Nadine Albudair Source: www.rotana.net

Well-known Saudi writer and presenter Nadine Albudair is currently at the center of a Twitter controversy. 

On Thursday, the media personality shared a now-deleted tweet stating that women should be allowed to pray alongside men or in front of them. 

"Religious advancement means we get to stand alongside or in front of men during prayer and not behind them. Islam is a religion of equality." 

The tweet immediately went viral on social media, sparking outrage among users, the majority of whom accused Albudair of inciting people to go against Islamic teachings. 

First, Albudair shared this now-deleted tweet

"The now-deleted tweet shared by Saudi media personality, Nadine Albudair." 

Sparking outrage among users

"You've crossed every red line, Nadine." 

Many responded with extremely offensive tweets

"She's inferior in intellect and faith... what do you expect from her?"

Some even mocked the TV presenter

"If we apply what Nadine is saying in her tweet... then a woman has the right to marry 4 men, just like a man can marry 4 women." 

But Albudair is not the first Muslim woman to call for equality in prayer

Rabi’a Keeble, the woman who founded the first U.S. mosque where men and women can pray together, called for similar changes.

Speaking to StepFeed, Keeble said she believes women must be allowed to lead prayers and worship alongside men.

"Men fear that if a woman is in proximity, and bends to pray, that their bodies will respond and they would not be able to concentrate. I say if you are so easily affected by someone's body you need to work on your nafs, because prayer calls for concentration and men are around women all day."

She also explained that Islam isn't as "bad for women" as people believe. 

"Islam is not inherently bad for women. What is bad for women is to give up their power, to allow any one other person or group to tell them what to do or say and how to dress and behave," she said. 

"Sadly Islam has drifted in some cases – not all – into a purely male realm, like a men's club. I don't think that is what the Prophet intended," she added. 

While the Qal’bu Maryam Women’s Mosque is the second mosque in the U.S. led by women, it is the first mosque in the country where both men and women worship side-by-side. 

Traditionally, mosques are either gender-specific or allow women to worship separately. 

Islam is all about gender equality and female empowerment

The outrage over Albudair's tweet wasn't as much about her opinion on where women should stand, but was more directed at her labeling Islam a "religion of equality."

But regardless of what (mostly male) tweeps believe, Islam is not strictly a patriarchal faith. 

When it comes to the fundamental pillars of Islam and spiritual duties and promised rewards, men and women are seen as equals; the religion once led the world when it comes women's rights. 

In fact, Islamic law generally does not discriminate between genders in the regulations pertaining to prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage, doing good deeds. It also promises all Muslims, men and women, similar rewards and punishments.

 "Whose acts righteously, whether male or female and is a believer, we will surely grant him a pure life; and We will surely bestow on such their reward according to the best of their work." [Quran 16:9]