Mich. City OKs Islamic Calls to Prayer HAMTRAMCK, Mich. - The City Council gave preliminary approval Tuesday night to a mosque's plans to send out a call to prayer to Muslims on a loudspeaker. The Bangladeshi al-Islah mosque wants to air the Arabic call to prayer via loudspeakers five times a day, but agreed Tuesday not to air the calls before 6 a.m. or after 10 p.m. The council indicated it would give the plan final approval next week. Some Muslims say the call is the equivalent of church bells. Opponents argued that church bells have no religious significance and that allowing the Arabic call, which lasts less than two minutes, unfairly elevates Islam above other religions. Not to say anything bad about the Muslims, but when I visited India, I hated it when they blared their prayers on the loudspeakers. Should be interesting how this turns out....
So true. Religious tolerance aside, wait til they hear the call each dawn! -- and five times a day...
There are tons of Muslims living in the east side of Michigan. Also Hamtramck is where Rudy T hails from.
The first time I was in Morocco, that early morning scared me to death. I had no idea what was going on, and I had no idea what it was. It was still woke me up every day. But after awhile I wasn't startled and learned what it was.
In Michigan winters, it doesn't get light until as late as 8:30 to 9am. BTW, it gets dark at 4-4:30. Winter sucks in the north.
Considerations: too early, too late, too loud. If there's no problem with any of these, there's no issue. I think it's great that our country can accomodate people of varied backgrounds.
They aren't talking about putting the prayers on the loudspeaker, just the call to prayer. Less than 2 minutes.
If i lived next to place that had a 2 minute call to prayer over the loudspeaker several times a day, i think i'd be pissed. I'd feel the same way if church bells rang several times a day.
It is amazing what you can get used to. When we moved to Houston, there was a small municipal airport that had prop planes flying out of it regularly. It was no further than 200 yards away from our house. In addition, the Highway 3 train tracks ran bwtween the house and the airport AND Ellington is about 3 miles away. I was conditioned within a few weeks. Eventually, you just tune it out.
That's so true! We stayed with some friends in San Diego a while back, who lived near an airport. In the middle of dinner, a plane went over, literally shaking the house. They just paused the conversation, and, when the dishes stopped rattling, resumed as if nothing had happened. My wife and I looked at each other as if to say "WTF?? Did nobody else notice what just happened???" Not sure how my story is relevant. But i had the need to share Cohen's right. The noise and nuisance factor has to be considered. The fact that it's a prayer call is irrelevant. I've no 'problem' with it. But i live a fair bit away.
That San Diego airport is exceptional, however. Those planes brush those houses that sit on that hill like nowhere else I've ever seen. It is scarey to even watch. I can't imagine living in one of those houses. But, if you live in San Diego, I guess you can put up that. Cause when you leave your house, it is fantastic! The first time I flew in there was not too long after 9/11. I looked out the window and saw sky scrapers just below the plane. I nearly crapped my pants.
The Call to the prayer is said 5 times a day, and many times depending on the persone calling it can even last about a minute long. A lot of non muslims I know that live in Saudi and India tell me that it doesnt bother them a bit anymore...
