Friday, May 04, 2007

Me & the Mosque: Women in Islam (Video)



Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world. In North America, most converts to Islam are women, many of whom are drawn to the ... all » religion through their experiences of social injustice and political involvement.

Ironically many mosques force women to pray behind barriers away from the men, and some mosques do not even permit women to enter the building. When it comes to user-friendliness for women, Canadian mosques run the entire gamut.

In Me and the Mosque, journalist and filmmaker Zarqa Nawaz visits mosques throughout Canada and talks to scholars, colleagues, friends and neighbours about equal access for women. Discussions about the historical role of women in the Islamic faith, the current state of mosques in Canada and personal stories of anger, fear, acceptance and defiance punctuate the film. And Nawaz herself speaks of the spiritual longing that comes from belonging to an institution that doesn't want you.

With original animation, archival footage and deeply personal interviews, Me and the Mosque is a smart, self-aware and whimsical story that documents the debates and presents the personalities on all sides of the issue.

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