Muslims are required to pray 5 times a day, yet prayer is prohibitted at school. Now, being out of school myself when this no-prayer law was passed, i'm not sure about the specifics, especially when a religion REQUIRES that you pray during the day. Can someone enlighten me?
2006-10-19 02:19:04 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Oh, also, does this mean that the school is saying that no one can participate in their religion whole-heartedly? What message is this sending to kids?
2006-10-19 02:23:48 · update #1
Fortunately, Muslims do not require "permission" to pray. Devout Muslims simply take a break at an opportune time and observe their prayers, which can be observed individually and in almost any clean place. It is similar to those who work all day and use a break or part of lunchtime to observe their prayers.
2006-10-19 02:26:19 · answer #1 · answered by HF 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Would someone enlighten me as to where everyone is getting this bad information??? You can pray in schools. Pray all you want in schools. There is no law saying you can't pray in schools. There is no law saying you will be sent home because you are wearing anything with religious symbolism on it.
The Constitution, however, prohibits any prayer being supported, orchestrated, funded, or taught by public schools. So if it is just students, doing their thing, then it is fine.
No offense to the person who asked this question, but there are too many on here distorting facts to make it seem as if there is some liberal legal agenda to rid the world of Christianity. There isn't. There are alot of Christian liberals. I support the ACLU. Neither I, nor the ACLU, care if you pray in schools. Just don't have a school using its staff, money, or resources to support it.
2006-10-19 09:30:48 · answer #2 · answered by William B 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No one has EVER said that students may not pray in the privacy of their own heart. The only two things that are forbidden is for teachers or other government employees to lead such prayer or for such prayers to be lead in such a way that those who may not wish to share in the prayer are not forced to do so.
If a muslim must pray during school hours, the physical nature of doing so may be forbidden depending on the time of day. If you're inthe middle of 5th period English, for example, it would be a distraction. However, the hadiths I've seen regarding prayer state that if the physical position cannot be attained, it is sufficient to make the prayers in whatever position one can obtain and to do them in sincerity in the heart.
Prayer cannot be forbidden in the heart, only its forced public expression.
2006-10-19 09:37:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Christian, Muslim, Jew - it doesn't matter. All of these groups *CAN* pray at school. If a muslim needs to pray 5 times a day, the school will accomodate them, but they will have to quietly excuse themselves and go to an approved location where they will not be distracting.
The prohibition in America is against school-sponsored, or forced prayer times. This is absolutely the correct thing. I would love for all teenagers and children to be at least exposed to the concept of prayer, but it is severely hypocritical for us as Christians to constantly cite our 1st ammendment rights to practice the religion of our choice, and then expect muslim, jewish and even athiests to say the Lord's prayer.
Imagine if America were taken over by Iran (for instance) and they passed a law saying that Quranic prayers must be recited by every student - Would you Christian folks be behind that? Of course not!
2006-10-19 09:32:29 · answer #4 · answered by dansweaza 2 · 3⤊ 2⤋
In the United States prayer is not prohibited in school.
I do imagine that the special requirements of Islam (certain direction and position, certain times of day) present some difficulties, and I would be interested in hearing how they are handled.
But frankly, we all have to make compromises for practical reasons. I see no reason why religion should be held above other interests, and if school hours are allowed to get in the way of a child's opportunities to play baseball (for example) they should certainly be allowed to get in the way of religious rituals. We already bend WAY over backwards for religion.
2006-10-19 09:25:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
No prayer in school? People as individuals can pray in school, even if they are a pain in the butt with that, obstructing hallways, delaying their class-shifting...prayer cannot be part of a school's official programs or events, people cannot be compelled to participate, etc.
The idea is that praying as a part of a school's culture necessarily means government endorsement and furtherance of religion.
I don't think even individual prayer should be allowed - the right to keep and bear arms is parked at the schoolhouse door, and so should prayer...
2006-10-19 09:28:36 · answer #6 · answered by sonyack 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Who was it that didn't want prayer in schools? Wasn't it an Atheist (not sure)? To me if someone wants to pray they should be allowed to, whether they are in school or not. Isn't it up to the individual? Why do we still have a prayer said at a graduation and not be able to pray in school, graduation is still at a school. And while we're at it, why isn't the Pledge of Allegiance said in schools any more?
2006-10-19 09:26:43 · answer #7 · answered by starrose143 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I'm afraid Muslims get the shaft just as much as Christians on this one. I don't know about Muslims but Christians I know can at least pray silently to themselves. They don't need to be in a traditional prayer position.
2006-10-19 09:23:11 · answer #8 · answered by Josh 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Say you have a class room of students and the teacher I supose does the praying. In this classroom you have maybe 10 different religions. Some are Jews and hindue's or what ever.
Some pray to Allah, Jehovah, Jesus, or budah. Some teachers are gay and want to let your child know that is an alternative life style. Without meaning to the teacher is going to promote their religion. Or beliefs. Those proponents of prayer in school has no idea what that teacher is telling her child.
I think religion should stay out of the classroom and politics.
I remember one group of parents who were horrified after they got prayer back in the classroom there muslim teacher was reading to them out of the quaran. They came home and said that God's name was Allah. They were Babtist and the girls started wearing head scarfs.
2006-10-19 09:29:44 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
The prohibition of prayer in any public place is an extreme violation of the first amendment no matter what anyone tells you, and sooner or later(hopefully sooner, very very soon) this outrage will be rectified.
I Cr 13;8a
10-19-6
2006-10-19 09:23:20 · answer #10 · answered by ? 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋