A Basic Guide to Prayer in Islam

Executive summary about Muslim women by Asma bint Gary Dee Rice

It's a major misconception in Islam, that muslim women pray different than men. Outside of the dress code, women do not pray different than men. Men and women pray equally in the same manner.

Seeing-eye horse guides blind Muslim woman

Executive summary about Muslim women by Ben Leubsdorf

Mona Ramouni rides a SMART bus to her job with her guide horse, Cali, in Lincoln Park, Mich; lost her sight soon after birth, but she can't use a guide dog. Many Muslims consider dogs unclean, and Ramouni respects her parents' aversion to having one in their home. The solution, she hopes, is Cali, a miniature horse who stands 30 inches tall and is being trained to help Ramouni through her daily routine.

Seeing-eye dogs are a nonstarter among many Muslims who consider the animals unclean, but a horse the size of a dog just might work. "This is a really awesome little horse," Mona Ramouni said this week as she put Cali, a 3-year-old miniature horse, through her paces and rode the bus to work with her for the first time.

Ramouni, a proofreader of textbooks in Braille, wanted more independence, but a traditional guide dog wasn't an option. The answer, she hopes, is Cali, short for Mexicali Rose.

There are only a handful of the miniature animals trained as guides for the blind in the United States. Ramouni paid for the horse, $450 a month for Arste's training and other expenses out of her savings.

Since Ramouni had never used a dog, she had to learn how to control a guide animal, took on responsibility for caring for the animal as Cali led her through her daily routine. Additional training may take an additional two months before Cali can join Ramouni for good, taking up residence in a newly erected shed on Ramouni's lawn.