Minneapolis to change noise ordinance for Muslim call to prayer

 

A Minneapolis City Council committee recently approved a change to the city’s code of ordinances that would allow mosques to broadcast the Islamic call to prayer five times a day year round.

If the ordinance passes the full council, Minneapolis will be the first “major city” to allow the call to prayer to be broadcast five times per day.

The call to prayer was first allowed beginning in 2020 during Ramadan. In 2022, it was allowed year round. However, current city noise ordinances do not allow the call to prayer to be broadcast before 7 a.m. or after 10 p.m. This means only three of the five daily calls to prayer can be broadcast.

Council Member Aisha Chugtai’s proposal would remove language from the code of ordinances that limits religious sounds to the hours of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. It also adds “amplified equipment” to a list of religious exemptions, which already includes bells and chimes.

During the public comment period, residents spoke both for and against the proposed changes, with critics saying the language is poorly worded.

https://alphanews.org/minneapolis-to-change-noise-ordinance-for-muslim-call-to-prayer/