I didnt want to put this up in the religion forum, I want to know what the average Joe thinks, from a religious perspective as well humanity.
SURI: Syed Rehan Firdous was not allowed to offer namaz as clerics did not permit him into the prayer room. His fault? He was a woman earlier. In June 2006, Rehana Firdous underwent a surgery and became Syed Rehan Firdous.
A Sanskrit graduate from Burdwan Raj College, he faced no difficulty in continuing with his job of a para teacher at his village high school in Bramhankhanda, Birbhum, after his sexual transformation.
But trouble began when Firdous went to offer namaz at the local idgah. Clerics would not allow him to enter the prayer room. Rehan did not give up though. He sought police protection to establish his right. But he, along with his family, is getting threats from some villagers.
"Last year, soon after my operation and change of sex, I had offered the Eid namaz along with men. This year though, a small section of villagers discussed the matter at the village mosque and decided against allowing me to offer namaz along with men. Last night, bombs were hurled near my house. I have informed police and requested them to provide me security during the Eid prayers,"Firdous said on Saturday.
But villagers who support him are not small in number either. Villagers are now clearly divided over the issue.
The circle inspector of Nanoor visited Firdous’ house on Friday afternoon. On Saturday, district intelligence branch officials, too, inquired from Firdous about the threat.
“To me, it is a fight to establish my right as a man,” he asserted. “If they prevent me from reading namaz today, in future they would also deny my identity as a man. We, the transsexuals, are facing an identity crisis.”
“After consulting religious scripts, the mufti has told us that Firdous is not a normal man. If he and his supporters come to read namaz, we will go to the idgah only after they leave,” said Golam Mustafa, a village chief, adding that Firdous’ reading of namaz is najaez (illegitimate).
“Islam does not bar women from reading namaz. The prophet himself wanted women to do so. I think the clerics often misinterpret the religious instruction mentioned in the Hadis,” said Mohammad Sirajul Islam, senior teacher of philosophy and religion at Visva-Bharati.
“I had sent police officers to his house. We will not tolerate any law and order problem in the name of religion. I have asked the concerned police station to provide him with police security during the prayer if necessary,” said Debashis Dhar, subdivisional police officer of Bolpur.