Women’s Mosque of America: In the Founder’s Own Words

There are others who say an all female mosque is welcomed, but if there were to be an all-male mosque, the idea would be unaccepted. Do you think this double standard exists?


To that I would argue that most mosques right now are male mosques. There are no mosques right now that allow female speakers, correct?

Could you imagine a mosque in which they said, everyone is allowed to give a khutba and address the entire Muslim community, except for Black people? We are all equal, but they’re going to be separate. They’re going to listen passively, and we’re going to tell them what to do, and we’re going to comment on them, and they’re never going to get a chance to speak.

It becomes this issue where we just need a space for women to be able to speak. There are alternative spaces out there where women do speak to mixed congregations, but this is not that. This is for women. It is a safe space for women to feel comfortable and to explore new leadership roles.

Also, the Jummah and the prayer services are only a small aspect of what we plan to do. We plan to put our khutbas online, on our YouTube channels, and men can benefit from hearing from the female perspective that way. We plan to hold women-led classes and workshops and trainings where we’ll invite men and even interfaith men and women to come in and attend and hear from the female Muslim voice.

That’s what this really is about: giving a platform for the female Muslim voice, which you don’t hear in any Muslim mosque.