The Muslim call to prayer will ring out more freely in New York City under guidelines announced Tuesday by Mayor Eric Adams, which he said should foster a spirit of inclusivity.

Under the new rules, Adams said, mosques will not need a special permit to publicly broadcast the Islamic call to prayer, or adhan, on Fridays and at sundown during the holy month of Ramadan. Friday is the traditional Islamic holy day, and Muslims break their fast at sunset during Ramadan.

The police department’s community affairs bureau will work with mosques to communicate the new guidelines and ensure that devices used to broadcast the adhan are set to appropriate decibel levels, Adams said. Houses of worship can broadcast up to 10 decibels over the ambient sound level, the mayor’s office said.

    • ME5SENGER_24@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      Glad church bells were the top comment… I grew up across the street from a church and I cannot say this loud enough FUCK CHURCH BELLS!! Ban them both, if you need to be called to pray or told what time it is buy a smartphone and set a reminder.

    • li10
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      1 year ago

      Are they using bells then?

      I’d be annoyed if I lived near a Christian church that had a megaphone telling people to come pray, but bells at least seem less intrusive.

      • Mr_Blott
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        1 year ago

        See I live in a wee village and despite my non- religiousness, the church bells are absolutely lovely.

        I’d like to know if Muslims find the call to prayer a nice sound

    • Hacksaw@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      That’s the argument that all the “Muslims shouldn’t have extra privileges” miss.

      No one should have extra privileges, but we can’t take away church bells because of all the Christians would cry foul, so we’re stuck giving more religions the right to make excess noise everytime they ask because otherwise it’s discrimination.

      • Cleverdawny@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Caterwauling over a loudspeaker is much more disruptive and annoying than a bell and I don’t care who is caterwauling or ringing the bell

        But honestly, yeah, apply all noise limits to everyone in the same way. If a bell is being rung during quiet hours and it’s too loud, then hit the church with a violation.

        • Hacksaw@lemmy.ca
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          1 year ago

          Look, you let one group be loud, you let all similar groups be loud. You don’t get to choose based on who you like or who makes a sound you like. Fair is fair.

          I’d rather peace and quiet thank you very much, if I can’t have that, I’d rather fair rules over arbitrary ones.

    • Madison420@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Church bells originally existed for a purpose though and that was to strike the hour and ring alarm. Iirc the call to prayer can be used to tell time but like once or twice a day at best.

        • Madison420@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Correct, I’m just saying that’s why bells are still allowed to ring without regards to sound ordinance.

      • teft@startrek.website
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        1 year ago

        You can’t set a watch by prayer times unless you have a prayer time table for your locality. Since the start and end times for prayers are related to the solar diurnal motion, they vary throughout the year and depend on the local latitude and longitude when expressed in local time.

        • GreenMario@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          God: it’s 4:34:43 AM EST and oh whoops you didn’t get your prayer rug out on time. That one’s going straight to hell. Crosses name out on clipboard

        • Madison420@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Correct, though if your familiar with the area it’s a pretty good way to find out what time it is. Bells just do it better.