By Abigail Sanchez-Aguilar –
The cities that allow Islamic calls to prayer to be broadcast – New York City, Minneapolis and others – are enabling Muslim projection of power, says an ex-Muslim.
“We have alarms now. We don’t need it,” says Danny Burmawi, who converted to Christianity in Jordan and now lives in the United States. “But political Islam needs it.
“When you broadcast the call to prayer so that Muslims and non-Muslims will be disturbed by it, that has nothing to do with religion,” he adds. “That is a political signal. that is um a declaration that we exist politically and we are taking over the public space.”
New York’s frequent calls to prayer were NOT inaugurated by its new, Muslim mayor, Zohran Mamdami. They were started by the previous mayor, Eric Adams.
“They have to have some consideration for us,” complains a woman in a nail salon in 2016 in Brooklyn, where the Masjid-Al-Aman mosque broadcasts the whining 2-minute adhans that can be heard for 20 blocks. “It’s too, too noisy. You don’t get used to it because you have no idea when it’s going to happen.”
Some cities in America allow the full five-times-a-day calls to prayer, or adhan. Other cities only allow it on special occasions, such as the month of fasting known as ramadan. Cities that allow it include Dearborn, Hamtramck, Paterson (NJ), St. Paul and parts of Detroit — all with large Muslim populations.
The United States guarantess freedom of worship, and Muslims say the call to prayer in integral to practicing their faith.
Sources: CBN, Gothamist, others.
