For Noorjehan Safia Niaz, co-convenor of the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA), the struggle began four years ago.

On Friday, when the Bombay High Court (HC) reopened the doors to the sanctum sanctorum of the Haji Ali Dargah to women, her first reaction was: "We are on cloud nine. We are very happy with the order. We praise the judiciary for upholding constitutional values." Then, she added: "We didn't expect it (to come today), though."

Now, it's story time. "Around June 2012, when we went to the Dargah, we found this board that women are not allowed. Only a year before, I had been inside. We decided to raise the issue,” she said.

It was not easy. The first move was to start a signature campaign. Secondly, BMMA did a study on how many Dargahs allowed women inside the sanctum sanctorum and approached various people and organisations before starting the fight. Of the 19 city Dargahs they studied, the BMMA found that only seven, including Haji Ali, did not allow women into their sancta sanctorum. Among those whom they met were members of the state minority commission, state women's commission and the minister for minorities affairs.

“None in the commission or ministry was willing to take up the issue. We tried to approach the trustees, but they too did not talk. There was a wall... we had to go beyond that, and we had no option than to approach the court," said Niaz.

The BMMA sees the HC verdict as an order that will not just help Muslim women but women at large. "Access to sacred places is no longer an area of discrimination. People will think twice after this order. That is a great victory for us," said Niaz.

Zakia Soman, co-convenor of BMMA, who had earlier blamed elected representatives, was all cheers.

"It is historical. The court has granted our prayer and we will be allowed the way we were allowed till 2011. All Indians who believe in equality and are democratic-minded will welcome this judgment. It is a leap forward in terms of justice and equality. It is a judgment that will inspire all who seek justice," she said.

Khatoon Shaikh, another member of BMMA, said that the court has given six weeks for appeal, after which it will have to provide protection to women for entering the sanctum sanctorum. "We are given six weeks' time and after that they will allow us. The other party is likely to approach the SC. We will keep our faith in the SC, and, like the HC, we will approach them.”

Sohail Khandwani, trustee, Haji Ali Dargah Trust, said: "We have not received the copy of the court order. We have to see the reasoning of the order. We have to see the text. We have a board of seven trustees. Trustees and lawyers and religious leaders, if it involves religious sentiments, will meet.”

Advocate Rizwan Merchant, another trustee, said: "We are not giving any response now. We will hold a press conference tomorrow."