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Muslim Call To Prayer In Your Hometown

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Topic started on 16-6-2009 @ 11:39 AM by jackflap

I heard of this about four months ago. I did a search here at ATS to read a few opinions about it but found nothing. I decided to bring it here as I value the opinions of those who are on ATS.

Next month, Hamtramck will become one of the few cities in the United States where the Islamic call to prayer is broadcast onto public streets. The impact of that decision is reverberating across the nation. Loudspeakers on an old brick building in Hamtramck have become a symbol of the struggle between tolerance and tradition, and raise questions about what it means to be American. Bisera Vlahovljak, a Muslim who moved to Hamtramck 10 years ago from Bosnia said the call to prayer is about religious freedom. “This is why I came to America,” she said. “I think more people should be respectful of others’ traditions.”

What in the world is going on? I read that some people liken it to hearing church bells at certain times. I don't think so.

Council members have received hundreds of e-mails and telephone calls from across the United States, complaining about the ruling. Council member Ahmed said people don’t realize that less than half of the Muslims in Hamtramck are from the Middle East. Most are from Bangladesh, with other large Muslim contingents from Bosnia and Somalia. “When there’s something new, people are afraid to change,” Ahmed said. “But as a government official, I don’t see we could do anything differently.” The Rev. Stanley Ulman lives in a home and is the pastor of the Catholic church, St. Ladislaus, across the street from al-Islah Islamic Center. He thinks the discussion about the prayer calls moved from noise to religion because some community members don’t want to see their neighborhood change.

I know where I stand on this. What do you think?

www.amren.com...

On April 14, 2004 The Associated Press reported, "A request by Muslims to allow mosques to use loudspeakers for the call to prayer has prompted a backlash among some of their mostly white, Christian neighbors. They are circulating a petition opposing the request by the Al-Islah Islamic Center for a change in the city noise ordinance. The Muslim call to prayer occurs five times a day between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. 'When you call to prayer, you are proselytizing, and as a citizen of the United States, I don't want to hear it,' Bob Golen, 68, said at a City Council hearing Tuesday. Caroline Zarski, 81, agreed. 'It is not my God. My God is Jesus Christ. I don't want this noise invading my home at 10 p.m.,' she said. Still, Council President Karen Majewski said the proposed amendment is likely to pass next week in this separate municipality inside Detroit. Muslim speakers said they often hear church bells as early as 6 a.m. They said the call to prayer would be less noisy."

pluralism.org...

[edit on 16-6-2009 by jackflap]

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reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 12:03 PM by jackflap

Loudspeaker plan re-ignites 'call to prayer' row

Published: 12:01AM GMT 14 Jan 2008

Residents are opposed to plans to sound the two-minute long call three times a day in the minaret of the Central Mosque. But elders from the Central Mosque, where up to 700 people gather to worship every Friday, have pledged to plough ahead with the proposal despite opposition. Last month, dozens of people packed into a council meeting to signal their outrage, claiming they feared the prayer call would be an "un-neighbourly intrusion" that could turn the area into a "Muslim ghetto". Then last week the Bishop of Oxford spoke in support of the daily broadcast. The Rt Rev John Pritchard said those opposed to the plan should "relax" and "enjoy community diversity".

www.telegraph.co.uk...

reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 12:11 PM by mapsurfer_

Agreed. That is the equivalent of christian church bells ringing in a Muslim city somewhere in the world. While I am all for religious freedoms, there is certain respect that religions need to adhere to, in order to avoid provoking civil strife.

reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 12:20 PM by Rook1545

Originally posted by mapsurfer_
Agreed. That is the equivalent of christian church bells ringing in a Muslim city somewhere in the world. While I am all for religious freedoms, there is certain respect that religions need to adhere to, in order to avoid provoking civil strife.

Which they arlready do. There are plenty of Christian churches in Muslim countries and they ring their bells. No one has a problem with it.

It is manufactured civil strife. People fear and hate what they don't understand. This is really no different than some churches playing 2-3 minute long songs on thier bells, or towns with clock towers playing songs every hour (I have one of these in my town).

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reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 12:51 PM by FlyersFan

This will make Obama happy.
He said that the Muslim Call To Prayer was the 'prettiest sound on earth'.

He said that in a New York Times article entitiled - Obama, Man of the World. The author of the piece was Nicholas D. Kristof.

Obama chanted it for Kistoff and Kistoff said that Obama chanted it in perfect accent.

I'd link it for you ... but the New York Times has scubbed the story from it's website. Gee ... wonder why?

Islam On Line Here are the words -

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.

Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.

Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.

Ash-hadu alla ilaha illa-llah.

I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah.

Ash-hadu alla ilaha illa-llah.

I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah.

Ash-hadu anna Muhammadar-Rasulullah.

I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah

Ash-hadu anna Muhammadar-Rasulullah.

I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah

Hayya ‘ala-s-Salah, hayya ‘ala-s-Salah.

Hasten to the Prayer, hasten to the Prayer.

Hayya ‘ala-l-falah, hayya ‘ala-l-falah.

Hasten to real success, hasten to real success

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.

Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.

La ilaha illa-llah

There is none worthy of worship but Allah.

reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 12:54 PM by jackflap

reply to post by Rook1545

Hearing church bells and hearing someone rant in another language are two different things. Try this link and listen. Imagine that noise bellowing throughout your hometown.

atheists.groups.vox.com...

You have to be kidding me.

reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 01:42 PM by dgtempe

If i pray in the Muslim tradition will all the misery of this land, the oppression, the crazyness all go away????

If so you can find me at the nearest mosque. (sp)

reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 01:50 PM by rogerstigers

reply to post by jackflap

I dunno. I kind of like it. If the guy doing the call can carry a tune, no worries. I have a bhuddist temple and (way to many) churches with bells in my area. Doesn't bother me any.

reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 01:51 PM by KSPigpen

reply to post by FlyersFan

I appreciate you letting us know what the words mean. I'm afraid I would have had a more accepting disposition if I didn't know.

Bells are fine. Slightly annoying sometimes, but at least it is a universal sound. It's music. You may not like it, but it's not a different language, infringing on my right to worship whatever God I choose.

Knowing the words, I would have to shield my ears and go 'lalalalalalala' real loud because it says my God is not worthy of being worshiped.

I don't like it one bit. Bad juju.

reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 02:16 PM by eradown

reply to post by jackflap

I have nothing against either church bells or Muslim prayer calls. These are calming. Most of the programing we recieve is negative such as the impatient people honking their horns and cussing because those in front of them will not speed or drive dangerously. It is about time someone put something out designed to uplift.

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reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 02:19 PM by eradown

reply to post by KSPigpen

The translation seems off. There is none worthy of worship but Allah usually is translated into English as there is no God but God.

reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 02:20 PM by jackflap

reply to post by eradown

I would have nothing against this either if the people who were heeding this call to prayer were not told in the same breath to kill anyone who will not believe what they do. Look it up and you'll find out. Beyond this point I really do not think I would like hearing this four or whatever times a day.

reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 02:28 PM by Jigore

I'm surrounded by church and I can hear their bell ringin all day. Even if im not christian, I do not care. So if a muezzin start singing, well Im not muslim and I do not care either.
As long as it's not a 5 in the morningm obviously...
I hate this double standard many people seems to have.

reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 02:37 PM by jjkenobi

reply to post by Jigore

Oh there definitely is a double standard. We are constantly told to accept and embrace the differing viewpoints and beliefs of others... unless they are legal-citizen-white-Christian.

reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 02:39 PM by Hefficide

Broadcasting a chant that extolls the virtues of one religion above another, to me is a different thing entirely than the sound of bells. If there is to be equity then the mosque needs to find a call to prayer that isn't propeganda based.

reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 02:43 PM by DezertSkies

Originally posted by KSPigpen

Knowing the words, I would have to shield my ears and go 'lalalalalalala' real loud because it says my God is not worthy of being worshiped.

I don't like it one bit. Bad juju.

Wow, now there's a sensible solution. That's absolutely ridiculous! What about your god? Which one? If you're a monotheist how can you be against Adhan proclaiming that fact? Or do you not believe the "only" god is your only god?

No actually, i'm serious, do you think that Yaweh, Jehovah, and Allah are three separate deities? If you truly believe in one god then you should give praise to Allah. Saying they're not the same is like saying John isn't the same guy when he goes down to Mexico and the locals call him Juan. Just like Jesus, in the Koran is "Isa". Same dude, it's just that people many years, tongues, and cultures apart have different words to describe the same thing? A rose is still a rose by any other name......

If Muslims can't have call to prayer then churches shouldn't ring bells either.

YouTube Link

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reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 02:45 PM by greeneyedleo

The following is my opinion as a member participating in this discussion.

I would not like this anymore than I would like a Christian Preacher getting on a city wide speaker saying the Lord's Prayer. I bet hose who support this - would have issue with the Lord's Prayer being forced upon you to hear.

This is not equivalent to ringing bells. Bells are an instrument that makes musical type sounds. A religious prayer with words is (no matter the religion) can not be compared to musical sounds.

And I would find church bells annoying too. I also find it annoying when my neighbor blasts his annoying rap music.

This stuff should be kept inside and not forced upon EVERYONE to hear.

The city where I live there is a noise ordinance - meaning - you can not even drive your car down the road blasting your radio to the entire world to hear.

JMO.

As an ATS Staff Member, I will not moderate in threads such as this where I have participated as a member.

[edit on 6/16/2009 by greeneyedleo]

reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 02:49 PM by Rook1545

Wow, talk about insecurity.

"It is a different language!!!"
Your point is? There are more than one language in the US. Sure English is the MAIN language, but not the only one. Go to a Chinese market and see how much English there is there.

"It tells me my God is not real!"
If you are a Christian or a Jew, you are fine. The Muslim God is the same God that the Jews and Christians pray to. If you aren't one of those 3, then you might have some concern. My guess though is too many undereducated people not knowing this critical information.

"I would have nothing against this either if the people who were heeding this call to prayer were not told in the same breath to kill anyone who will not believe what they do."
Since it is so easy to find, post it up here for all to see. It is ignorant to even suggest this. The Koran, actually has less violence in it than the Bible. I very highly doubt that any but the most radical Imam are advocating death the to infidels. Good luck even one in America. Although the amount of Christian preiests that will spew hate from the pulpit is much higher.

reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 02:52 PM by ManBehindTheMask

reply to post by Hefficide

So we cant have prayer in schools, people cant say god or jesus in their speeches at college or highschool graduations.......but we can blare a call to prayer on on loudspeakers because its muslim?

Im sorry did i miss something here? I think this whole "were so sorry , were bad Americans" and special interest BS is getting out of hand......time to grow a pair

*edit for reply* sorry Heff this wasnt a reply to you in particular i hit the wrong reply button

[edit on 16-6-2009 by ManBehindTheMask]

reply posted on 16-6-2009 @ 03:18 PM by KaginD

IMO this is a fundamental part of our country. Not Muslim prayers of course, but the fact that there are no laws against Muslim prayer on loud speakers! Who cares? Throw a pair of head phones on, turn your tv/radio up, go OUT for a little while..

Aren't the people in this country under enough control from the powers that be?? Now people are going to stand up NOT to the government for what they are doing to us but to the Muslims because they are taking advantage of their freedom of speech and religion... wow.

Not trying to ruffle any feathers, just telling you what I am seeing here.

thanks for the thread op