The Muslim call to prayer will ring out more freely in New York, under new rules released Tuesday by Mayor Eric Adams that aim to promote a spirit of inclusion.
Under the new rules, mosques will not need special permission to publicly broadcast the Islamic call to prayer, or “azan,” on Fridays and at sunset during the holy month of Ramadan.
Friday is the traditional Islamic holy day and Muslims break their fast at sunset during Ramadan.
The police department’s office of community affairs will work with mosques to communicate the new guidelines and ensure devices used to broadcast “azan” are set to appropriate decibel levels, Adams said.
“For too long, there was a feeling that our communities were not allowed to amplify their calls to prayer,” the New York City mayor said.
“Today we are cutting red tape and saying clearly that mosques and places of worship are free to broadcast their call to prayer on Fridays and during Ramadan, without authorization,” he added, quoted by the Associated Press (AP) agency. . .
Flanked by Muslim leaders, Adams also stressed, at a City Hall news conference, that Muslim New Yorkers “will not live in the shadows of the American dream” as long as he runs New York.
“Azan” is a familiar sound in Muslim-majority countries, but is heard less frequently in the United States.
Minneapolis authorities made headlines last year when they decided to allow mosques to broadcast “azan” publicly.
Somaia Ferozi, principal of the Ideal Islamic School in Queens, said New York City’s new rules send a positive message to her students.
“Our children remember who they are when they hear azan. Having that sound in a New York neighborhood will make them feel part of a community that recognizes them,” said Ferozi, who also participated in the press conference.
Adams, a Democrat, maintains close relationships with religious leaders of various traditions and has promoted the role of religion in public life.
He sometimes causes alarm among atheists when he mentions that he does not believe in the separation of Church and State.
Source: TSF
