The University of Guelph Student Association apologizes after allegations that sinks used by Muslim students to cleanse themselves before prayer were urinated during an on-campus event.
The Guelph Engineering Society said the incident happened on March 31 during their annual engineering banquet at Peter Clark Hall. Nearby was an udu room reserved for Muslim students to wash in preparation for prayer.
During the banquet, several men present allegedly entered the voodoo room and urinated in sinks. Students heading from the oud room to the prayer room could hear the banquet guests “talk about their offensive intentions for space,” Guelph Engineering Society President Grace Lee said in a statement issued April 13.
“When I was informed about what happened during the event, I was shocked, horrified and later ashamed to present students with this behavior,” Lee said.
Fawziya Mazhar of the Muslim Women’s Coalition KW called the alleged incident “very, very disturbing.”
In Islam, urine is considered unclean and those who go to the toilet during prayer must be cleaned again before returning, Mazhar said.
“When it comes to the Muslim prayer space, the problem is twofold,” Mazhar said. “First he defiles himself, then he urinates.
Mazhar wants to know if the incident is targeted.
“Was it intentional not to respect a place that is a Muslim place of prayer?” She asked. “Because that’s what we call Islamophobia.”
The University of Guelph said it was aware of “disturbing reports” that an ouce facility had been desecrated during a campus event and was under investigation.
“As leaders of the U of G, we are angry, upset and frustrated to hear about this alarming situation … we remind all students, faculty and staff to treat each other with kindness and respect,” the statement said. university.
The Association of Muslim Students at the University of Guelph said it would not comment as the investigation continues, but said in an email: “Muslims should not feel directed or insecure on the campus of the University of Guelph after the incident.”
The Guelph Police Department said it was not currently involved in the investigation, saying it was in the hands of the university.
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