| Efforts to ban a West Virginia woman working to improve Muslim women's rights from a mosque founded by her father 23 years ago are moving forward. Asra Nomani, a member of the Islamic Center in Morgantown, has been notified by e-mail that the mosque's executive committee has received a petition signed by 35 of 135 fellow members seeking her expulsion. The e-mail did not specify what the harmful actions and practices were, and repeated requests by Nomani for a copy of the petition, names of her accusers and charges against her have been rebuffed. Nomani says she takes the ban seriously but does not fear it because she hasn't done anything wrong. Nomani says a professor of Islamic law at the University of California at Los Angeles has agreed to help her with her case. The American Civil Liberities Union also is involved. The 38-year-old single mother is one of the founding members of Daughters of Hajar. Their goal is to fight for gender equality in worship. Nomani took a deep breath and her first steps in the fight last year by entering the front door of her mosque and praying on the main floor. Nomani says she's been told the effort to ban her will likely fail. But even if the panel votes against banning her, the mosque's Board of Trustees will make the final decision. |