Finally, she leads

Almost nothing about the Friday prayer in Morning side Heights in Manhattan was familiar. A woman, Dr. Amina Wadud, led the Muslim service after another woman sounded the call to prayer wearing no headscarf. More than a hundred men and women knelt in side-by-side rows, with no curtain to divide them. They were surrounded by newspaper reporters and TV cameras. And outside the service, which was held at the Synod House of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, protesters held signs. 8216;8216;I was curious to see what8217;s going on,8217;8217; said Jaraba, 30, who took part in the prayer with some hesitation. 8216;8216;I still don8217;t agree with women being imams.8217;8217; A mix of reactions, from discomfort to elation, colored the mood at the service, organized by a group of Muslim activists. The Quran does not directly address whether women can lead congregational prayer, several scholars said. But they cite sections of the Sunnah, or the recorded teachings and actions of Muhammad, the founder of the faith. Interpretations vary widely: Some argue that the prophet gave permission to women to lead any kind of prayer, while others say that he meant to restrict the practice to prayer at home. 8212;NYT