Muslim students are demanding their embassies lobby City University to overturn a ban on them using their prayer room.
The University, which has students from Muslim countries including Bangladesh, Iran and Pakistan, padlocked the prayer room on Whiskin Street because of security concerns after six Muslim students were attacked in November.
Hundreds of male members of the Islamic Society (ISoc) have been gathering twice a day to pray in Northampton Square in protest. Up to 400 students have been attending sermons in the square during Friday prayers.
The University have offered the students space in a multi-faith prayer room, but the students say they cannot use a space that is shared by all faiths.
In a statement on the Muslim students campaign website it said: “We Muslims are still stranded in the middle of nowhere without a dedicated place to pray, and it seems the university don’t want to change their stance.”
Saleh Patel, president of the City University Islamic Society (ISoc), said: “We have tried dialogue but the University say they are always busy. We are hoping that they will listen to international students. We want them to ask their embassies to contact the University. We also want students’ parents to ring the University, showing character and patience. We hope to resolve this with dialogue if they let us speak to them.
Patel said they were not currently seeking to take legal action, but in a statement on the campaign website it says: “It may be the case that we need to take further steps if the university do not feel it is necessary to provide for the needs of the Muslims.”
A spokeswoman for City University said: “The University is continuing to meet with the Students’ Union, discussing the space and in response to the Students’ Union City Islamic Society’s request for bigger capacity for Friday prayers, has made the Great Hall available.
“The space was created in consultation with a number of different sources including Equality and Diversity guidelines; the University Values; Muslim scholars and in line with what many other higher education institutes are providing. The University has not received any complaints from any embassies. The quiet zone is designed to be a shared space to be used by all those who wish to reflect whilst working or studying on campus.
“The University has taken guidance from the Police Safer Neighbourhoods team, and it supports the University’s decision to have the space in a more central area of the University.”
Photo: John Stevens
March 25th, 2010 at 10:42 am
So, they’ve been offered suitable space, haven’t taken up the offer and are now complaining?
March 25th, 2010 at 11:31 am
“if the university do not feel it is necessary to provide for the needs of the Muslims.”
Seems to me that the most pressing need of this particular student is “sufficient grammar and usage of the English language to qualify for a place at an English University.”
Considering the number of young people waiting for a university place in order to LEARN, and the shortage of space available, why are haven’t these students been told to shut up, pray in the proper place (church, mosque, synagogue, meeting house, glade) and realise that in our wonderful multi-culti-society they only have EQUALITY, with all its niggling disadvantages.
March 25th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
its well know that these separate prayer rooms are used to promote extremist views and indoctrinate students…they should be treated they same as all the other faiths….i suggest they go to the nearest mosque preferably in Saudi arabia.
March 25th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
“The University have offered the students space in a multi-faith prayer room, but the students say they cannot use a space that is shared by all faiths” “…to provide for the needs of the Muslims.”
Funny how no other religion seems to have a problem sharing a quiet space. This seems like a lot of “to do” in an attempt to point out and and promote the misguided notion that muslims are some how special and deserve to be set apart from all the infidels. Why are muslims the only group that demands special accomodations?
March 25th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
The students say they cannot use a space that is shared by all faiths. Why are muslims so special they need a room just for themselves. Cannot share won’t share. This is how they view themselves as separate, different and special. Cannot share with other faiths! In saudi one cannot pray any where unless you are muslim. Give these students time and they will try to get the same rights for all in the UK. We will have uni-faith rooms with only muslims in them. What a bunch of w….
March 25th, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Aren’t they supposed to be there to get an education? The first lesson they should learn is that there is no god and time spent “praying” could be better spent.
March 25th, 2010 at 7:24 pm
Only Muslims would demand their own room. It seems this dogmatic, archaic, unforgiving faith is never happy unless its complaining. I, along with the majority in Britain, am tiring of listening to their continuing gripes.
March 25th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
muslims cannot use a space that has been used for other faiths? hmm? so where are they to go if the street on which they are currently praying is used for a prayer meeting by those of another faith?
if the university were required to supply a separate room for every faith there would be rooms left to teach in. they should consider themselves lucky they have been offered the use of any space. their religion is their concern and should be nothing to do with the university. if they want their own space then let them provide it out of their own money and not the universities.
March 26th, 2010 at 1:25 am
“The University has taken guidance from the Police Safer Neighbourhoods team, and it supports the University’s decision to have the space in a more central area of the University.”
Capitulating to the muslim demands will not foster friendship and mutual understanding. Just the opposite but the white liberal elite have created an atmosphere where they are afraid to be labelled racist when islam isn’t even a race. They are afraid to speak freely. And all this at a place of learnig, a place for sharing ideas. The british people are now terrorised by a minority of people living in the 13th century. It’s seems like a bad dream but it’s actually happening. All together liberal elites say after me “It’s OK to say No!”
April 3rd, 2010 at 7:51 am
Asslamu Alikum/Hi ,
i do not understand why some of our brothers makes ho ha of every thing,what harm will they do if they pray in that multifaith room, at the end praying is depend on the intention not on the place,i want some one pass ths message to Mr Saleh Patel and tell him stop being extremist and learn from the history of the companion of the Prophet, when Umar Bin Alkhatab, the leader of Muslims then himself prayed outside the gate of the big Catherdial of Jeruslam,which still stood till today,when the Bishop said to him why not pray inside,he replied i dont want people who will come after me claim that i Prayed here and turned it into the Mosque,and did not refuse to pray inside.