Murray Wood: A call to prayer results in a call to controversy
Murray Wood says a Regina mosque's weekly call to prayer is creating a real-life Venn diagram of religious freedom, back...
A downtown Regina mosque will resume its call to prayer broadcast on Friday, after some input from community members.
Regina City Jamia Masjid paused its Friday broadcast in July, after receiving backlash and threats.
M. Anisur Rahaman, the mosque’s director, said it held a survey to hear people’s concerns about the three minute call to prayer in Arabic.
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Of all the responses it received, 290 were from Regina.
Thirty of the surveys mentioned they lived within one kilometre of the mosque and 22 were not in favour of the call to prayer broadcast. Rahaman said only two cited noise as a concern.
“This is what we have found – the issue is not actually on the sound,” he said. “The issue we find is Islam as a religion.”
Rahaman said many of the responses included misconceptions about the Muslim faith. He wants to meet with other leaders to talk about freedom of religion and address some of the misconceptions.
Rahaman said he’s already had support from other religious leaders in the community, which is appreciated.
The three minute call to prayer that will broadcast at noon on Fridays will also include a one-minute English translation. Rahaman said people wanted to understand the prayer being delivered in Arabic.
During the survey process, Rahaman said some people were initially “aggressive,” but became more receptive after their questions were answered. He said he wants to create a space where people can ask those questions and know they will receive a response.
“We welcome all community people in downtown area or in Regina,” Rahaman said. “Welcome them to come and meet and greet and talk, whatever the questions they have.”
The mosque successfully applied for a noise permit in July and it has been renewed by the Regina Police Service.
