For the first time in the history of the United States (US), Minneapolis city approved the call to prayer, and it will soon be broadcasted over loudspeakers five times per day.
The call to prayer, is known in Arabic as the Azaan or Adhan.
On Thursday, Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved amending the city’s noise ordinance in a unanimous vote, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.
“This is a historic victory for religious freedom and pluralism for our entire nation,” Jaylani Hussein, director of the Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR) Minnesota branch, said in a statement on Friday, after the vote. “We thank the members of the Minneapolis City Council for setting this great example, and we urge other cities to follow it.”
According to Associated Press report, in a recent public hearing, Christian and Jewish leaders expressed support for extending prayer times.
Last year, the city allowed broadcasts year-round between the hours of 7 am and 10 pm except for early morning prayers and sometimes night prayers.
As per media reports, in 2022, city officials worked with the Dar Al-Hijrah Mosque to allow the call to prayer to be broadcasted outdoors five times per day during Ramzan.
