Ablution in Hilton

Ablution in Hilton

From Pelita

On June 13, 1995, I went with a few office colleagues to attend a workshop called First Things First in the Hilton's Grand Ball Room. The speakers were Roger Merril and Rebecca R. Merril. Everything concerning the workshop went well. The problem began when it came time for Sholat Dzuhur (midday prayer).

My male colleagues had no difficulty doing ablution (wudhu) in their washroom with the door open but I could not find an appropriate place. Then I went to the woman's washroom, where a bespectacled lady dressed in a white and black uniform refused to let me in for two reasons.

First, she said, the facilities were for the hotel staff only. She told me to read the notice to that effect. I know that. But why do they allow men to use the same area as hotel employees? Second, she said that guests were not allowed to use it to protect against theft. I was deeply offended by this remark. How could an employee of a five-star hotel talk like that to a guest? Was it that because I was dressed in a head-scarf the way many female Moslems do?

I insisted on performing wudhu there but the lady kept shouting out the same arguments. Many people were watching the scene at that time.

Finally, I went to meet the personnel manager and told her about my experience. She then kindly let me use the executive washroom.

ETTIN M SATIRI INDRASYAH

Tangerang, West Java