Common call to prayer plan for Sunnis and Shiites

Manama: Bahrain plans to tune hundreds of calls to prayer into one by introducing a unified timing for the five prayers that will eventually overcome "disturbing chaotic cacophony" and "eliminate discrepancies".

"We need to have a unified call to prayer, delivered in a melodious voice in order to overcome the differences that we have right now and which at times reach up to 10 minutes," Islamic Affairs Undersecretary Fareed Meftah said.

"We have a unified timing prepared by the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and we should ensure that it is upheld by all mosques," he said in a press statement yesterday.

The ministry hopes that it would be able to overcome the religious differences and the resistance of conservatives to technology and wire Bahrain's mosques so that they broadcast a live, unified call to prayer to replace the present system.

Shiites who make up about 65 per cent of the native population, call to prayers three times a day, with the sunset call following that of the Sunnis by 10 minutes.

"The idea is to agree on a timing that is acceptable to the Sunni and Shiite authorities so that the prayer call can be made through a special radio channel," Al Meftah said.

"The move will allow us to unite as Muslims and to hold our prayers at the same time.

"It will eventually allow us to fast and break the fast at the same time, instead of the current differences that do not promote our unity," he said.

No job cuts

Attempting to allay concerns about current muezzins losing their jobs, Al Meftah assured that the radio call to prayer would not mean that the current number of people who make the call over the loudspeakers would be reduced.

"We will always need people to lead the prayers and interact with the worshippers. The move aims only to bolster Muslims' unity and togetherness," he said.

Bahrainis have often celebrated religious occasions, including the start of Ramadan, the month of fasting, and Eid, the two major feasts in Islam, on separate dates because of the differences in the religious affiliations.

Sunnis tend to observe the dates announced by the authorities while Shiites follow their religious leaders.

Past efforts to agree on a date have failed because of the seemingly irreconcilable differences and the absence of compromises.