Universities Install Footbaths to Benefit Muslims in US and Not Everyone Is Pleased

DEARBORN, Mich. — When pools of water began accumulating on the floor in some restrooms at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, and the sinks pulling away from the walls, the problem was easy to pinpoint. On this campus, more than 10 percent of the students are Muslims, and as part of ritual ablutions required before their five-times-a-day prayers, some were washing their feet in the sinks.

The solution seemed straightforward. After discussions with the Muslim Students’ Association, the university announced that it would install $25,000 foot-washing stations in several restrooms.

But as a legal and political matter, that solution has not been quite so simple. When word of the plan got out this spring, it created instant controversy, with bloggers going on about the Islamification of the university, students divided on the use of their building-maintenance fees, and tricky legal questions about whether the plan is a legitimate accommodation of students’ right to practice their religion — or unconstitutional government support for that religion.

“It’s an awkward thing,” said Alexis Oesterle, a junior. “If I’m sitting with Muslim friends, I wouldn’t want to bring it up. In this country, at this time, it’s not so easy to discuss the issues of Muslims in American society.”

As the nation’s Muslim population grows, issues of religious accommodation are becoming more common, and more complicated. Many public school districts are grappling with questions about prayer rooms for Muslim students, halal food in cafeterias and scheduling around important Muslim holidays. As Muslim students point out, the school calendar already accommodates Christians, with Sundays off and vacations around Christmas and Easter.

“Starting about two years ago, school attorneys have been asking more and more questions about accommodations for Muslim students,” said Lisa Soronen, a National School Boards Association lawyer. “These issues don’t get litigated very often; they’re usually worked out one by one.”

Nationwide, more than a dozen universities have footbaths, many installed in new buildings. On some campuses, like George Mason University in Virginia, and Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Mich., there was no outcry. At Eastern Michigan, even some Muslim students were surprised by the appearance of the footbath — a single spigot delivering 45 seconds of water — in a partitioned corner of the restroom in the new student union.

“My sister told me about it, and I didn’t believe it,” said Najla Malaibari, a graduate student at Eastern Michigan. “I was, ‘No way,’ and she said, ‘Yeah, go crazy.’ It really is convenient.”

But after a Muslim student at Minneapolis Community and Technical College slipped and hurt herself last fall while washing her feet in a sink, word got out there that the college was considering installing a footbath, and a local columnist accused the college of a double standard — stopping a campus coffee cart from playing Christmas music but taking a different attitude toward Islam.

“After the column, a Christian conservative group issued an action alert to its members, which prompted 3,000 e-mail and 600 voice messages to me and/or legislators,” said Phil Davis, president of the college.

Mr. Davis said that after a legal briefing, the board concluded that installing footbaths was constitutional, and that the college hoped to have a plan in place by the next school year.

Here in Dearborn, the university called the footbaths a health and safety measure, not a religious decision. And it argued that while the footbaths may benefit Muslim students, they will be available to others, like lacrosse players who want to wash their feet.

Still, the plans are controversial.

“My first reaction was, ‘Where’s the money coming from?’ ” said Emily Hutfloetz, a senior. “I feel like it’s favoring one group of people.”

On her Web site, Debbie Schlussel, a conservative lawyer and blogger in Southfield, Mich., posted, “Forget about the Constitutionally mandated separation of church and state ... at least when it comes to mosque and state.”

And in an editorial, the student newspaper, The Michigan Journal, worried that opponents would turn their hostility “on Muslim students at the university and Islam as a whole.”

-Read Page 2 here-

Source: The New York Times

well, it is america.


i dont think soemthing like this would ever happn at uni if this was to occur in australia.

At my work, they have 'Muslim toilet' for the large number of 'akhis' that work here, they are given as much time off for their prayers as they want, literally no questions asked, they asked for a larger room for prayer and it was given right away, they asked for halal food in cafeteria and it was provided still they are always moaning and whinging about everything and anything during the time when they should be working. You can bend yourself backwards for some people but they will never be pleased. They are so full of hatred that nothing can appease them. It is stupid to make footbaths for them, plain and simple. Do universities in Pakistan have footbaths?

yes damn muslims always compalining...we should just ship em out to the middle of the atlantic and be done with em..how dare they ask for footbaths...always moaning...all Muslims are just moaners and complainers who need a good whipping and reeducation...maybe a few concentration camps will eventually help too!!

As always, Khan Sahib dodges the question and runs away wailing and whinging and delivering an emotional speech. Answer the questions Mr Khan:

Do they get 'footbaths' in Pakistan?

it was theuniversity that decided and it wasn't demanded by the muslim students...fair enough

whats youre problem with it anyway? or do you just hate the site of a Muslim carrying out his duty? rememeber no muslim asked for this....it was provided for health and safety reasons...and why are you getting youre knickers in a twist? you didnt hava run in with a maulvi at madrassa when you were younger did you?

and why dont you answr my questions in the khuda kay liye thread? hmnnn? stop flip flopping and say what you really think!!...

I repeat:

Do they get 'footbaths' in Pakistan?

don't know if it's just a Pakistani thing, but give us a communal toilet/foot bath and we tend to make it resemble a bombsight in no time...

great discussion tgk

so if universities n pak dont have em, and some in the US have them, thats somethign wrong?

yes there is , many muslims across the world are bloody attention seekers,they just want want want want want , and after they have been given they still look down upon the kafers, and dont treat them as fellow humans.

and then, there are some muslims who make a mountain out of a molehill, like for example, universities installing footbaths

No big deal, everyone's allowed to use them and its not like muslim students demanded it.

No. But universities in Pakistan have mosques.

Believe me Universities in America have mosques and prayer rooms as well as do the universities in the UK or elsewhere.

Yes, I agree with you. They take exceptions to accomodate Muslim students.

My uni has footbaths in the bathrooms by the Musallah. Not sure if there was an commotion when they were installed - wouldnt imagine that there was. But generally they are quite accommodating to Muslims. Given us 2 rooms for the musallah and a large hall for Jumaa and the situation is somewhat similar for the other unis in the city.

On a tangent but related to Pakistani cricket, the place where Jumaa is held at UNSW is a pavilion which has a large framed picture of Geoff Lawson's achievements..

no they get Masjids...maybe american universities should provide full Masjids on campus...or would you object to that also..what if this particular college had no particular wudu facility and students were using the washroom for that? is it not logical to install a footbath and maximise current facilities at minimum cost and also provide facilities to students? and once again i ask why are you so bothered?

Thanks for not mentioning 'sharab and zina.'

I am not bothered at all but what makes me angry is the ungratefulness and whinging of these 'akhis' who enjoy all these freedoms in the West and have nothing good to say about the host society.

Universities in Pakistan have Mosques and each mosque has a proper ablution facility.