MSS moots proposal to regulate use of loudspeakers in mosques

Kozhikode: Thanks to the initiative taken by the Calicut-based Muslim Service society (MSS), the state might witness an end to the plentifulness of "adhan" (Banq in Malayalam) in the coming days if the various Muslim organizations would decide to limit the announcement to one in an area.

According to Islamic tradition, Muslims are called to the five scheduled daily prayers (Salat) by a formal announcement, called the 'adhan', an Arabic word  meaning "to listen", by the muezzin ("mollakah" in Malayalam) through a loudspeaker mounted on the minaret. 

The five-time-a-day ritual is an alert that prayers are about to begin inside the mosque. 

Presently, all mosques, except a very few, voice the "banq" through loudspeakers, parallelly or one after another, but serving the same purpose. This has been mostly regarded as unwanted multiplicity as there are many mosques in a small townships or area.

According to T K Abdul Kareem, General Secretary, MSS, a self-regulation could well result in a considerable reduction of sound in the area. "There are five mosques in one sq. km in Feroke and the "banq" is done from all five. We are trying to arrive at a consensus among all groups among our community to divide the ritual within one area and end multiplicity"

The MSS have convened a meeting of various muslim organisations in the state for a meeting on February 3 to discuss and decide on their proposal to regulate use of loudspeakers in mosques. 

"We feel that self-restraint in noise should not only be limited for namaz calls but should be extended to all other religious programmes like "vayadh" and the alike. Why should others be disturbed. Let such things be confined within the four walls", feels he.

On apps that are available on the internet  and on getting alert on mobile phones, he said all possibilities to minimize the noise would be discussed at the meeting.(UNI)