A ban on women and teenage girls running in a 5K charity race will only contribute to Muslim stereotypes, a woman’s charity boss has said.
The Muslim Charity Run, organised by the East London Mosque Trust, was promoted as an ‘inclusive’ event.
The trust said on its website Sunday’s run was ‘open to everyone: runners, walkers, and children (girls under 12 and boys of any age), plus family and friends as spectators or volunteers.
‘Whether you’re taking part in the 5 km run or cheering from the sidelines, you’re welcome!’
It added that the event was ‘open to men, boys of all ages and girls under 12, but everyone is welcome at the park to cheer on the runners’.
Now the organisers have faced criticism over the exclusion of women and teenage girls from the charity run.
Baroness Shaista Gohir OBE, CEO of Muslim Women’s Network UK, told Metro: ‘I think women and girls could have easily been accommodated without compromising on religious beliefs because women and girls could have started their run at a different time or ran together in their own groups.
‘This has unfortunately contributed to stereotypes of Muslims. When Muslims go to Saudi for pilgrimage, men and women are very close together – much more than in a charity run.’
She stressed: ‘However, I do also think this disproportionate attention on this story is not anything to do with the equality of Muslim women but an excuse to be negative about Muslims because if the concern about women’s equality was genuine then we would also be equally vocal about the regular anti-Muslim abuse that Muslim women experience in the current hostile environment.’
Some religious views discourage mixed-gender public exercise due to concerns about Ikhtilat (the unregulated mixing of sexes).
Sunday’s event marked the 12th Muslim Charity Run which has raised more than £1.2million over the years. It supports local and international Muslim charities.
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Around 1,500 runners participated in last year’s 5K, raising more than £150,000.
In 2022 the event raised more than £1million cumulatively with more than 8,000 runners involved over the years.
The run combines ‘fitness, unity and fundraising’ and ‘brings together families, volunteers, and local organisations for a day of charity, community, and well-being’, according to the Muslim Charity Run website.
Metro has approached the organisers of the event for comment.