Muscat: Oman has issued a new law restricting the use of external loudspeakers in mosques in the Sultanate, which comes into effect on Monday, April 10, local media reported.
The decision issued by the Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs, Dr Mohammad bin Saeed bin Khalfan Al-Maamari, replaced Article (39) of the mosques regulations with a new text that limits the use of external loudspeakers for the call to prayer.
An administrative fine not exceeding 1,000 Omani Riyals (Rs 2,13,263) may be imposed in case of violation of the provisions of mosque regulations.
Opinion of the Grand Mufti of the Sultanate of Oman
On April 9, the Grand Mufti of the Sultanate of Oman, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Khalili, criticized, on Twitter, the restriction of the imam’s voice inside mosques without the external arenas.
“While some Western capitals open up to the rituals of Islam, the blessed Ramzan prayer is held publicly in public squares. We deeply regret and admire that in some Islamic countries, the institutions responsible for matters of religion issue restrictions on these rituals, so that the voice of the imam is not allowed to go beyond the sanctuary of the mosque,” Sheikh Ahmed Al-Khalili tweeted.
Mufti’s comment came after the issuance of a decision banning external loudspeakers in the mosques of the Sultanate of Oman and imposing a fine on violators.
