Can the Canadian-Born students will be able to refrain from urinating in those “Footbaths”??? THAT’S THE QUESTION!
The University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada, is going to great lengths to help its Muslim students avoid doing the same when washing for on-campus prayer sessions. The university has installed “foot-baths” in a public washroom at its Riddell Centre, in order to allow Muslim students — many of whom pray numerous times a day, and wash themselves beforehand — to clean their feet in a way that isn’t awkward and difficult through a use of regular sinks. [1] “I’ve seen them do it. It’s tough for them,” Nathan Sgrazzutti, president of the University of Regina Students Union, said on Tuesday of the troubles that many of the more than 700 practising Muslims at the campus had experienced when preparing for prayers. What he is basically saying is that the University’s management, the Student Union and himself, are eager to satisfy the every needs of the muslim community at the taxpayer’s expense, and that they are very proud of it:
We’re showing our ability to cater to their needs. [2]
Two foot-baths, resembling large sinks with seats, are in a men’s washroom following their installation earlier this summer at what university spokesman Dale Johnson said was a total cost of about $35,000. [3] The sinks sit low to the ground, and have a small stool built in so it’s much easier to clean the feet and the water doesn’t spread around all over the floor. “I haven’t been in the women’s washroom, but I’m under the understanding it’s in both,” Sgrazzutti said, lauding the University of Regina’s administration for its efforts to assist Muslim students from Regina and those who have come to the campus from other countries. [4] Two bathrooms house the sinks including men’s bathroom and one women’s bathroom. They both sit close to prayer room on the upper floor of the Riddell centre where many of the 800 Muslim students at the university go to pray. “There was a bit of a push from our Muslim students society as well as the students union, and the university was very receptive.” [5] It would seems to any rational observer that they have totally lost their minds. They are apparently unaware of the fact that those weird demands will only increase after this. Instead An “official opening” for the foot-baths, said Johnson, will be held by Muslim students on Oct. 2. “It’s a really neat addition,” Sgrazzutti said of the new bathroom facilities, which some refer to as “foot-sinks.” [6]
They’re very new. I still have people asking me what they are. [7]
President of the (URMSA) Mhmod Essalah said the university has always been accommodating to Muslim students and he is happy to study in a place where he feels at home.
It’s a beautiful thing, the fact that we can have a place to pray, a place to practice without any judgement or anything like that. [8]
NewTalk650.com have followed a muslim student in his preparation for prayer. In the middle of a Wednesday afternoon, Mammad Huseynof heads to the upstairs men’s washroom in the Riddell Centre to prepare for his prayers. But part of his faith requires him to perform wudu or ablutions before he prays. This includes washing of his hands and arms, face, mouth, ears and neck, and his feet. But prior to this semester, the only way for him to wash his feet was to either cup his hands under the water and drop it on his feet, or put his legs up on the counter and his foot in the sink. Both options were awkward and very messy, but it was something his religion required him to do. All Muslims have to purify themselves before they can pray to their god, Allah. “If you are not clean, angels can’t direct you,” he said. [9] “It’s kind of a necessity before you’re going to prayer,” added Mohammed Telhe. [10]
The site BarenakedIslam.com have another opinion about the “accomodation” of the two foot baths which seems closer to “common sense” than the position adopted by the University of Regina’s management team:
Men will now have two more places to urinate. And since Canadian students are footing the bill for these Muslim footbaths at the University of Regina, everyone should be entitled to use them. [11]
