Muslims lacking a place to cleanse

Hands and arms, mouth and nose, face and head, ears, neck and feet. Washing each in succession, Muslim students prepare for their daily ablutions. They balance precariously upon the sink, flamingo-like, with one leg on the floor. These students are performing a sacred Muslim ritual - in the Bobst Library second floor bathroom.

In the Islamic faith, cleansing of the feet is required at the beginning of each of the five daily prayers, called Salah. The benefits received from Salah are multiplied when followers pray together, so spots like the second floor corridor in Bobst are frequented at specific times of the day by praying students. Because of the potential dangers of the sink-balancing act, some universities have begun installing footbaths. These universities hope that the new facilities will prevent student accidents.

"We haven't received any student complaints on this issue," university spokeswoman Kelly Franklin said in an e-mail, "but we are looking at it as part of our planning process as we look to meet the needs of all of our faith-based communities on campus, specifically in the new multifaith facility we are hoping to build on the Catholic Center site."

Franklin is referencing the Thompson Street Catholic Center, which has an Islamic Center in the basement. The Islamic Center has raised a half million dollars in the hopes of building a new multifaith center.

Muslim Chaplain Khalid Latif insisted that the Muslim community has a pretty good relationship with the university as a whole, and he isn't putting in a formal request for footbaths. But Princeton University, where Latif once worked, is installing footbaths and he recognizes the benefits of proper facilities.

"The students here are going to have to wash up for their prayers, and the bathrooms are not made for that stuff," he said. "Sinks aren't made to have your foot in them. They slant, water splatters everywhere, and the bathrooms begin to smell."

The sink problem has also brought financial problems to the Islamic Center. When asked whether the footbath situation had caused problems, Latif said the Islamic Community once met in the Tisch Auditorium for a special occasion that drew in 250 people. After they were finished, cleaning the water off the floors cost the Islamic Center between $1,500 and $1,600.

Stern junior Haseeb Chowdhry said he receives "weird looks" when he washes his feet, but otherwise using Bobst has not been a huge problem.

"It would be better to install footbaths, but it isn't something I've thought of before now," he said.

CAS senior and Islamic Center President Arsalaan Ahmed added, "We grew up with it."

Ahmed is used to washing his feet in NYU's bathroom sinks, and said that most people find humor in walking in on a foot-washing student.

CAS junior Hannah Chaudry adds that designated footbaths would be convenient, because on most days she has to make her way over to the Islamic Center for a welcome environment in which to pray, and the looks from other students can be distracting.

"People just look and turn away," she said. "They don't make it a big deal, but I wonder if they will think I'm crazy or even know what I'm doing."

The solution to Chaudry's problem could be easily solved, according to Latif.

"All they would have to do is use the pipes that are already there and add spigots, and use elevation for drainage," he said. "It's better for students not to have to walk into a dirty, smelly bathroom."

Morgan Turnage is a contributing writer. E-mail her at features@nyunews.com.