Improvised prayer rooms in universities have become the subject of discussion after an opinion piece by Nadia Geerts of the Francophone liberal MR party denounced the existence of these so-called "clandestine" areas at ULB University.
For several years, a place where some Muslim students on the ULB campus in Brussels gather to pray every day has existed. While this is a "clandestine" place, it is clearly tolerated, said Geerts in an opinion piece accompanied by a video of praying students published by La Libre last Monday.
In response, ULB acknowledged the existence of the clandestine prayer room in a written reaction to 7sur7, saying that "the phenomenon has increased significantly since the summer" and that some members of its university community were "concerned."
For Geerts, it was unheard of that this "all happened in plain sight" and that the university did not do anything about it. "The praying students provided boxes of materials, such as clothes for women, rugs and plasticised sheets to use when praying."
'We are not bothering anyone'
The university, however, clarified that it does not concern a formalised place of prayer and "that requests to set up places of prayer or meditation are not accepted by the university leadership. Our campuses are primarily dedicated to study and research."
"Since the phenomenon was discreet and marginal, we did not intend to act as some kind of 'morality police'," Jean-Philippe Schreiber, special adviser to ULB Rector Annemie Schaus and founder of the Observatoire des religions et de la laïcité (Observatory of religions and secularism), told La Libre. "At the start of the new academic year, our students will be reminded that we do not allow prayer rooms."
Several students who use the area told RTBF that they were saddened by the controversy sparked by the opinion piece. "This improvised prayer room has existed for several years and has never caused any problems. We are not bothering anyone," one said.
Another student said that going to the area to pray in between classes had "nothing to do with showing your religion" as it is done privately, without disturbing anyone. "We are just in our own corner, we are not disturbing anyone. I think it is really unfair to ban an important moment for Muslims."
ULB/VUB campus. Credit: Perspective.Brussels
A dozen student associations regret that the rectorate of ULB does not protect its students and found the university's reaction, which has no intention of allowing the collective practice of the faith, "stigmatising."
"This phenomenon, which may only concern a few dozen students out of a total of 40,000, is exaggerated," said the student associations in a press release, denouncing "an Islamophobic controversy" that diverts attention from student insecurity and sexual violence. "We hope that ULB's tolerance towards diversity will evolve towards respect, acceptance and inclusion."
In the meantime, the youth section of the Flemish rightwing N-VA party has also spoken out against these "clandestine prayer rooms" at the ULB's sister university VUB, despite the fact that the university said it is not aware of any clandestine prayer or meditation space on its campuses.
"Free thinking is in the DNA of our university," said Süleyman Celik of Jong N-VA VUB. "Thinking should never allow itself to be subjugated, which is why we are concerned about the increase in clandestine prayer rooms at the VUB."
Strictly private matter
According to him, study rooms are increasingly being used for prayer during regular academic hours, but a spokesperson for VUB told Bruzz that the university is "currently unaware of any clandestine prayer or meditation space on its campuses."
They added that there have been several instances of "improper use" of classrooms and other spaces in the past, after which the university immediately intervened and addressed the students involved.
"There is a great diversity of philosophies and religions at the VUB, but we see their practice as a strictly private matter," said the spokesperson. "Every year, the VUB receives requests to set up places of prayer or meditation, which the university rejects each time on the basis of its humanist vision and founding history."
"We see philosophies of life, including religion, as a personal choice within the private sphere. We respect them but do not facilitate their expression," they added. "Our focus is on quality education, based on free research and high-quality scholarship."
