In a 21st-century answer to a proposal with its roots in the seventh century, Amsterdam has rejected a plan by a prominent mosque to become the first in the city to broadcast its call to prayer over loudspeakers – on the grounds that it’s unnecessary in a world of mobile apps.
In a response that’s unlikely to be appreciated by the Muslim community, the mayor of the Dutch capital, Femke Halsema, said that given advances in technology, from alarms to apps, it was not necessary to use loudspeakers to remind the faithful when to pray.
The amplification of the call to prayer, Ms Halsema said, was fundamentally “not of this time” – a phrase widely described in the Dutch media on Wednesday as perhaps betraying a lack of sensitivity in relation to her view of Muslim tradition. [The Irish Times] Read more
