NEW DELHI: Discounting the All India Muslim Personal Law Board 's ambivalent stand which appeared to support entry of women into mosques, a Pune-based Muslim couple asked the Supreme Court on Monday to direct mosque managements to allow women to offer namaz five times a day in masjids after making provision for separate enclosures.

The AIMPLB had told the SC last week, "A Muslim woman is free to enter masjid for prayers. It is her option to exercise her right to avail such facilities as available for prayers in masjid. AIMPLB does not want to comment on any contrary religious opinion on this issue."

Refusing to join issue with others in the community who believe Muslim women should not enter mosques, the AIMPLB had said, "Islam has not made it obligatory on Muslim women to join congregational prayers nor is it obligatory for women to offer Friday namaz in congregation though it is so for Muslim men." But the petitioners — Yasmeen Zuber Ahmad Peerzade and her husband Zuber Ahmad Nazeer Ahmad Peerzade from Pune — said in an affidavit that they had written to the president and trustees of Mohammadiya Jama Masjid, Jamatul Muslimeen, Bopodi, Pune, seeking permission to enter the mosque and offer namaz five times daily as well as other namaz like 'Juma namaz', ' taravih namaz ' and 'Eid namaz'.

They also said the mosque management should provide "facilities for offering of namaz while being allowed to maintain their purdah, that is in a segregated place screened from men".

