Anger Over Lack of Prayer Spaces at SOAS
'The situation raises broader questions about how student spaces at SOAS are managed and who gets to decide how they are used.'
by Anisah Mahamoud, Deputy Editor, BA International Relations 09/12/2024
The SOAS JCR, a space traditionally designated for socialising and study, has recently been repurposed for women’s Jummah prayers on Friday from 12-3pm. This decision has raised concerns over democratic consultation, space suitability and the broader needs of the student body. The JCR, run by the Student Union, is intended to serve the general needs of all students, yet the decision to host Jummah prayers was made without any formal consultation with the wider student body. Hamayal Zaib, Co-President for Equality & Liberation, had not included this in her manifesto - which raises questions about the democratic process behind such decisions. This has led some students to argue that the space, as an SU facility, should not be repurposed without the broader input and consent of the student community it serves.
Another problem raised by dissenting students is that the JCR, as a space, is ill-suited for prayer. There is no designated Wudu (ablution) area, which is a key requirement for performing prayer. Additionally, the furniture placed around the room makes it difficult to arrange the space in a way that facilitates prayer. The lack of blinds or other privacy measures means the room is visible and lacks privacy for the women praying. The lack of a suitable prayer space for Muslim women at SOAS highlights a pressing need for a dedicated and appropriate facility. The current use of the JCR for Jummah prayer does not provide the necessary conditions for worship, including privacy, cleanliness, and space. Many muslim women at SOAS believe they require a safe, private, and comfortable environment for prayer, one that meets their religious needs and allows them to practise their faith with dignity.
Much of the opposition to the move was raised in the comments of an Instagram post on the 4th of November, which announced the allocation of the JCR as a new Friday prayer space. One comment stated “is there not anywhere else that can be used? We’re a fairly small uni and the JCR is one of the core parts of it. We already lost the learning lounge and now from 12-3pm on Fridays, we don’t have the JCR.” A post on soasmatchmaker similarly expressed this view, stating that “I am a muslim woman myself but I think blocking out the JCR for the sisters jummah is insane.”
The situation raises broader questions about how student spaces at SOAS are managed and who gets to decide how they are used. The JCR, as a common room space meant for the collective use of all students, has been at the heart of debates about student autonomy, religious rights, and the importance of ensuring that all students' needs are met equitably.
This controversy underscores what many believe is the wider issue of space allocation at SOAS, and the importance of ensuring that facilities meet the diverse needs of the student body. It is being argued that a more formal and transparent process is needed to ensure that spaces are used effectively and equitably. There is a growing call for the university and the SU to provide a dedicated prayer space for Muslim women that is properly equipped, private, and conducive to prayer. The need for such a space has become increasingly urgent with the influx of new students coinciding with the daytime locking of the SU bar, and the learning lounge being given over exclusively to doctoral students.
