Me and the Mosque

Me and the Mosque

| 52 min

Using original animation, archival footage and personal interviews, this full-length documentary portrays the multiple relationships Canadian Muslim women entertain with Islam’s place of worship, the mosque. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. In North America, a large number of converts are women. Many are drawn to the religion because of its emphasis on social justice and spiritual equality between the sexes. Yet, many mosques force women to pray behind barriers, separate from men, and some do not even permit women to enter the building. Exploring all sides of the issue, the film examines the space – both physical and social – granted to women in mosques across the country.



Me and the Mosque was produced as part of the Reel Diversity Competition for emerging filmmakers of colour. Reel Diversity is a National Film Board of Canada initiative in partnership with CBC Newsworld.

Credits
  • director
    Zarqa Nawaz
  • writer
    Zarqa Nawaz
  • producer
    Joe MacDonald
  • executive producer
    Graydon McCrea
    Michael Scott
  • editor
    Dean Evans
  • cinematographer
    Moira Simpson
  • sound recordist
    Jeff Henschel
  • character design
    Faisal Sethi
  • models
    Faisal Sethi
  • animation
    Fazail Lufti
  • assembly editor
    Jackie Dzuba
    Carol Wenaus
  • sound editor
    Evan Rust
  • re-recording engineer
    Evan Rust
  • narrator
    Zarqa Nawaz
  • online editor
    Trevor Bennett
  • additional cinematography
    David Hansen
    Robert Pytlyk
    Victor Vukosavljevic
    Jim Aquila
    John Thronberg
    Mirko Popadic
  • additional sound recording
    Russ Dyck
    Ross Redfern
    Marvin Polanski
    Adam Singer
  • consultant
    Moira Simpson
  • researcher
    Naheed Mustafa
    Itrath Syed
  • rights
    Tobias Duggan
  • clearances
    Tobias Duggan
  • transcription
    Seaham Elrafihi
    Tracy Evans
  • production coordinator
    Melanie Coad
    Monique Perron
  • production clerk
    Rolande Petit
  • production supervisor
    Scott Collins
  • program administrator
    Cyndi Forcand
  • marketing manager
    Leslie Stafford
  • audio post provider
    Talking Dog Studios
  • on-line facility
    Java Post Productions
  • stock music
    Associated Production Music
  • original music composer
    Rob Bryanton
    Todd Bryanton
    Tracy Gerlach
  • original music performer
    Rob Bryanton
    Todd Bryanton
    Tracy Gerlach


Me and the Mosque
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  • Rin

    I live in India and in my town women are still not permitted to enter masjids. Some madrassas teach women need to be prayed in a dark room. And we never had any movements from women's part against this biased treatment by Islamic men. And now women here consider masjids as an "only men" place. It's so sad to see all these practices. As for me, I think masjid as a spiritual place, and my society won't even allow me to be a part of it. This film is so good. Thank you so much for this one.

    Rin, 10 Oct 2020
  • JasmineP

    Very good. Very very good. Praise that woman

    JasmineP, 12 Nov 2015
  • alexdavies

    Salam alaikum. We live in east London UK. I am of Polish/Jewish catholic descent and my husband is an Arab. We have large number of small (usually tribal) mosques in our area, which is predominately constructed of Asian Muslims from the sub-continent of India. We do not have mosques with praying facilities for women at all! Forget the curtain. Masjid is off limit zone for women here. Where do these people learn about Islam? You have to be very careful, for many of these people, who come from abroad, bring with themselves a whole luggage of tribal, cultural, and historical (NOT LINKED TO ISLAM AT ALL) backgrounds and these individuals will create divisions, confusions and fall of unity between Muslims. I pray that Allah will bless us with the righteous leaders, knowledgeable teachers and peers, whose hearts are filled with mercy, compassion (FOR ALL CREATION OF GOD - WITHOUT EXCEPTION), people who can only enhance the beauty and purity of Islam, rather than stain it with some tradition or habit that has nothing to do with our religion. Stay strong sister

    alexdavies, 17 Jan 2014
  • SisterHes

    Salaam alaikom, Hello all, While as Muslims we can surely express the beautiful spirit of Islam and teach the West numerous lessons, we would mostly gain from self-introspection. Today, I was denied entrance at the local mosque in Amsterdam, Netherlands where I rush to pray every day so I offer my prayers on time.. skipping on a short 30 minutes lunch break. A man had complained. A women comes to pray… reaching, discretely, face down the separate women prayer room for few minutes. My throat got tighter as I was thinking… I condemn western societies – as French Muslim women wearing my modest hijab – for limiting my God-given rights to practice my religion, today, it is my community that shuts the door of the “house of God” upon my heart. Have we regressed to the point of losing sight of the essential, the core of our prophet(saw)’s teachings and our faith. On this note, I got back to work sad and silent…

    SisterHes, 24 Aug 2012
  • HatoonALFASSI

    Dear Zarqa, this is a great documentary. Too bad I haven't seen it before. I've been fighting similar attitudes here in Saudi Arabia especially in the Grand Mosque of Makkah and Madinah. Some of my articles were translated into English. Here are the links: http://archive.arabnews.com/?page=7&section=0&article=78202&d=30&m=8&y=2006 and , http://faculty.ksu.edu.sa/hatoon.alfassi/Arab%20News%20articles/Forms/AllItems.aspx the second article is were I debate the barrier and argued that the prayer of women from behind barriers is not valid.

    HatoonALFASSI, 5 Jun 2012
  • TaqwaAsh

    As'salamualikum wa Rahmatullah! you should come visit our Masjid in Chicago, Masjid Al-FArooq 8950 S. Stoney Island, where the Imam went Against the congregation and asked for no barriers to be built in the new location with proofs. At the same time he addressed the proper etiquette of the men and women at the masjid. Dress code, lowering of the gaze, etc.

    TaqwaAsh, 29 Dec 2010
  • jmatlin

    Thanks, all. Small technical glitch - it's been fixed and the film is working.

    jmatlin, 30 Aug 2010
  • Ezz

    It isn't working ?!!!

    Ezz, 30 Aug 2010
  • grannylin46

    This video is not working.

    grannylin46, 27 Aug 2010

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Me and the Mosque, Zarqa Nawaz, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

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