Newsflash: Jogging is Immoral

The Associated Press documented an American woman's experiences on her pilgrimage or hajj to Mecca. The story begins with the history behind the practice and a particular rite that is an important to the hajj experience. Pilgrims run back and forth between two points seven times to commemorate Hagar's attempt to find water for her infant son. However, women who come to Mecca and partake in this particular ritual are often scolded for running, laughing or speaking too loud, and are kicked out of spaces by men. The AP did not miss the irony. The women interviewed (all American) commented on the culture shock and the feeling that they were second-class beings. They also, however, spoke about the profoundly spiritual experience they had both in terms of religion but also in terms of identifying as women.
What I found interesting about this article is the idea that the reason for this pilgrimage is because it is the duty of all Muslims, not all male Muslims and not all female. There is an genderless element to this shared religion, shared commitment to beliefs. The hypocrisy, though, is undeniable for me that only men are fit enough to recreate the running trek of the female counterpart of Abraham. Modern women are too frail to partake in this act of desperate commitment? I think not. I'm not exactly sure where the disconnect is between actual faith and the dictations of religion and the interpretation and twisting of said faith but it is obviously backwards and nonsensical.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jkGYVLTsZQSfRne0oJi77KaY6E0AD9CA43SO0