The first Women's Mosque of America held its inaugural prayer service this past Friday in Los Angeles. It was reportedly the first all-women jummah service in North America.
The mosque came in response to the complaints of many Muslim American women, who often face segregated, poorly maintained prayer areas and limited access to leadership.
The mosque was praised on Twitter for its focus on community-building and its open-minded dress code.
This is what creating safe spaces within a community looks like. #WomensMosque
A #WomensMosque is a great way for Muslim women to build strong ties in community & focus on topics often overlooked in mixed gender mosques
No Hijab? No problem. Love that @WomensMosque is creating a safe space for sisters. #WomensMosque #muslim #islam
Male press was just asked to leave the prayer space. No policing of sister's attire either. #safespace #WomensMosque #Islam @WomensMosque
Others discussed their poor experiences with male leadership at other mosques.
@womensmosque Once I went to a mosque for #juma & was told the place was for men only. So I prayed outside on the sidewalk. No #SideEntrance
Catch me tweeting about the epic @WomensMosque every day. If I had this kind of space growing up in NYC, life would have been a lot easier.
@The_Anecdoubtal @aliabuel @nashwakay @WomensMosque It was inspiring & reminded me of what Ive faced thru the years, hw much we hold back
And some men came to realize what it meant to feel left out.
After reading the FAQs @WomensMosque, I feel both proud and sadly left out. Probably the same way women have felt for years. #WomensMosque
It's time that women are finally seen by their Imams. First ever @WomensMosque launching today in LA (via @WSJ) http://t.co/YdM427eYnj
The mosque, which takes some inspiration from women's mosques in China, is run by co-presidents M. Hasna Maznavi and Sana Muttalib. It currently operates out of an interfaith center.
The prayer service and lecture was led by Edina Lekovic of the Muslim Public Affairs Council.
Many of the attendants noted how emotional and moving the prayer service was.
Am in tears listening to woman giving azaan at first women's mosque jummah today. Wish Mom was here.
"I left @WomensMosque on Friday afternoon with goosebumps that till now have not gone away." http://t.co/AOOxwYv1Ax
So much baraka, sakina & ihsan at #WomensMosque! 1st time in my life I felt my heart soften to tears during a khutba & communal prayer, alh.
So moving. ALL mosques, all homes of God should be like this - spaces of comfort & love for all. @asiahkelley @WomensMosque @seelaikarzai
@urzheer @HindMakki This is really beautiful. I hope we can make this in2 the norm world wide. Women deserve a welcoming place to pray
There was a reflection circle after prayer as well.
Though there has been only one service at the mosque, there are plans for another in February. The mosque also plans to provide classes and programming with the aim of advancing female leadership and perspectives on Islam.
The founder and co-president of the Women's Mosque of America is M. Hasna Maznavi. Sana Mutallib is co-president. A previous version of this article improperly attributed Maznavi's and Mutallib's names and titles.