The Call to Prayer from the spires of a mosque is a powerful icon of Islam in the Middle East and North Africa. It has no place in Europe and should not be permitted without, at least, allowing church bells to be rung on Sunday morning by Christian churches, if there are any Christian churches left. This is the beginning of European descent back into the Dark Ages.
Germany: City of Krefeld allows Islamic call to prayer over loudspeakers once a week
This isn’t really needed in order to inform Muslims that it is time for prayer. They have watches and phones that note the time like everyone else. This is an assertion of presence, and of superiority (“Allahu akbar” in the call to prayer means “Allah is greater,” that is, greater than your god), and this new celebration of diversity in Krefeld is just the beginning.
New contract: Islamic call to prayer once a week in Krefeld
translated from “Neuer Vertrag: Einmal wöchentlich islamischer Gebetsruf in Krefeld,” Freilich, May 9, 2024 (thanks to Medforth):
Krefeld. – The city of Krefeld has decided that in future the Muslim communities will be allowed to announce the Islamic call to prayer over loudspeakers once a week. This is reported by WDR. Salih Tufan Ünal, Chairman of the Union of Turkish and Islamic Communities (ATIB), commented on this new agreement and emphasized its importance. As a native of Krefeld with family roots in Turkey, Ünal has a personal connection to the city and its Muslim community. According to Ünal, the imam of the Yunus Emre Mosque in Krefeld-Stahldorf will in future call for prayer once a week, every Friday, via the permanently installed loudspeakers. Before signing the contract, the city of Krefeld coordinated with various interest groups, including representatives from politics, religion and the neighborhood.
The contract stipulates that noise limits must be adhered to during the call to prayer and that a permanent contact person for the neighborhood will be named. Salih Tufan Ünal explains that the call to prayer will now be heard once a week, on Fridays between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m., for a maximum of five minutes. Technically, transmission of the call to prayer is currently only possible in two of the six mosques in Krefeld. However, this decision is not without controversy. Prof. Dr. Mouhanad Khorchide, head of the Center for Islamic Theology at the University of Münster, expressed doubts about the priority of this step and warned of possible fears and reservations.
No comments:
Post a Comment