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Muslim woman leads Jummah prayers in Canada
26-03-2005
Toronto, (UNI): Yet another Canadian Muslim woman has breached the walls of tradition to lead the Jummah prayers - hitherto an exclusive male preserve.
Close on the heels of a New York Muslim professor, who sparked off protests by leading an Islamic prayer meeting last week, Aslima Alladin-Majid of Toronto yesterday delivered a sermon to a mixed-gender congregation at an Etobicoke mosque. Traditionally, Muslim women do not lead prayers and it is only in some mosques that they are even allowed to join the men in offering the prayers.
''Sorry, it is my first time,'' Aslima said apologetically as she stuttered in places. The congregation cheered her on. ''We don’t mind,'' said one of the men. ''It is okay!'' said a young girl, encouraging the woman in her mid-forties, to go on.
''It took a lot of courage to do this,'' said Aslima after the sermon was over. ''We aren’t exposed to public speaking but times are changing,'' she said, flanked by her teenaged son and daughter. ''I am so proud of my mom. Normally, she is the one helping us to prepare speeches and today she herself did it,'' said Aslima’s son Alim, kissing her fondly on the cheek.
http://www.deepikaglobal.com/ENG4_sub.asp?ccode=ENG4&newscode=97249
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