35 percent of the population. I also remembered mosques at airports like Dubai and Abu Dhabi and was amazed to see the difference.
I think many passengers, the majority of them foreigners, would be surprised and disappointed at the same time to see the status of the prayer hall at KAIA. Such is the state of a mosque at the airport of a country that has built large beautiful mosques in remote areas of the world. It is no wonder the condition of the mosque reflects the state of the airport in general.
When I joined the congregational prayers the imam and other male worshippers were separated from the women part by a wall with tiny openings on it. The voice of the imam was so low and remote I could not realize whether he was offering rakaa (bowing) or sajda (prostration). I was so confused I had to repeat the whole prayer, this time alone. I was sad I might have missed the reward reserved for those offering prayer in groups.
What happened at the airport usually happens with women attending taraweeh prayers during the fasting month of Ramadan.
Women could not follow the imam as required because they are completely segregated. This was not the case during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), nor was this the case during the time of his companions. The Grand Mosque in Makkah stands as a shining example where men and women offer prayers without this kind of segregation. Why then put these barriers that prevent women from properly following the progress of prayers?
Such separation also denies women the opportunity to ask the imam and seek guidance as women did during the Prophet’s time. I expect a convincing explanation from our scholars whom we highly revere.
30 July 2002
