HERALD SUN: UP TO 1000 Muslim students at RMIT* are protesting against sharing a multi-faith prayer room with Christians, Jews and worshippers of other faiths.
RMIT Islamic Society vice-president Mohamed Elrafihi said the university had promised Muslim students their own prayer room at the Swanston St campus.
Five refurbished multi-faith prayer rooms -- including a foot-wash room for Muslims and a prayer room with Arabic signs and oriented towards Mecca -- were opened to students earlier this year.
But Mr Elrafihi said the Islamic-themed prayer room can be booked by other religions, which would interrupt evening Muslim prayer times.
Islamic students have refused to use the new facilities, insisting one room be dedicated for use by Muslims.
"We have nothing against multi-faith, we support multi-faith," Mr Elrafihi said.
He said RMIT had misled international students in previous promotions about Muslim prayer facilities.
"The Muslims were promised a dedicated room and that was taken from them. That has caused a lot of stress," Mr Elrafihi said.
While refusing to use the new prayer facilities for the past eight months, up to 600 Muslim students have been worshipping outdoors each Friday in nearby Bowen St, or on other days on the lawns outside RMIT's prayer halls in part of the old Melbourne jail. Muslim Students Protest about Prayer Room at RMIT >>> Mark Dunn | October 14, 2008
*Melbourne University
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