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Anger over plan to broadcast Muslim call to prayer on loudspeaker in Oxford
Last updated at 01:07am on 27.12.07
Outrage: Proposals for loudspeaker Muslim calls to prayer in central Oxford have been attacked by local residents
Muslim plans to broadcast a loudspeaker call to prayer from a city centre mosque have been attacked by local residents who say it would turn the area into a "Muslim ghetto".
Dozens of people packed out a council meeting to express their concerns over the plans for a two-minute long call to prayer to be issued three times a day, saying that it could drown out the traditional sound of church bells.
But a spokesman for the Central Mosque said that Muslim's also have the right to summon worshippers.
Dr Mark Huckster, who lives in Stanton Road and works at East Oxford hospice Helen House, told the Oxford Mail: "The proposal to issue a prayer call is very un-neighbourly, especially in a crowded urban space such as Oxford.
"I have lived in the Middle East and a prayer call has a very different feel to church bells and I personally found the noise extremely unpleasant, rather disturbing and very alien to the western mindset."
He added: "If an evangelical Christian preacher proposed issuing sermons three times a day at full volume there would be an outcry.
"There could be a sense of ghettoisation of East Oxford. Cowley Road would have a Muslim flavour and could become a Muslim ghetto which is contrary to what we want in a multicultural society."
Dr Huckster was among six residents speaking in opposition to the plans, revealed in the Oxford Mail in November.
Allan Chapman, who lives in East Oxford, said: "We are concerned with civil liberties and civil peace and the right to be able to live in our own space.
"I do not want preaching at. It is not the tradition of this country or the tradition I subscribe to.
"I find this totally, utterly unacceptable and I plan to do whatever I can to stop it."
David Hutcheson, of East Avenue, said: "I'm very happy for people to practice their own religion but very unhappy about the thought of having a loudspeaker broadcasting any messages into my private space."
After the meeting, Sardar Rana, a spokesman for the Central Mosque, said he would be happy to clarify any issues and invited anyone to come to the mosque so he could satisfy their concerns.
He said: "The call is going on in so many places in the UK, and we must get the same right as everybody else.
"When they ring the bells in church, we respect it but that is also a call to prayer.
"We don't want to do anything that will disturb the people or upset the people."
Reader views (4)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
With all of the technology wer have available to us today, there is no reason to impose on others' right to peace and quiet. Amplification should be banned. I live near a mosque and it is extremely LOUD. I do not want church bells or anything that loud disturbing the peace and quiet within the confines of my home. It is not right. One can easily get their call to prayer via a phone service. In conjuntion with the phone service they could even still call it but WITHOUT AMPLIFICATION.
- John, nyc, usa
Look at the landslide of UK white or Christian rights. I accept that the UK is becoming the hub of "multiculturalism" but in reality, it's an ideology. White people are being made to feel guilty about historical events such as colonialism and subsequently we are paying with our rights. Why should Christmas be affected if no other religion's holiday is, why should the flag be banned, why do we have no culture any more, why should other cultures rule supreme? If we were a true multicultural society, there would be one rule that stuck for everyone.
All we hear nowadays is "pc". This isn't about skin colour, it is about culture and especially religion. Why are we still living in the dark ages and fighting over religion and land? This is a never ending battle. With everything that is happening, there will be a backlash in more than the UK. We just have the tolerance to put up with it, for now
- Kas, London
I think its disgusting, we are banned from having Christmas, banned from ringing church bells, banned from having a nativity scene in our schools, yet they call for a Muslim call to prayer.
Our Government needs to have one rule for all. Not keep making Christians a minority in our own country.
- Linda, London
I've travelled quite extensively around the Middle East & the call to prayer being broadcast out across a city is very atmospheric & exotic... but that's all in context. In Oxford I think it would be totally wrong. Maybe we could have a reciprocal agreement & have an open air Catholic mass in down-town Riyadh ? That would be acceptable to both the authorities & locals surely?
- Craig, London
