Women who worship at Dundee Central Mosque claim an all-male committee sees them as ”second class citizens” over urgent safety worries.
Mothers say they fear for their children’s safety because wall-mounted lights are not always switched on at the womens’ entrance.
However, the mosque’s vice-chairman has dismissed the claim of women being second-class citizens as ” absolute rubbish”.
One worshipper, Fatima, who asked her second name is not revealed, said: ”It’s so dark you can’t even tell where you are. Sometimes I can’t see the children when they come out of religious studies classes.
”I think there’s going to be an accident. A boy was knocked down there last year November, I think. That’s how long the mothers have been complaining. It’s been a year and nothing has been done.”
Another mother, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: ”The little girls, some as young as four or five, have to go outside to get to the toilets and there’s a big step, about two feet high.
”Winter is coming and I don’t want something to happen to my daughter. She’s very sensible but it’s still a concern.”
The Courier went to Central Mosque and the men’s entrance was well lit, but the women’s entrance on the other side of the building was in darkness. The mothers claim this is often the case and their complaints fall on deaf ears.
”I’ve sent letters, emails, made phone calls there’s only so much I can do,” said Fatima. ”I think they’re just palming me off because I’m a woman. We’ve come a long way but we’re still seen as second-class citizens.
”I’ve even asked to join the men’s committee so we can bring in what the ladies want, but they haven’t replied. That’s how they deal with us. They ignore us.”
Mosque vice-chairman Bashir Chohan admitted he did not respond to emails from mothers expressing concern about lighting but dismissed claims women are treated differently from men at the mosque.
”Second class citizens? That’s absolute rubbish,” he told The Courier. ”Everybody is equal. We are the only central mosque in Dundee and we have provided ladies with all the facilities and they do attend the mosque.
”They can come any time. They can pray five times a day. They have got separate toilets, ablution facilities. They have privacy.
”It’s just a matter of switching them on and everybody knows where the switches are. They expect the lights to go on automatically but I can’t be there 24 hours a day. The committee members are all volunteers.”
However, Fatima claims the light switches are in a locked cupboard and questioned why mosque leaders did not offer an explanation when she contacted them.
”If it’s just a case of switching on the lights, why not reply to our letters and emails and tell us that? Something has to be done, for the safety of the children.”