Boys in the Front, Girls to the Back

One of the last refuge for children and young people from the relentless bombardment of the word of God, the secular public school system has been breached, and we should be worried.

Public schools in Ontario, in contravention of Ontario’s Education Act (Québec passed a law to make teaching religion in the public school system legal, read Teach Your Children Well), and possibly the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, have been allowing Muslims to hold prayer services on school property, such as the cafeteria at Valley Park Middle School in the following picture.

John Goddard, Toronto Star

In the picture, boys are in the front, in the back, separated by benches, are girls, and still further back are girls who are not praying, for there is no point, it's their time of the month. Allah will not listen to females who are menstruating and expects them to be kept as far away as possible from those worshipping his Almightiness.

Females, whether they are menstruating or not, cannot worship in front of males for that would annul the male's prayers. For this bit of information we are indebted to the Prophet’s closest companion and confident, his child bride Aisha:

Narrated 'Aisha: "The things which annul the prayers were mentioned before me. They said, "Prayer is annulled by a dog, a donkey and a woman (if they pass in front of the praying people)…" Bukhari

A'isha said [to Muhammad]: "You have made us equal to the dogs and the asses." Muslim 4:1039

Islam’s greatest historian, al Tabari [839 - 923], in his 38 volume universal history of the world from Adam and Eve to 915 corroborates Aisha’s recollections of women being compared to domestic animals:

Treat women well, for they are like domestic animals with you and do not possess anything for themselves. Tabari vol.9 p.113

Education director Chris Spence is quoted as saying that “As a public school board, we have a responsibility and an obligation to accommodate faith needs,” even rituals that are meant to remind females of their place in the man’s religion, a place they share with donkeys and dogs it would seem.

I am sure the Toronto school board is acting out of ignorance and at least one god will forgive them “for they don’t know what they do”. But what about females who put up with this nonsense? The sayings of the Prophet are part of their religious education, including why Allah has put men charge.

The Prophet said, "Isn’t the witness of a woman equal half that of a man?" The women said, "Yes." He said: "This is because of the deficiency of the woman’s mind." Bukhari

What Allah actually said:

2:282 ... And call to witness two witnesses of your men; if not two men, then one man and two women from such witnesses you approve of, so that if one of them (the two women) fails to remember, the other will remind her.

He also said:

2:228 Divorced women should keep away from men for three menstrual periods. And it is not lawful for them to conceal that which Allah has created in their wombs, if they truly believe in Allah and the Last Day. Their husbands have the right in the meantime to take them back, should they seek reconciliation; and women have rights equal to what is incumbent upon them according to what is just, although men are one degree above them (what is meant here is that the men have a superior authority). Allah is Mighty, Wise.

4:34 Men are in charge of women, because Allah has made some of them excel the others, and because they spend some of their wealth. Hence righteous women are obedient, guarding the unseen which Allah has guarded. And those of them that you fear might rebel, admonish them and abandon them in their beds and beat them. Should they obey you, do not seek a way of harming them; for Allah is Sublime and Great!

Will we ever see a Muslim Rosa Parks at these prayer get-togethers? I doubt it.

I am starting to believe that, when it comes to women and male gods and saviors (think ex-num and Prophet promoter  Karen Armstrong), maybe God's Messenger was on to something with his comment about a woman's mind, as was Allah with his revelation that women are not good at remembering things, things like what He and His Messenger said about them.

Then again, it just might be the Stockholm Syndrome on steroids, for did the Prophet not say in his last sermon that women are prisoners of their male keepers.

Treat the women kindly, for verily, they are like prisoners in your house and are incapable of looking after themselves ... Hamidullah

I also have to wonder what people like Chris Spence would do if a girl wanted to worship in the front rows, or next to boys. Would he tell her to get to the back of the bus… I mean to the back of the cafeteria? Probably would.

Bernard Payeur, July 18, 2011