In a landmark move, the City Council of Minneapolis has made it the first major American city to permit the playing of all five adhans, or Muslim calls to prayer, over loudspeakers. Despite existing noise laws, the unanimous 12-0 vote by the Council has been hailed as a landmark win for religious freedom and plurality.
It is seen as a ground-breaking step towards inclusion and recognising the rights of religious minorities. The Minneapolis City Council permitted all five Muslim prayer calls to be broadcast over loudspeakers.
The state director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Jaylani Hussein, thanked the Council for setting an example and encouraged other communities to do the same. A significant achievement for the Muslim community in Minneapolis is the ability to recite the adhan from mosques from 3:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., which notifies faithful Muslims of the hours for prescribed prayer.
The current ruling extends the period during which the adhan may be played on loudspeakers. Minneapolis had previously restricted the periods and sound levels at which the adhan may be performed. Muslims' daily prayers include the adhan, which begins with the Arabic phrase Allahu Akbar, which means "God is great." For the Muslim community, the Council's decision to permit adhan from mosques across the city is a significant victory.
The historic Minneapolis judgement has drawn attention from around the country, and many have hailed it as a turning point for American religious freedom. It promotes a more inclusive society that embraces diversity and respects the rights of religious minorities by serving as an example for others to take similar action.
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