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When criticism, concerns and eventually threats followed a downtown Regina mosque’s new outdoor call to prayer, M. Anisur Rahaman said his response was simple: talk to people.
“We are more than willing to meet and greet and discuss to see how we can work together,” Rahaman said.
“We can also share some knowledge.”
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Rahaman, a spokesperson for the Regina City Jamia Masjid mosque, has found himself at the centre of a growing public debate after the mosque began using a speaker to broadcast a call to prayer once a week under a trial permit. The call, known as the adhan, lasts about two to three minutes, and is broadcast once a week, during the noon hour on Fridays.
Since the first broadcast last week, Rahaman said the mosque has received a wide range of reactions. Some have offered support, while others have raised concerns about religion in public spaces, noise or the permit approval process. Other messages, however, have crossed the line into threats and hateful comments.
“When the call to prayer started, after that there was some good feedback from the local area,” he said.
“After we posted on social media, right after that we started getting some negative feedback from some of the people who are not aware of the religion or who don’t have knowledge about Islam.”
M. Anisur Rahaman, a spokesperson for the Regina City Jamia Masjid, says the mosque wants dialogue and education after receiving threats and criticism following its new outdoor call to prayer. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)
Rahaman said most of the backlash has come through social media and email rather than from people who actually live and work downtown.
“In the downtown area, people are all so nice and friendly,” he said.
“This is a friendly city.”
The debate was covered on The Evan Bray Show this week, where callers expressed concerns about religious messaging in public spaces and questioned whether the broadcasts could eventually expand beyond Fridays.
Rahaman said one of the biggest misconceptions he has heard is the belief that the mosque plans to broadcast the call multiple times a day. He said that is not the case.
“We do not have the intention to continue five times on the loudspeaker on the rooftop seven days a week,” he said.
The outdoor call to prayer is currently being conducted under a trial permit with the City of Regina.
According to Rahaman, the mosque applied through an existing permit process, which administered through Regina police in accordance with city bylaws after researching whether the practice could be done within local regulations.
“They gave us a permit only for one month to test to see how things are going,” he said.
“If everything is going well, then they will allow us to continue until the end of this year.”
The controversy prompted a response from Regina police after threats were reported. Speaking on The Evan Bray Show on Wednesday, Regina police chief Lorilee Davies acknowledged that the issue has generated strong opinions throughout the community.
Listen to the full interview with Davies:
“I encourage everyone to act in a way that is on the side of the law and respectful and not violent,” Davies said.
She said the police force has increased patrols around Islamic places of worship in Regina and are investigating the reported threats.
“We want to just ensure that all people in our community feel safe,” Davies said.
“That is doing some drive-bys of places of worship to ensure that everyone is feeling safe and secure.”
For Rahaman, the discussion surrounding the call to prayer presents an opportunity to explain a tradition many people may not be familiar with.
He said the adhan has been used for centuries in the Muslim faith to invite worshipers to prayer.
“This is actually saying ‘Allah is great,’ and then ‘Come to pray. Come to something that is good,’” Rahaman explained.
He compared its purpose to church bells calling people to worship, though he acknowledged that hearing it outdoors is a new experience for many Regina residents.
“This is what we do, and maybe it is not established before anywhere, because in Canada we have usually done noise bylaws and we don’t want to bother others,” Rahaman said.
“Different religions have their own call to prayer. We respect others, and we follow our own way that we are supposed to.”
As the debate continues, Rahaman said he hopes people with concerns will reach out and ask questions rather than make assumptions. He said his goal is not to win an argument, but to start a conversation.
