The jobs of muezzins across Dubai have been saved after a plan to replace the live Muslim adhan (call to prayer) with an automated and synchronised version was put on hold, said an official at Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD).
The unified adhan is already part of life in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. The system was launched in 2004 to avoid the difference in prayer times in one area, according to a circular by the Ministry of Justice.
The ministry would like to see the single feed to be heard across the UAE, but Dubai has yet to join the scheme.
“I think the religious body and public at large in Dubai prefer the traditional form of the prayer call. We at IACAD don't expect the transmitted adhan will be brought here in the foreseeable future,'' said the department's director, Ahmad Haddad.
Abu Dhabi adopted the system in October 2004, followed by Al Ain in May 2005. Zayed City followed suit in August the same year. The switch drew mixed reactions with critics complaining the radio network was open to malfunctions while supporters claim the shift is in line with the times.