MIT Muslim Students Association

This musallah is pretty convenient for any Muslim who finds him/herself in that part of Cambridge or in the Back Bay area of Boston. Actually from anywhere on the Red Line since it is very accessible from there. There is also a bus that passes right in front of the building. It's generally a pleasant place to pray - the room and attached wudu space are clean and well-maintained and when few people are around it is a very calm, peaceful atmosphere. There are actual tiled wudu facilities, not just sinks. It can, however, be awkward to pray there as a woman. The woman's wudu space partially divides the men's part of the musallah from the women's area but there is no entrance to the women's wudu area from the women's side. So, a sister wishing to make wudu must go through the brother's entrance just past (the often open brother's wudu room door) to get to the sister's facilities. Also, most of the musallah's books and it's active bulletin board are on the men's side. When I have crossed over to access these I have been glared at by brothers. On the other hand the brothers are also often not respectful of the female space and trespass into it. When the masjid fills up the women are left with less than a quarter of the space. Besides being uncomfortable, this can make it very difficult for sisters to enter and leave - since there is often no other path than through praying sisters - not really an option. There is also the usual issue with a small prayer space of being able to hear those who insist on praying loudly. Fine place for brothers to pray, and good place for sisters if you are praying when few people are there or can tolerate the inconveniences I mentioned.