On Thursday, the famous Jama Masjid in New Delhi decided to ban females from entering the Masjid by themselves. The Masjid administration issued an order prohibiting single or groups of girls from entering the mosque unless accompanied by males.
According to reports, the Jama Masjid management has put up signs outside the mosque notifying visitors that girls are not welcome inside. The sign boards are placed outside the three entrances of the mosque. “It is forbidden for girls/women to enter Jama Masjid alone,” the signboards read.
However, Sabiullah Khan who is the PRO of the Masjid stated that the entry of women is not barred but the entry of women coming alone is barred. “When women come alone, they do improper acts, videos are shot, photos are clicked. An order has been issued to stop all this. No restrictions on families or married couples. Making religious places a meeting point is inappropriate, be it Masjid or Mandir,” he said.
“Women make TikTok videos. They dance in the Masjid premises. They come and meet men here and this has to stop. If women want to come here for worship they would be welcome. But they cannot see religious places like Masjids as a park. Masjid is for worship and everyone must only do that here,” he added.
The Jama Masjid in its order also mentioned that females will be permitted to enter the Mosque only with their husbands or family members. The order and the administration however have been criticised by many who said it belongs to a ‘fundamentalist mentality.’
While women coming alone are supposedly creating a nuisance by indulging in inappropriate acts and shooting TikTok videos, it hasn’t been clarified how women in groups are supposedly creating trouble.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) also happened to condemn the order and called the act of the administration ‘anti-women’. The VHP has also asked the Women and Child Development Ministry as well as the National Women Commission to look into the matter and take appropriate action. Meanwhile, Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal also hit out at the Jama Masjid over the issue.
“The decision to stop the entry of women into Jama Masjid is wrong. As much as a man has the right to worship, so also does a woman. I am issuing notice to the Imam of Jama Masjid. No one has the right to ban the entry of women like this,” she said.
Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan constructed Delhi’s Jama Masjid between 1650 and 1656. The mosque includes three massive gates, four towers, and two 40-meter-high minarets made of red sandstone with white marble strips.