Find books now:


Find books now:

MP calls for new prayer room in parliament

-26/10/05

Sadiq Khan, the Labour MP for Tooting in London, is calling for facilities to be established in the UK House of Commons, so that Muslims working or visiting there will have somewhere acceptable to pray.

His idea is said to be being ìseriously consideredî by the influential all-party Commons Administration Committee.

Mr Khan explained: ìThe Anglicans are the only people among the staff and politicians at Westminster who have a place to pray. Even the Roman Catholics do not have somewhere they can use all the time.î

He added: ìThe place needs to be dragged into the twenty-first Century. It is only right that parliament should provide a prayer room for people of other faiths.î

One idea is that a multi-faith prayer room might be made available. For some Muslims the sharing of such facilities is difficult because of the presence or absence of particular images.

But common chaplaincy arrangements have become more common in many public buildings.

Some secularists are also likely to be concerned about the extension of religious activities in the precincts of Westminster.

But the issue of bishops in the House of Lords and prayers before parliamentary sessions is more of an issue for those who wish to see a clearer distinction between church and state, both religious and non-religious.

Many people of different faiths and no faith also accept the desirability of providing facilities for various sections of society in a plural environment.


Find books now:

MP calls for new prayer room in parliament

-26/10/05

Sadiq Khan, the Labour MP for Tooting in London, is calling for facilities to be established in the UK House of Commons, so that Muslims working or visiting there will have somewhere acceptable to pray.

His idea is said to be being ‘seriously considered’ by the influential all-party Commons Administration Committee.

Mr Khan explained: ‘The Anglicans are the only people among the staff and politicians at Westminster who have a place to pray. Even the Roman Catholics do not have somewhere they can use all the time.’

He added: ‘The place needs to be dragged into the twenty-first Century. It is only right that parliament should provide a prayer room for people of other faiths.’

One idea is that a multi-faith prayer room might be made available. For some Muslims the sharing of such facilities is difficult because of the presence or absence of particular images.

But common chaplaincy arrangements have become more common in many public buildings.

Some secularists are also likely to be concerned about the extension of religious activities in the precincts of Westminster.

But the issue of bishops in the House of Lords and prayers before parliamentary sessions is more of an issue for those who wish to see a clearer distinction between church and state, both religious and non-religious.

Many people of different faiths and no faith also accept the desirability of providing facilities for various sections of society in a plural environment.