Minneapolis has become the first major US city to permit the Muslim call to prayer, or ‘adhan,’ to be broadcast over loudspeakers five times a day, year-round. The city council voted to change the noise ordinance that previously prohibited morning and late-evening calls at specific times of the year due to noise limits. This decision was made during the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that there was no organised community resistance to the decision, and it is anticipated that the mayor will sign the bill next week.
Minneapolis has a significant East African immigrant population who practice Islam, and mosques are commonplace in the city. City officials collaborated with the Dar Al-Hijrah mosque three years ago to allow the adhan to be broadcast outdoors five times per day during Ramadan. The prayers are performed at dawn, midday, mid to late afternoon, sunset, and nightfall. Last year, the city allowed broadcasts all year round, but only from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The decision to extend the hours of the adhan was supported by Jewish and Christian leaders who attended a public meeting.
Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, praised the decision, stating that it shows the world that a ‘nation founded on freedom of religion makes good on its promise.’ He also said that ‘the Constitution doesn’t sleep at night,’ indicating that the change to the noise ordinance will not infringe on any legal limitations on the Jewish call to prayer, which is typically spoken rather than broadcast.
Imam Mohammed Dukuly of Masjid An-Nur mosque in Minneapolis said that ‘Minneapolis has become a city for all religions,’ and he was among several Muslim leaders who witnessed the vote. The decision to allow the adhan to be heard at all hours of the day in Minneapolis is a landmark decision, as it recognizes the importance of religious freedom and diversity in America.
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