KUMUD JENAMANI
Jamshedpur, July 20: A mosque meant exclusively for women will come up at Kapali in the adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan district near Mango locality of the steel city soon.
Named as Masjide Zahra, the mosque will be managed and maintained by women only.
Revealing about the project, Dr Noor-ul-zama Khan, who is the founder of the masque, said it was his dream project and the motive behind setting up an all-women masque is to promote equally to woman in following their religious pursuit like their male counterpart.
Elaborating on the matter, Dr Khan pointed out that the practice of offering Nawaz by women alongside the men was prevalent across the Islamic domain, including at the Holy Madina Sharif, but in course of time the women were asked to offer prayer at their home only, especially due to the paucity of space in the mosques.
“In my opinion, offering Nawaz by men and women in a mosque is not against the Islam. Moreover, when boys and girls can study in co-ed schools together and they sit together while pursuing higher education in colleges and universities, what is wrong in women offering Nawaz in a mosque, ” Dr Khan argued.
He, however, observed that so far as the upcoming Zahra mosque is concerned it will be meant for only women.
Elaborating on the all-women mosque project, construction work of the mosque has passed halfway mark and presently the work has been stopped for the ongoing monsoon.
“After the rainy season gets through, the construction work will be resumed and by the end of the year the Zagra mosque will be ready, ” asserted Khan while talking to the media.
Dr Khan said as he started construction work for the all-women mosque, a section of people criticised him.
“It is going to be a unique mosque for facilitating the women to offer prayers. If some people are opposed to the move, let them criticise. The mosque construction will go on, ” said Khan, adding that there are greater number of people who are in favour of the all- women mosque.
