بريطانيا: جامعة كوين ماري تلغي الأماكن المخصصة للصلاة

خبر من مصادر إنجليزية.

قام الطلاب المسلمون بـ"جامعة كوين ماري" بالعاصمة البريطانية "لندن" - الذين يشكلون 20% من الطلاب - بأداء صلاة الجمعة أمام أسوار الكلية، وذلك بعد أن سحبت الجامعة المكان المخصص للصلاة، والذي كان يؤدي الطلاب الصلاة فيه وطالبتهم بأداء الصلاة في المساجد المحلية خارج الكلية.

ويأتي هذا التراجع بعد حصول جمعية الطلاب المسلمين على مكان للصلاة، إلا أنه تم سحبه بداية من العام الدراسي الجديد، وذلك نتيجة حاجة الجامعة لتوفير الأماكن لأغراض أخرى.

وقد رد الطلاب هذه المزاعم، مؤكدين أنه ما تزال المفاوضات جارية مع المسؤولين بالجامعة لتوفير مكان للطلاب المسلمين لموافقة متطلباتهم الدينية؛ المصدر: شبكة الألوكة.

يرجى الإشارة إلى المصدر عند نقل الخبر - شبكة الألوكة.

الخبر من مصدره الأصلي:

Muslim students pray in the rain after Queen Mary University denies them access to facilities

Friday prayers conducted outdoors after QMUL claims usual rooms are unavailable

Hundreds of students at Queen Mary University in London, braved the rain today to pray outside, in protest against what they claim is inadequate resources for Muslims on their Mile End campus.It was

their second 'prayer protest' in two weeks, with the student union counting 350 demonstrators last Friday.

Muslims account for 20 per cent of the student body, according to Islamic Society representatives.

Previously, the college's 20-year-old Islamic Society had been able able to book several large communal spaces for congregational Friday prayers. But from the start of this academic year, students have been told the rooms are unavailable.

Principal Professor Simon Gaskell suggested students attend local mosques for the mass prayer, and denied any change in policy.

"We say we're here to accommodate private acts of worship... like most universities we are very pressed for resources," said the Principal, adding that the facilities are unavailable due to demand.

However, Isoc dismisses this claim, saying that they carried out spot checks on the Great Hall and Octagon, rooms they were told were unavailable for booking, only to find them empty.

They also say that local mosques are oversubscribed.

Shahala Ahad, an engineering student, described the overcrowding of university-provided prayer rooms on Fridays, saying that stairs and hallways are rammed.

"We are grateful for what the university has provided," said Awo Abib, who graduated last July, "but the facilities don't reflect the demographic."

Queen Mary Student Union president Sarah Sarwar, leant emphatic support to the campaign.

"We really believe it's the university's responsibility," she said. Progress in negotiations has been "positive so far."

After leading today's prayers, Alamgir Islaam, the president of Isoc, told the Independent: "In order for the university to be in accordance with their claim to be inclusive to all faiths... they must take into consideration that this prayer must be performed in a certain way."

It is obligatory for male Muslims to pray en masse on Fridays.