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This meme is making the rounds:

enter image description here

The new Royal Adelaide Hospital will have an exclusive Muslim prayer room, while all other religions will have to use a common area.

Share if you think this is a disgrace.

Leaving aside whether it would be a disgrace if true, is it true?

I can't find anything on this on the hospital's website. The hospital map lists area 3B as:

Spiritual Care services provide multi-faith support and reflection to families, friends and carers. Private, individual or group prayer, meditation and quiet reflection areas are located on level 3.

But the meme does say the new hospital, so perhaps that's the old one.

Didn't find anything for this searching here or on http://snopes.com.

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    As an aside, you may want to clarify if a privately rented room for that purpose counts, as that is always a possibility.
    – user43646
    Commented Jul 7, 2018 at 23:39
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    This was a locally reported issue in April 2017: see sa.uca.org.au/new-times/rah-chapel-news as an example saying there will be a separate prayer room with washing facilities (presumably that is what is being described as the Muslim prayer room)
    – Henry
    Commented Jul 8, 2018 at 0:30
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    @Henry - Thanks! So the answer is "no, it isn't true." That link has enough to make an answer. It makes it clear the prayer room is non-denominational, not an "exclusive Muslim prayer room," and has this useful quote from Uniting Church SA Moderator Rev Sue Ellis: "The prayer space with washing facilities provided in the new RAH serves an essential purpose for people of Muslim faith. If practicing our faith required such elements they would be also be provided. This is because the focus is on the need of the patient, not on the institutional religion.” (In an answer I'd quote more.)
    – T.J. Crowder
    Commented Jul 8, 2018 at 8:53
  • Not the Muslims' fault that they're the only ones who wash themselves ... for prayer.
    – csstudent1418
    Commented Aug 31, 2023 at 10:27

1 Answer 1

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No, it's not true

As reported here, the new hospital does have a prayer room with washing facilities, but the prayer room isn't "exclusive" to Muslims. It merely accommodates Muslims, who wash as part of their five-times-daily prayers. Those involved in the design say that if Christians or others had a similar requirement, they would be accommodated in the same way.

Details:

Members of Chaplaincy Services SA and the Uniting Church SA worked on the "inclusive sacred space" in the new hospital. In the article, Uniting Church SA Moderator Rev Sue Ellis said:

"I’m dis­appointed that the work of faithful chaplains has become politicised when people who are in the RAH need loving support.

"Our chaplains are guests in the space held by patients at any hospital. They believe the best way to minister the Gospel of hope and healing in the social hospital context is by focussing on the patient and their needs. They follow the example of Jesus, who noticed the need of the vulnerable and asked about them, before he offered healing.

...

"The Christian church has a long history of supporting and establishing hospitals. They provide a space for us to show God’s mercy, grace and kindness to all people in need, including people from other – or no – spiritual traditions. In focussing on what helps give life and hope to the one in need, the church has always respected the rituals of other faiths.

"The prayer space with washing facilities provided in the new RAH serves an essential purpose for people of Muslim faith. If practicing our faith required such elements they would be also be provided. This is because the focus is on the need of the patient, not on the institutional religion."

(my emphasis)

(Henry didn't seem to want to convert his comment to an answer, so I'm posting this myself based on his research.)

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