A German court yesterday, Wednesday rejected an application to silence the muezzin’s call from a mosque in a small town after a legal dispute lasting five years.
The Turkish Islamic community (Ditib) may now once again use a loudspeaker to call the faithful to prayer in the town of Oer-Erkenschwick in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Mu’azzin (muezzin), is the person appointed at a mosque to lead and recite the call to prayer for every event of prayer and worship in the mosque. The muezzin’s post is an important one, and the community depends on him for an accurate prayer schedule.
Residents first lodged a complain against the use of speakers during the call to prayer in 2015. The speakers were being used for approximately 15 minutes between noon and 2pm Fridays.
The call to prayer fell silent for five years on account of the complaint, lodged by a couple living about 900 metres (984 yards) from the mosque, who said their freedom of religion was impinged upon by the sound.
But the judges have ruled in favor of the Mosque meaning the call to prayer will resume.
“Every society must accept that one will sometimes be aware that others exercise their faith,” presiding judge Annette Kleinschnittger said.
As long as no one was forced to practise their religion, there were no grounds for complaint, she ruled.
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