I was verbally harassed by a sister at the mosque - need to share what happened
As-salamu alaykum. I want to tell this to someone because I can’t really talk about it with my friends without naming the sister and I don’t want to backbite. She’s one of the volunteers who cleans and helps organise for Friday prayers and Ramadan. Lots of people don’t like her, though she has some friends. She’s quite aggressive and likes to be controlling, and when she’s around the atmosphere becomes tense. Every Thursday a few of us quietly hope she won’t show up. For some reason she has an issue with me - she seems to dislike me especially. I’m at the mosque daily and usually wait between Maghrib and Isha when the cleaners are there. I bring three carpets: one behind my back because my back hurts, and two because it’s cold so I use one on the floor and one as a blanket. I always tidy up after myself. Still she has complained about it and makes remarks. She speaks kindly to some girls my age, calling them things like “sweetie” and “you’re pretty,” but with me she’s often harsh. Tonight I saw her arrive and felt uneasy. At first she wasn’t cleaning the main room, but later she came over upset that I’d taken two bottles from my bag and left them by me, saying “we clean and you put this here.” She told me to put my carpets away; I hadn’t because I needed them and Isha was soon, so I planned to put them back shortly. Then she spoke to me rudely and actually took my blanket carpet. I told her not to speak to me like that, saying something like “if you want people to respect you, respect others” and “I’m not your dog.” I was trying to stand my ground. She kept insisting “you don’t take three carpets, one not three,” but there’s no rule saying that and she’s a volunteer, not in charge. A girl defended me and tensions rose. They pushed each other a bit before others stepped in to separate them. I should say this isn’t the first time this volunteer has been in an argument - many people don’t get along with her. Afterward she blamed me. At one point she insulted me in Arabic - I think she assumed I wouldn’t understand - and called me a female dog, and used a similar insult toward the other girl. She also accused me of doing nothing. To be clear, when I’m not menstruating I help put chairs in place for those who need them, organise the eating area during community iftars and tidy up. During Ramadan she was nicer to me a few times, but overall her kindness has been rare. I’m sensitive and I was about to have my menses, so I started to cry. People came to comfort me and most were on my side. One sister told me it’s okay and that the volunteer won’t be there the rest of the week, and others said they know me because I come often and that I’m calm. Some spoke in Arabic and one asked what the problem was with the bottles. I noticed one girl who usually gets along with that volunteer came over upset and supportive of me, so maybe the volunteer’s reputation has suffered more. I’m not sure why she dislikes me. Maybe because I’m a white French sister, or because I don’t speak Arabic, or because I’m a revert. I don’t think it was really about the carpets - she’s always strict about signs forbidding food or drink in the prayer room, yet sometimes she doesn’t enforce it evenly. I just needed to share this and get it off my chest. JazakAllahu khair for listening.