The Minneapolis City Council voted to enable the Muslim call to prayer to be broadcast at all times, making it the first major American city to do so.
Thursday, the City Council unanimously approved an amendment to the city’s noise ordinance.
The Muslim call to prayer, known as the adhan or azan, is recited five times a day, from dawn to dusk, all year long.
Despite the fact that prayers have previously been broadcast in Minneapolis, the ordinance prohibited some early morning and evening calls. In the summer, sunrise can occur shortly after 5 a.m. and sunset after 9 p.m.
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Last year, the city permitted prayer broadcasts between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., and in 2020, it will permit adhan broadcasts five times a day during Ramadan.
Since the 1990s, the East African population in Minneapolis has exploded, making mosques more prevalent in the City of Lakes.
During the City Council meeting, observers compared the call to prayer to church chimes.
Lisa Goodman, a member of the Council, stated that the Jewish summons to prayer is permitted, albeit rarely broadcast.
The amendment is anticipated to be enacted into law the following week by Mayor Jacob Frey.
