Oh no, it�s spreading!

Aren't she doing exactly here with here actions. Taking actions before debating or giving arguments. Let us see what more she has to say about this.

Let me confess where all this began. About three weeks ago when Tarek Fatah, founder of the Muslim Canadian Congress (MCC), asked me if I would lead a mixed-gender group in prayer, I said No! I wasn't ready to be part of a media frenzy.

Oh, then finally she/he did get her/himself ready for media frenzy!!!

Tarek and I have agreed to disagree on many points, but we have what I call "a dignity of difference" � a respectful exchange of ideas, which is a characteristic abysmally lacking in some parts of the Muslim community.

I don't understand here a bit. Is she/he saying that she/he has done it despite the difference in opinions with others yet not resolved? Is this a Ijtihad (a quality she/he says not prevailing since 16th century)  that she/he has referred later in this article? Where is this Ijtihad that she/he proclaimed to bring life to this concept with her/his actions? Has she/he not got her/his self frencied from the media because of her/his actions?

My husband convinced me that it would be a natural progression from giving sermons in churches, praying in synagogues and temples to lead prayer for my own community.

Wow, so here she is finally a lady. Ok. Then what is her source of knowldge? Her husband? Is this the qualification for a muslim scholar to take reference from? I thought she would present some logical arguments supporting her evidence etc, but she has indeed disappointed me.

I checked with a professor of religious studies who was an imam in Toronto. He said categorically that nowhere in the Qur'an does it specify women can't lead prayer. Also, when the Prophet Muhammad preached his message in a male-dominated society, he did not speak out for or against women leading prayer. As a matter of fact, women at that time were entrepreneurs, theologians, mystics and also participated in war. I'm extremely impressed by these female role models.

You see, what a great source of knowldge she has with her. A professor of religious studies!! Is she a sane? I think either this article is a joke or the lady herself made a joke of herself with this kind of actions.

The three men in my life (two sons and spouse) encouraged me to take this leap of faith � what more could I ask for? I've always believed God created us equal and that spirituality is not dependent on gender.

Wow, my friends, why not everyone of us start taking such an inspirational motivation from our family members and start taking such leaps based upon our own convictions without proper knowldge and without discussing them in the scholar's arena?

However, there are many people who are barred from places of worship. Some women have stopped going to the mosque because they are stuck near the bathrooms or kitchen due to their gender.

Ofcourse this is not the place where I go and pray in our mosque here in USA. So this means this act of her is not applicable here where there is no such problem? I don't agree with her justification for her action.

More important, all worship in Islam begins with a declaration of intent. My intention was not reactionary, not defiant and definitely not a show of militant feminism. It wasn't about a battle between progressive and conservative

So, here is she not getting apologetic?? Is she repenting or what?

� it was about sharing some profound thoughts with my fellow Muslims and also to help other women find a safe space to worship.

I don't agree at all with her apologies. Sharing thoughts are different than implementing thoughts without giving much thought to them. This is not a way sane people share their thoughts. And what 'safe space' to worship is she alluding to that she is claiming to provide to the women? Isn't she providing exactly opposite to that?

April 22 was Earth Day, and after moving the venue twice (because so-called liberal and culturally progressive centres refused to have a woman lead prayer), a backyard in Cabbagetown became the sanctuary. A motley crowd of about 40 people from as far as Oakville and Pickering came to join in this historic Friday prayer, among them an imam, women in hijab and diverse Muslims from various backgrounds.

I think she is more obsessed in creating a historic event than pleasing Allah. Otherwise, she would have done her real home work before taking actions.

There was no security guard posted at the door to check ID credentials or people's intentions since I don't believe that is our mission in life. I am responsible only for my conscience and answerable only to God. This event also was an attempt to break the domination of a few misguided bigots who try to reduce God to a policeman.

Where is here evidence? All I am interested is in her evidence to support her view? In the absence of all this, she is working on her emotions rather than mind and wisdom. 

Although physically I led the prayer by standing in front and reading the sermon before the prayer, we all were bound by our united submission to God. I felt we were truly blessed.

A very sentimental condition especially once she is profoundly concious of her creating a historic kind of a moment. However, I know only Allah knows the best if our prayers are getting accepted or not. How does she get her feelings about blessness? Only she would tell us.

Why? Because the brave men and women who chose to stand behind me and pray empowered me with a responsibility that made my own prayer more poignant and meaningful. It allowed me to move away from the ritual to the spiritual and actually hear and understand myself better than I ever have.

She means to say going against the common beleifs of Islam without giving any thought or logic to it is bravery? What shall I call this other than opposite of wisdom?

At the end of the prayer, some of the non-Muslim observers had tears in their eyes and were touched to the core. Some participants told me they had not prayed in years and were thrilled to come back into the fold.

Is this the certifcate of acheivement? So then all those non-muslims became muslims? Was the purpose of such prayer to please Allah or to these people?

As for the critics, let me try and understand where their problem lies. Our message was one of tolerance, peace, spiritual equality, compassion and love of Allah and His Prophet. Obviously that is not the message coming from mosques that base their sermons on negating others.

Oh, really? I thought she would give some scholarly account of her oppositions views and then logically defend them as a great and wise scholars usually does it. But alas, all she has it is a sentimental apologetic stories.

While this service was not the ultimate move for reclaiming our place in Islam, it's a fact that our faith is frozen in time. Dialogue and debate, also known as ijtehad � an important cornerstone of Islam � have been deemed an unnecessary evil and stopped since the 16th century.

So where is her dialogue and debate on this issue prior to her actions? She has been fooled by her own obsessions towards creating historic events.

So the hope is that events like this one will open the doors to that much needed discourse and put us on the path to enlightenment together as men and women in faith.

Well, here I think its herself who has opted to close the door than opening it for a dialogue and logical arguments to understand our problems and issues. I think we should first discuss and then act and not the vice versa as she is recommending it.

Raheel Raza is a media consultant and freelance writer.

I really couldn't understand who is Raheel Raza and what is his link with the lady who is talking about in this article. Was it an interview or what?

In the end I would say that we should look at this article more objectively than merely from sentimental stand point of view. Through out this article no arguments are given and heavily relied on provoking the sentiments of the people. I may never scumb to this kind of approach in looking at our religious issues. Rest Allah knows the best.