A Step Towards Equality: Women Allowed To Offer Tarawih In Lucknow Eidgah

For the first time, Aishbagh Eidgah in Lucknow will allow women to offer Tarawih namaz during Ramzan. The holy month of Ramzan is set to begin, and Aishbagh Eidgah is one of the important places of prayer in Lucknow.

Tarawih namaz is a special prayer for Muslims that involves reading long portions of the Quran and performing many 'rakahs' (cycles of movement involved in Islamic prayer).

Women Can Pray In Lucknow's Eidgah

Imam Eidgah, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali said, "A part of the Eidgah will be reserved for women so that they can perform Tarawih namaz during Ramzan this year." Mahali is also the rector of the Islamic Centre of India. 

Earlier women offered namaz on Eid and Bakrid in the Eidgah in 2016. Women will enter Eidgah from the designated gate to offer namaz at its Baradari. Mahali stated that several people believe that Tarawih namaz is only for men, but Fikah and Fatwa say that tarawih must be performed by both women and men. 

He further added, "There is a mention that in the times of the Sahaba (one of the four caliphs), the practice of women offering tarawih was followed. The doors of the mosques are and will always remain open for the women."

Islam does not forbid women from praying at Mosques, but one might have come across the common notion that Muslim women cannot pray at Mosques. This probably came from the belief that there are chances where men can tease women. Also, menstruation, impurity, safety, historical tradition, and more are reasons for not allowing women into the innermost areas of these shrines. However, Aishbagh Eidgah allowing women to perform Tarawih namaz is giving a message, women are equal in the eye of the creator and requires to be the same by others. The decision was appreciated by Muslim women. This means Muslim women do believe that they face gender inequality. 

Sofiya Shaikh, a finance professional working in Pune said, "Most of the time women are unable to define what is injustice. They do what they are told. For someone like me who is aware of inequities, it becomes difficult. Dargah allowing women to pray as men do should be lauded because if the change is initiated at the religious level, a lot of change can be brought in other streams. Such changes will contribute to the larger fight for gender equality."

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