Letter: Loudspeakers on mosques

Sat, 11/07/2009 1:03 PM  |  Reader's Forum

The authorities in Cairo have come up with an excellent idea to rid the city of the cacophony of competing mosque loudspeakers there. They will be fitting all the mosques with receivers so that they will rebroadcast the call of a single muezzin from the state radio station. The muezzin will be one of a panel of 30 chosen for the harmoniousness of their voices.

There is, of course, opposition from the hundreds of muezzins who will be put out of business, but the alternative suggested would be to call the adhan as they used to do for nearly 1,400 years - by climbing the minarets and using their unaided voices.

Let's do the same here.

Rafiq Mahmood
Bogor, West Java

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Lianto Osa (not verified), Jakarta — Fri, 11/20/2009 - 10:13pm

Honestly, those loud speakers disturbs my beautiful sleep in the morning. I tried to use ear plugs but did not work.

Zul Ahmad (not verified), depok — Sun, 11/15/2009 - 8:02am

I don't agree with Rafiq's opinion at all. Every mosque, I think, has a special characteristic. You will found various of Adzan in many places with different 'local taste'... I think this phenomena ensure that many muslim care with their religion, because every mosque has always its muadzin.

Johnny Cool (not verified), Sanur, Bali — Sat, 11/14/2009 - 10:09pm

I managed to live for 18 months in Jogjakarta. Bought some land in Bantul, built a house as far away from a mosque with a sound system as I could. Didn't work. Drove me nuts, actually. After our house was completed, we lasted two months there, packed up and came back to Bali. It took us nearly two years to sell the house because it wasn't one of those silly ones that look like concrete wedding cakes. Lost money on the sale, but six months later came the Jogja earthquake. The Bantul area was one of the hardest hit. In our village, only three structures remained standing, including ours. I will never build another house in Indonesia any where near a mosque.

Jguru (not verified), Jakarta — Sat, 11/14/2009 - 8:55pm

As a Canadian who has lived in Jakarta for nine years, the morning call to prayer has become part of my daily existence. I have lived a stones throw away from a Mosque and at other times far enough away to be out of earshot of the prayer. Regardless, the morning call to prayer is one of the charms that makes this multicultural city unique. Stopping it is, in my opinion, another step towards global cultural homogeneity. Muslims should be proud of the morning call to prayer. I can not think of a better way to start the day than prayer and reflection. Yes, it has awoken me on numerous occasions, but, in my opinion as a westerner, it is like waking up to a work of Mozart. Unity in diversity is the key to a successful global village. Not cultural homogeneity!!!! J.

LTan (not verified), Batam — Sat, 11/14/2009 - 6:23pm

It's better for all mosque to remove speakers to reduce noise pollution. This is not a religious, it is a civil matter which concerns everyone, Mulsims and non-Muslims. This is only a call for prayer which I'm sure every Muslim will know by heart. So why is there a need for such speakers? These should be banned as it is a form of religious propaganda and also a form of disturbing the peace, for residents as well as businesses. On the whole, it projects a negative image of Indonesian Muslims in general. Please follow the example of Singapore where all religions have equal rights as long as they do not disturb the peace and harmony of the people of all races. Majulah Indonesia!

Reader new (not verified), Jakarta — Sat, 11/14/2009 - 9:12am

agreed, lets keep the diversity of many calls but allow loudspeakers only if there is no other mosque in a radius of, lets say, 2 kilometers. Or are all our moslem friends kind of deaf nowadays....?

Suparman_7878 (not verified), Jogja — Sat, 11/14/2009 - 7:52am

Well said Vanu...you are exactly right

Music (not verified), Jakarta — Fri, 11/13/2009 - 6:45pm

Perhaps I am strange the Adzan in the early morning amkes me feel theres a define time stamp in the morning and in my neighbourhood they all seem to have it on time. If only the words were all the same pace and in a synchronise fashion it will be a true calling. Provided its not blasting and not some screeching kid trying to beat the adults.

Aktifistri (not verified), china — Fri, 11/13/2009 - 6:41pm

pfhh..finally kinda-enlightment starting to happen soon in indonesia. Finally something would make my husband put more respect on muslim in Indonesia is coming..

Kar (not verified), Jakarta — Fri, 11/13/2009 - 4:57pm

As a muslim myself, my female friends who are not muslim once discussed this matter in fornt of me. They thought the practice of using megaphone to announce the Adzhan are heartless towards people who happen to be really sick and need a deep rest, and to babies. One of them whose mother had heart problem said her mother's heart often beats so hard that she had to take her medicine to be able to go back to sleep. I understood their feelings very much, since I too, have babies and during my period of illnesses , I could not stand whatever sound come out of the megaphone. Simply too loud for a sick person ! I think every individual should be able to discipline themselves to get up to pray without being shouted at !
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