First all-female mosque opens in Los Angeles,USA

 

The first women-only mosque in the United States opened its doors in Los Angeles on Friday Jan 30,2015 with an inaugural jummah, or prayer, by Edina Lekovic of the Muslim Public Affairs Council.

The mosque is housed in a century-old multifaith worship space near downtown.

Originally built as a synagogue, Pico-Union is now the home of the nonprofit Women's Mosque as well as several Jewish and Christian groups

While a mosque solely for women is a novelty among the roughly 2,000 mosques in the United States, mosques for each sex have long flourished in other parts of the world.  

The young American Muslims behind the Women’s Mosque are working to counter cultural practices that marginalize women, by linking their effort with established Muslim traditions and helping the disaffected reconnect with their faith. There is no requirement that worshipers wear headscarves, welcoming women “in the type and style of clothing in which they feel comfortable.” 

Mosque co-presidents Sana Muttalib, left, and M. Hasna Maznavi prepare for prayer service