Prayer Rooms to Be Set Up at Aussie Rules Stadiums
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Prayer rooms will be set up at all Aussie Rules stadiums following a request by a devout Muslim player to ensure fans do not have to pray in the car park.

The move prompted claims of "political correctness gone mad" but was largely met with amusement by fans who began issuing prayers for their teams on websites and a newly-created prayer room app for mobile phones.

The sporting code decided last week to introduce the multi-faith rooms as a "demonstration of our inclusiveness" following a request by Bachar Houli, believed to be the first observant Muslim player, who said it would lure more Muslims to the game.

"I speak for the Muslim community, I get complaints [that] there is nowhere to pray other than the car park," said Mr Houli, who plays for the Richmond club. "It can be quite disturbing [to pray] with people walking through to the game."

Some Christian and Jewish leaders also backed the rooms, saying they were already common in airports and hospitals.

However the move caused a backlash led by former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett, now president of the Hawthorn club, who said the rooms were "absolute rubbish". » | Jonathan Pearlman in Sydney | Thursday, April 26, 2012

Melbourne, Australia: Muslim Students Demand Their Own Prayer Facilities
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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