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'Saving Seats' in Saudi's Grand Mosque

'Saving Seats' in Saudi's Grand Mosque
An unofficial market of "seat saving" is reportedly making waves in Saudi Arabia: female faithful are paying good money to women who can save them spots for prayer at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca.
The "seat savers" technique is to use clothing, purses, and even their own children to save seats for wealthier prayers who may arrive at the mosque just on time or a bit late, particularly on days when prayer attendance is high.
The Saudi Grand Mufti has issued a fatwa against the reserving of seats in the mosque. According to The Saudi Gazette, female guides working in the women's section regularly combat the practice of seat saving, and during the month of Ramadan (when many Muslims pray frequently at the mosque) such guides are supported by female police officers.
Many mosques worldwide, including all Saudi mosques, feature separate sections for women and men. This YouTube video shows just how crowded the Grand Mosque can get - and thus perhaps just how lucrative a seat-saving venture might be.

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Society

Do We Need Our Parents When We Grow Up? Doubts Of A Young Father

As his son grows older, Argentine journalist Ignacio Pereyra wonders when a father is no longer necessary.

Do We Need Our Parents When We Grow Up? Doubts Of A Young Father

"Is it true that when I am older I won’t need a papá?," asked the author's son.

Ignacio Pereyra

It’s 2am, on a Wednesday. I am trying to write about anything but Lorenzo (my eldest son), who at four years old is one of the exclusive protagonists of this newsletter.

You see, I have a whole folder full of drafts — all written and ready to go, but not yet published. There’s 30 of them, alternatively titled: “Women who take on tasks because they think they can do them better than men”; “As a father, you’ll always be doing something wrong”; “Friendship between men”; “Impressing everyone”; “Wanderlust, or the crisis of monogamy”, “We do it like this because daddy say so”.

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