Mosques lower loudspeaker volume for dawn 'azaan'

Some of the 250-300 mosques across Mumbai have decided to lower the volume of loudspeakers for the early morning azaan for Fajr prayers in order to abide by the Supreme Court (SC) order which bans its use between 10:00pm and 6:00am across the country.

While some mosques have received instructions from the Mumbai Police to either refrain from using the loudspeaker or reduce the volume, others have got no such intimation, and therefore no change has taken place in the volume levels.

According to Saeed Noori of the Raza Academy, such instructions have been given in places where different communities live together and where the police may have received complaints of disturbance.

"That is why the police may have asked the local mosques to reduce the volume levels."

Maulana Khalil Pathan, Imam and trustee of Dargah Masjid in Mahim, where there are around 15 mosques, told this paper, "We had completely stopped the use of loudspeakers a week ago for the early morning azaan. But the police came back and told us that we didn't have to stop the use of loudspeakers altogether but only reduce the volume, which we have done."

Pathan said he was told by the police that the SC directive was being implemented all over the city. "What can we do but obey the law of the land, and that too an order from the apex court," he said. The problem he has to contend with is the reduced number of worshippers.

In the crowded Bhendi Bazaar area in south Mumbai, Maulana Kashmiri of the Ulema Council, too, says they have accepted a request from Additional Commissioner of Police S.M. Sayyed a month ago to abide by the SC order.

"In the quietness of early morning hours, we believe the worshippers can clearly hear the azaan through loudspeakers at a low volume. During the day the noise of traffic and crowds is too great, and we have to increase the volume for the benefit of all worshippers."

However, in the Muslim-dominated area of Malwani in Kandivili, "we have not received any such instruction," says Mohammed Farooq Azam.

According to Ibrahim Tai of the Muslim Council of India, the whole issue has been tackled on the basis of understanding and cooperation through the local mohalla (neighbourhood) committees attended by local leaders, trustees of mosques and various Muslim organisations.

Following the Dassehra festival when the Mumbai Police came down heavily on the "Navratri" revellers to stop loudspeakers after 10 pm last October, they then told Muslim leaders to reduce the volume of the early morning azaan or not use it at all, says Tai.

"Muslims in general have accepted the SC ruling. We want to co-operate with the Mumbai Police who have done an exemplary job of maintaining law and order in this city. We don't want them to get into trouble with the courts for not implementing the apex court's order."

Even religious congregations held in the open at night during Eid-e-Milad are being held in halls where loudspeakers are allowed at any time.