TUD Islamic Society and prayer room

College authorities should be careful as to what signal it sends

Sir, – The Islamic Society is calling for a dedicated prayer room in TU Grangegorman which should include a separation curtain, among other things (“Muslims ‘have no place to worship properly’ at TU Grangegorman campus”, News, September 12th).

Muslims are and should be free to practise their faith as they see fit, but the college authorities should be careful as to what signal such a move would send.

Brian Jordan, the president of the TU Dublin Students Union, and the members of the union are supportive of this move, but one wonders what their opinion would be if a Christian society wished to separate men and women during prayer, or if they wanted to separate any other minority group. I imagine they would protest, defending women’s and minority rights, but that, curiously, is not the case here. This looks like a case of a minority group getting a pass that would not be given to others. I wonder why? – Yours, etc,

TREVOR TROY,

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Baile Átha Buí,

Co na Mí.

A chara, – A rather misleading headline. It is clear that Muslims do indeed have a suitable place to worship, only the Islamic Society does not like sharing it with others. The article goes on to describe what the Islamic Society wants, and this includes two segregated areas, one for men, one for women, each with its own gender-exclusive prayer mats and ritual washing facilities.

In effect, they want the college to give them a mosque. – Is mise,

CIARÁN Mac GUILL,

Clichy,

France.