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Original poster

Should mosques in the UK be allowed to broadcast the call to prayer?

26 replies

yummylittlelapin · 01/02/2008 08:15

The rector of a large evangelical church in Oxford has voiced his opposition to a proposal to allow a mosque to broadcast the Muslim call to prayer in the university city.

Personally I would not want to hear this 3 times a day. But that's not an anti-Muslim sentiment, I wouldn't want to hear the Lord's Prayer booming out every day either. Or anything else.

Is it an essential part of prayer for Muslims (please excuse my ignorance on this)? What do you do if you are not within earshot of a mosque? Presumably most British muslims don't have this anyway at the moment (I've never heard it in this country).

OP posts:
Original poster
yummylittlelapin · 01/02/2008 08:33

too soon to bump?

OP posts:
S1ur · 01/02/2008 08:36

Think I'm probably with you Lapin. I'd hate the Lord's Prayer blasted out. But its more akin to the church bells ringing on a Sunday.

ruty · 01/02/2008 08:43

i have to say we recently looked at a nice house that backed right onto the not unattractive but huge mosque in Oxford, and one of the factors against it was how busy it gets [3000 on a Friday] and the potential broadcasted call to prayer. I mean I used to hear the call to prayer in Bethnal Green and it was a pleasant sound, but three times a day every day might get a bit much. I like the Bishop of Oxford's comments better than this evangelical bloke's, it is a tricky subject, noise pollution of any kind is a factor in where one lives. Yes i wouldn't want to hear the Lord's Prayer broadcast three times a day either, and 3000 Christians on my back door every day/week would be a bit alarming.

I don't think it has got anything to do with being an 'Unenglish' sound though. It is just the fact that it will be very loud and repetitive.

Original poster
yummylittlelapin · 01/02/2008 08:45

It's not really though is it... I heard this rector on the Today programme this morning and his point was that bells don't actually contain any content, so the Lord's Prayer is a more apt analogy.

In fact, I don't think I would want to live near a church with bells either - the bells at Sherborne Abbey used to go off every 15 minutes

OP posts:
Original poster
yummylittlelapin · 01/02/2008 08:46

Agreed ruty, I should say that I'm not espousing his comments, it's just the most recent article I could find.

OP posts:
slim22 · 01/02/2008 08:47

Hi,
just to let you know, we did this one about a month ago. You can look up archives.
It went full circle, including usual digressions such as islam = evil or not / Islam = misogynistic etc, etc, etc.....and the ensuing debate debacle

speak2deb · 01/02/2008 08:48

I think it's just like the bells ringing on a sunday. The only thing is that it's many times a day EVERY day. Could be quite annoying if you lived close by in a noise-pollution way.

After reading his comments in the article, though, he just sounds like a nasty little racist with his comments like it's 'un-english' and 'It may force people to move out and encourage Muslim families to move in'.

I thought christianity was all about brotherhood of man, etc?

bunnyhunny · 01/02/2008 08:51

on holiday in malaysia, we had a lovely beach hostel, unknown to us it was right near a mosque.

I don't know what time the first call to prayer is, but its early, and we were woken up in complete shock!!

So, they would need to consider that a very loud call to prayer also occurs at early o'clock. That would really begin to get on my wick if i lived nearby!

ruty · 01/02/2008 08:52

well thankfully bishop of Oxford spoke in a much better way about the issue.

?I believe in a strategy of open generosity which is at the heart of Christianity, and I would want to be hospitable to those of other faiths and tell them what I believe, and this is a good way of engaging with people.?
Slim i was involved in the previous thread, but I have changed my view a little since looking at a house in the area and realising what it might mean to live right next door to the mosque long term.

Original poster
yummylittlelapin · 01/02/2008 08:56

Ah, I searched for "mosque" and "oxford" but didn't find a previous thread.

OP posts:
slim22 · 01/02/2008 09:04

here

this page

actually it was slightly different as the OP asked opinion about AMPLIFIED call to prayer, so debate about noise pollution really.

Blandmum · 01/02/2008 09:07

First call to prayer is a dawn isn't it?

That would piss me off something rotten, regardless of what was being 'said'

'Ive got a lurverly bunch of coconuts' at dawn would have me reaching for my pitch fork and flaming brand.

Original poster
yummylittlelapin · 01/02/2008 09:10

I think it's more a noise pollution issue for me too. And I do think that the sound of a loud voice is more intrusive than bells or music (although as I said I wouldn't want to hear them all the time either!)

If your neighbour played loud music at the same time 3 times a day you'd call the police!

LOL at MB

OP posts:
ruty · 01/02/2008 09:10

that's what we're talking about here too Slim22.

slim22 · 01/02/2008 09:12

that's why i put the link

Original poster
yummylittlelapin · 01/02/2008 09:13

but some of us obviously missed the debate last time slim.

I imagine the Today program have discussed it more than once as well

OP posts:
slim22 · 01/02/2008 09:21

I think MB summed it up quite well
Have fun anyway.

ruty · 01/02/2008 09:26

eh? But this is also a debate about the noise pollution angle slim. I get the feeling you're annoyed by this thread, and I don't know why...[the last one was probably a bit annoying]

slim22 · 01/02/2008 09:52

Oh no, not annoyed at all.
I think like OP: enough noise pollution as it is!

Not meant to shut debate or anything.
Just put the link because a lot of various opinions voiced on the subject there and I thought OP might be interested to know there's 10 pages on the subject already.

There a bit that's quite interesting about being able to get a plug in directly into your home for the call to prayer. Now, that seems like the way forward.

ruty · 01/02/2008 09:58

yes that does sound quite a good idea.

Blandmum · 01/02/2008 10:47

I have read of homes having a link up to the mosque, and having the call played in their houses, which sounds like an excellent compromise

Original poster
yummylittlelapin · 01/02/2008 12:29

That sounds ideal

OP posts:
PussinJimmyChoos · 01/02/2008 12:31
Original poster
yummylittlelapin · 01/02/2008 12:33

Oh puss, you're bound to have some vibrating gadget to tell you when it happens!

Seriously, how integral is it to the religion?

OP posts:
PussinJimmyChoos · 01/02/2008 12:39

Lapin, I can't take any more objects that vibrate....doorbell, firealarm, alarm clock, baby alert.....am going to have permenant shakes in a minute!! Either that or multiple orgasm...

The call to prayer is really just a reminder for people to stop what they are doing and pray right away, you can manage fine without it imo - especially in a secular country. No need to wind people up by waking them up at dawn...even if I do have a lovely bunch of coconuts! lol

Having said that, I've heard the call for prayer during the day in Dubai and Syria and its seriously lovely when you know what it means and hearing it drift over the city at sunset is pretty special...lots of travellers have grown to like it too....but totally appreciate people not wanting it on a permanent basis here!