The Muslim call to prayer will ring out more freely in New York City under guidelines announced Tuesday by Mayor Eric Adams, which he said should foster a spirit of inclusivity.

Under the new rules, Adams said, mosques will not need a special permit to publicly broadcast the Islamic call to prayer, or adhan, on Fridays and at sundown 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 community affairs bureau will work with mosques to communicate the new guidelines and ensure that devices used to broadcast the adhan are set to appropriate decibel levels, Adams said. Houses of worship can broadcast up to 10 decibels over the ambient sound level, the mayor’s office said.

  • Jaywarbs
    link
    fedilink
    351 year ago

    We hear church bells all the time, so this seems reasonable.

      • diprount_tomato
        link
        -151 year ago

        Oh yes, the mind control rays that turn the anal religion antenna on to make you follow evil beliefs

        • Bernie Ecclestoned
          link
          fedilink
          English
          -11 year ago

          In the Middle Ages, bells were thought to have supernatural powers. During the 7th century it is said that the Bishop of Aurelia rang the bells to warn people of an attack. When the enemy heard them, they were said to have fled in fear. The people credited the bells with having saved them. In a world with little man-made noise, the sound of bells was not only majestic, but could be deeply fearful

          Where does fear occur?

    • ME5SENGER_24
      link
      fedilink
      English
      461 year ago

      Glad church bells were the top comment… I grew up across the street from a church and I cannot say this loud enough FUCK CHURCH BELLS!! Ban them both, if you need to be called to pray or told what time it is buy a smartphone and set a reminder.

    • Pons_Aelius
      link
      fedilink
      261 year ago

      I lived next door to a church for a while, it was a fucking nightmare.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        41 year ago

        See I live in a wee village and despite my non- religiousness, the church bells are absolutely lovely.

        I’d like to know if Muslims find the call to prayer a nice sound

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      171 year ago

      Are they using bells then?

      I’d be annoyed if I lived near a Christian church that had a megaphone telling people to come pray, but bells at least seem less intrusive.

      • Flying Squid
        link
        221 year ago

        Less intrusive? They’re ridiculously loud.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          151 year ago

          Do you know what’s not loud? Configuring alarms in your phone. Wonder if these people have thought about it.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          91 year ago

          Maybe just personal preference for me then, but I find it’s easier to ignore as it registers as background noise.

          Someone blasting music or a speech would absolutely drive me up the wall though.

          • Flying Squid
            link
            71 year ago

            I’m wondering if you grew up hearing them and that’s why. You’re far more likely to tune out an intrusive noise that you’re very used to.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      141 year ago

      That’s the argument that all the “Muslims shouldn’t have extra privileges” miss.

      No one should have extra privileges, but we can’t take away church bells because of all the Christians would cry foul, so we’re stuck giving more religions the right to make excess noise everytime they ask because otherwise it’s discrimination.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        61 year ago

        Caterwauling over a loudspeaker is much more disruptive and annoying than a bell and I don’t care who is caterwauling or ringing the bell

        But honestly, yeah, apply all noise limits to everyone in the same way. If a bell is being rung during quiet hours and it’s too loud, then hit the church with a violation.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          31 year ago

          Look, you let one group be loud, you let all similar groups be loud. You don’t get to choose based on who you like or who makes a sound you like. Fair is fair.

          I’d rather peace and quiet thank you very much, if I can’t have that, I’d rather fair rules over arbitrary ones.

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            21 year ago

            It’s all relative noise levels and how reasonable a noise is. Tbh I’ve never lived somewhere with church bells that make loud noises during night hours like the Muslims do with their call to prayer, but I guess if a church was doing that, I’d support restricting them, too.

    • @Bobito
      link
      71 year ago

      deleted by creator

    • @Madison420
      link
      51 year ago

      Church bells originally existed for a purpose though and that was to strike the hour and ring alarm. Iirc the call to prayer can be used to tell time but like once or twice a day at best.

        • @Madison420
          link
          21 year ago

          Correct, I’m just saying that’s why bells are still allowed to ring without regards to sound ordinance.

      • teft
        link
        fedilink
        2
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        You can’t set a watch by prayer times unless you have a prayer time table for your locality. Since the start and end times for prayers are related to the solar diurnal motion, they vary throughout the year and depend on the local latitude and longitude when expressed in local time.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          21 year ago

          God: it’s 4:34:43 AM EST and oh whoops you didn’t get your prayer rug out on time. That one’s going straight to hell. Crosses name out on clipboard

        • @Madison420
          link
          11 year ago

          Correct, though if your familiar with the area it’s a pretty good way to find out what time it is. Bells just do it better.

    • @CobblerScholar
      link
      11 year ago

      I find Jehovas Witnesses and Mormons more annoying than an Adhan ever would be