Woman Describes Harassment and Exclusion During Prayer Time in City

A woman recounted her recent experience venturing into the city alone for the first time in a long while. Upon arriving during midday near prayer time, she described the streets as overwhelmed by crowds of men heading to a local shrine, with few women visible and cafes shuttered. She felt dizzy and insecure amid the throng, navigating carefully to avoid physical contact while clutching her chador.

Reaching her destination, a man in uniform, identified as the site's watchman and holding a broom aggressively, shouted at her in a commanding and harsh tone: "Sister, go quickly, get out, it's prayer time, hey! Hey!" Interpreting this as an insult akin to addressing a thief or pest, she felt a surge of anxiety, anger, and helplessness. She left immediately without completing her task.

Outside, men filled the streets and corridors, lining up for noon prayers at the shrine, blocking pathways. Shops and eateries remained closed. Seeking a moment to compose herself, she found no suitable space, standing instead near street vendors amid passing men. A loudspeaker recited verses warning of death and sudden downfall, which she likened to an apocalyptic scene, exacerbating her distress.

Eventually, the crowds thinned, allowing her to reach the shrine's gate where a few burqa-clad women sat. Messages from her sister helped restore her confidence. As the city normalized with more women appearing, a burqa-wearing woman asked if the gate opened, prompting the author to reply, "It doesn't open to us, auntie," before heading home, still unsettled.