The Minneapolis City Council has passed an ordinance permitting the public broadcast of the Islamic call to prayer five times a day throughout the year. Previously, mosques were only allowed to broadcast the call to prayer three to four times a day to comply with city noise ordinances.
The new ordinance allows for the call to prayer to be broadcasted during the early mornings and evenings, which were previously prohibited. The decision was unanimous among the city council members.
“It is really important for us at the city to approach all issues from a lens of ensuring equal access for all people, and that’s what we’ve really done here,” Council Member Aisha Chughtai said Thursday. “This is an item that benefits people of all faiths.”
Under the old rules, azaan could only be broadcasted at a volume no higher than 70 decibels and within specific time limits. However, the new ordinance allows mosques to broadcast the call as early as 3:30am. and as late as 11 pm., which expands the time frame during which the call can be played. Additionally, the call was previously limited to three or four times a day, but with the new rules, it can be played five times a day.
