Muslim Prayer Room: Some Guidelines for Use

The Muslim Prayer Room is provided for use by Northumbria University students and staff. It is expected that the Prayer Room will be used primarily for daily prayers. It may also be used for appropriate social activities for students and staff organised by the Islamic Society. It is not a general social space. The University makes every effort to provide an appropriate space, respecting Islamic requirements for a Place of Worship. However, the Muslim Prayer Room, being a University building, is subject to the same regulations and constraints as any other University building. To ensure that the Prayer Room is used appropriately, the University requires users to adhere to some simple guidelines. Access To access the Prayer Room, users are required to present their University Smartcard for activation in the Student Support and Wellbeing Centre, Northumberland Building, City Campus. The Prayer Room should not be used by others outside of the University. (It is recognised that occasionally students and staff may wish to bring family members with them to the Prayer Room. Dependents are the responsibility of the individual staff member or student.) Children must not be left unaccompanied in the Prayer Room. Students and staff must not allow others to use their Smartcard to gain access to the Prayer Room.

Usage Inappropriate, violent or unlawful behaviour in the Prayer Room will not be tolerated. Such behaviour may lead to access being withdrawn and disciplinary action taken. Although it is recognised that food and drink may be shared in the context of Islamic Society activities, the Prayer Room should not be used as a general dining area. White Goods (refrigerators, microwaves etc.) found in the Prayer Room will be removed. This does not include the use of a kettle. If posters are displayed on the noticeboards in a language other than English, there should also be a translation in English. Any notices that contravene University regulations will be removed. With the exception of the Quran, all books should be in English. Users are asked to be aware of neighbours when accessing the Prayer Room late at night or in the early morning. Any misuse of the Prayer Room could lead to disciplinary action. Other Issues The Prayer Room is cleaned regularly by University staff. Users are asked not to prevent staff from fulfilling their tasks. In the case of an emergency, University Security and other staff may need to access the Prayer Room rapidly. It may not be possible to respect the usual practices associated with entering an Islamic Place of Worship. It is hoped that users will recognise the importance of any necessary action. Overseeing usage of the Muslim Prayer Room is the responsibility of the Director of Academic Services. Relevant issues / comments may be brought to the Prayer Room Users Group. Comments should be communicated via the two staff contacts who are members of this group. John Dunne can be contacted on 0191 2437371 or john.dunne@northumbria.ac.uk. Shoaib Afzal can be contacted on 0191 227 3813 or shoaib.afzal@northumbria.ac.uk.