This mosque received a great deal of international publicity recently as heralding the advent of a new, modern, moderate Islam. As is always the case with genuine attempts at Islamic reform, however, it is receiving pushback from Islamic authorities who say it is inauthentic Islam.
The Turkish authorities in this case are working from hadiths that have Muhammad saying that if a woman is in front of a man as he is praying, his prayer is invalidated:
“Abu Dharr reported: The Messenger of ‘Allah (may peace be upon him) said: When any one of you stands for prayer and there is a thing before him equal to the back of the saddle that covers him and in case there is not before him (a thing) equal to the back of the saddle, his prayer would be cut off by (passing of an) ass, woman, and black dog. I said: O Abu Dharr, what feature is there in a black dog which distinguish it from the red dog and the yellow dog? He said: O, son of my brother, I asked the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) as you are asking me, and he said: The black dog is a devil.” (Sahih Muslim 1032)
“Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: A woman, an ass and a dog disrupt the prayer, but something like the back of a saddle guards against that.” (Sahih Muslim 1034)
“‘Urwa b. Zubair reported: ‘A’isha asked: What disrupts the prayer? We said: The woman and the ass. Upon this she remarked: Is the woman an ugly animal? I lay in front of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) like the bier of a corpse and he said prayer.” (Sahih Muslim 1037)
“Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: Qatadah said: I heard Jabir ibn Zayd who reported on the authority of Ibn Abbas; and Shu’bah reported the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) as saying: A menstruating woman and a dog cut off the prayer. (Sunan Abu Dawud 703)
“Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: Ikrimah reported on the authority of Ibn Abbas, saying: I think the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: When one of you prays without a sutrah, a dog, an ass, a pig, a Jew, a Magian, and a woman cut off his prayer, but it will suffice if they pass in front of him at a distance of over a stone’s throw.” (Sunan Abu Dawud 704)
“Turkey says liberal German mosque ‘incompatible’ with Islam,” AFP, June 21, 2017:
ISTANBUL (AFP) – Turkey’s religious affairs agency has expressed distaste over a new mosque in Berlin where men and women mingle freely, saying it was incompatible with the principes [sic] of Islam.
Diyanet, which oversees religious activity in Turkey, said that such ideas were in line with projects led by the group of Fethullah Gulen, who Turkey blames for the July 15 failed coup.
Men and women pray side by side at the mosque that opened earlier this month in Berlin, which has female imams and where Muslims of all sects of the faith are welcome to worship together.
Supporters of the Berlin mosque said it would allow liberal Muslims to worship freely but in a tough statement Diyanet took a different stance.
It said that the mosque “neglects” the basic principles of Islam and was “incompatible with the worship, knowledge and methodology” accumulated since the faith was founded by the Prophet Mohammed 14 centuries ago.
“It is clear that this has been a project carried out for many years by FETO and other ill-gotten structures for the engineering of religion,” it added.
“We are convinced that all fellow believers will keep their distance from such provocations and show wisdom in the face of this,” Diyanet said in the statement published late Tuesday.
Turkey says that the failed coup was carried out by the Fethullah Terror Group (FETO) led by the US-based Gulen. Gulen denies leading any terror organisation and rejects having any hand in the coup bid.
Diyanet has influence over Muslim worship among the Turkish diaspora through the Ditib organisation controlled by Ankara that manages some 900 mosques or religious communities in Germany. Diyanet sends clerics to work in its mosques….
BLC says
There’s a mosque like that in Toronto, Canada, too. It was reported on MSM as being very progressive. Turns out it isn’t acceptable to orthodox Islam. No surprise there.
Seabird says
I think we can best you, Toronto, reportedly, there is an Imam in Berkely, Ca.who performs gay marriages but I think he’s a Shia so he may not “count”.
Blood pressures goina rise when Erdolph hears this.
PRCS says
Written, Orthodox Islam–amputations and all.
somehistory says
Nothing is ever wrong enough for these creeps. It has to be the lowest of the low, no further down can it go for them not to complain and whine. And threaten And murder..
Guest says
Anything that says women are equal to men is incompatible with Islam
Paul N Silas says
But it’s okay for the men to rape, beat, and kill them after mutilating the women’s genitals.
PRCS says
Per “the Big book”.
salim says
Men and women side by side?
Muslims would label this as a brothel more than a mosque.
I doubt if there are any Muslims, with average (or higher) understanding of their religion, accept such level of “decadence”.
Raakhee says
Strike individualism into the hearts of the believers. It worked quite well for Western Christianity.
MacUalraig says
I liked that one. Very nice.
common sense says
Everything is incompatible with Islam except dictatorship, oppression, constant war, rape, pedophilia and death.
PRCS says
“if a woman is in front of a man as he is praying”
As they’re praying alongside men….
Westman says
I think you’ve got something, there. A woman in every other line of placements, facing the front. Then there are only women directly in front of women and those ground-hugging prayers from men can wind their way, freely, avoiding women, all the way to Mecca; where the arrival of these nuggets of energy cause a continuous display of auras and lightning bolts. Oh, wait, that part was in a movie.
So why does all this world-wide praying seem to only bring poverty, hatred for unbelievers, inter-sect hatred, and violence? Where are the sweet fruits?
PRCS says
Part 1: Whew!
Part 2: Dunno.
Frank Anderson says
What should be expected? “A snake will always be a snake.” It will not change into a rabbit, a cat, a dog, or a human. It will always be a snake. That is what snakes do.
Antivenin says
Spain showed us how it is done: kick them out and prohibit islam totally. In other words: ban islam and its followers. It is the only way!
ibrahim itace muhammed says
common sense,you have no common sense at all .As son of prostitute,you cannot see anything wrong for men and women mixing together in worship, because you are like beasts having indiscriminate sex in open places.I saw it in the christian west.all the characteristics you mentioned belong to you filthy christians pursuant to mithraist evil bible( the book of genocide and pornography).As such you are the people of nudity and bad smells like pigs.Are you different from beasts which walk naked?You see nothing wrong in armed robbery and brigandage to gather ill_ gotten wealths for yourselves like more than $100 billion extorted by mad devil trump recently from stupid saudi rulers to supply them with obsolete weapons to fight Iran.you believe that sins in such extortions are washed away by blood of mithraist jesus according to pauline law of grace contained in your mithraist satanic bible.Get ready,all of you will go to hell and meet your mentor the satan there
Kuriakose says
Your founder was the robber and brigand who murdered hard working people to steal their wealth. Your satanic god authorised the booty in addition to raping and enslaving the female captives as lawful. That’s how your religion grew. One based on blood, loot, murder, plunder and rape ( and plagiarising bits and pieces from the Torah, Bible, and fables from Talmud, Persian myths etc ). DON’T WASTE OUR TIME, WE HERE KNOW WELL YOUR SCRIPTURES AND THE LIFE AND DEEDS OF YOUR SO CALLED PROPHET.
don vito says
itace, have you been studying your islamic texts? Those texts are “madding”, it seems the “madding” texts are indeed working to drive you insane. How can a kufr such as my self protect blood and property from the grasping, murdering, stealing, evil, twisted hands of your vile, raping, madding, filthy prophet?
boakai ngombu says
itace, you’re still dead, unknown by Holy Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), who is full of GRACE.
you said: “…according to pauline law of grace …” because English is no longer familiar to you, you slipped. (it is dangerous to bandy about most excellent words in a misleading way; judgement awaits you)
GRACE describes an attribute of Holy Trinity. It has to do with the degree of mercy He shows to humans – male and female. It speaks of true forgiveness for those who don’t deserve such. It also speaks of the gift of faith that comes from hearing how this forgiveness is distributed to the undeserving.
the allah god of islam (unknowable; the best of all deceivers) gives no indication people like you may learn of GRACE; it seems to make certain you don’t hear of it. your prophet, Muhammad (lately contrived; full of lusts) avoided it, and, is condemned.
sad. (you need to read more of Paul, but your SHAIRA won’t allow)
abad says
Islam is anti-female.
In other news, water is wet and grass is green.
Kuriakose says
Your founder was the robber and brigand who murdered hard working people to steal their wealth. Your satanic god authorised the booty in addition to raping and enslaving the female captives as lawful. That’s how your religion grew. One based on blood, loot, murder, plunder and rape ( and plagiarising bits and pieces from the Torah, Bible, and fables from Talmud, Persian myths etc ). DON’T WASTE OUR TIME, WE HERE KNOW WELL YOUR SCRIPTURES AND THE LIFE AND DEEDS OF YOUR SO CALLED PROPHET.
Kuriakose says
Sorry comment in the wrong place. Apologies to Abad.
AleX says
Turkey’s religious affair agency is right. No one can change Islam or the words of mohomot’ in order to accomodate both genders simultaneously.
Islam cannot be changed. It is the immutable word of allah for mankind in all eternity.
Good luck with ‘moderate’ Islam. It won’t work.
Frank Anderson says
Alex, I think you are correct. But it makes the ignorant deniers of the evil of Islam feel so good!. Clearly a demonstration of Viktor Frankl’s “delusion of reprieve” in Man’s Search for Meaning. When the truth is to horrible to face, make something up that feels better. Think about the people who failed to do anything until it was too late. Wonder how they felt when they were being murdered. I believe we can do better.
Lon Spector says
What’s the life expectancy of worshippers who attend such a mosque? Two days?