New York City Mayor Approves Muslim Call to Prayer

CV NEWS FEED // New York City’s mayor, Eric Adams, announced this week that the Muslim call to prayer would be sanctioned for broadcast throughout the city without a permit. 

The call to prayer, known in Arabic as “adhan,” which typically occurs five times daily in Muslim countries, will now be allowed in New York City on Fridays from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm, and at sundown during Ramadan. 

Adams said the broadcasts may project the call to prayer at up to 10 decibels over the ambient sound level. 

According to the mayor’s office press release, “the NYPD Community Affairs Bureau and Muslim faith leaders will work collaboratively in every neighborhood with mosques and masjids to communicate the new plans for Adhan to local community leaders and stakeholders.” 

“We are cutting red tape and saying clearly, if you are a mosque or house of worship of any kind, you do not have to apply for permit to amplify your call to Friday prayer,” Adams said in an address at City Hall. 

“We are committed to giving you the recognition you deserve,” Adams continued, surrounded by Muslim leaders. “We are going to show the world how we come together with all of our faith leaders and under the law we are all created equally.” 

“You will not live in the shadows of the American dream while I am the mayor of New York,” Adams said. 

Likening the adhan to “the beautiful melody of church bells” he heard in childhood, which had served as “a reminder of our spiritual lives,” Adams appealed to those at the assembly to celebrate diverse religious expressions. 

“I have had the opportunity to pray at some of the holiest sites in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. It has inspired me, it has lifted me up, and it has allowed me to understand the challenges that are in front of us,” Adams said, adding, “We are a country of faith.”