WHAT HAS HAPPENED?
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Monday issued a circular imposing restriction on the use of external loudspeakers in mosques.The circular issued by the minister of Islamic affairs, Sheikh Dr Abullatif Bin Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, asked the mosques to only use the loudspeakers for Azaan and iqamat.
Azan is the first call for prayer, while Iqamat is the second call for prayer, indicating the Imam has taken his place facing towards the Kaaba and the Prayer is about to commence.
According to the circular the use of loudspeakers during prayer is limited to inside the mosque and The level of loudness should not exceed one-third of the level of the loudspeaker device, and warning against applying penalties to those who violate it.
ON WHAT BASIS?
As per media reports, the ministry relied upon Sharia evidence and rules, which fall under the rule of “no harm”. Prophet Mohammed’s Hadith in which he said: “Every one of you is calling his Lord quietly. One should not trouble the other and one should not raise the voice in recitation or in prayer over the voice of the other.
The rule is also based on fatwas by most senior Islamic scholars like Sheikh Mohammed bin Saleh Al Othaimeen and Saleh Al Fawzan, That loudspeakers in mosques should only be used for Azan and Iqamat.
WHAT ELSE THE REASON GIVEN?
This harms patients, old people, and children in the houses in the vicinity of the mosques. In addition, the ministry clarified that communicating the imam’s voice in prayer is specific to those inside the mosque, and there is no legitimate need to convey it to those in the home. “In addition to the fact that reading the Quran on external amplifiers is disrespectful to the Quran when it is recited loudly using external loudspeakers, while no one is listening to and pondering on its verses,” said to the circular
NOT THE FIRST TIME
This is not the first time that the Saudi ministry has talked about loudspeakers in mosques in the country, As the minister of Islamic affairs had previously asked mosques to reduce the loudspeakers in mosques, during the month of Ramadan in 2019. In a video released by the ministry in April of 2019, the Saudi minister called on imams and muezzins to “be kind to worshipers in their mosques and neighborhoods by reducing voices that harm people.
RESIDENTS WELCOME THIS ORDER
“I always wondered why the speakers were so loud. It is not a competition between imams of different mosques," said Haya Idrees, a resident of Jeddah."Sometimes the prayer is so loud, I can hear two mosques at the same time, so there’s not only the extra noise but overlapping of prayer that is easily avoidable."I welcome this verdict. It is indeed very thoughtful and depicts the true teachings and values of Islam.
MOSQUES IN SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabia has more than 98,800 mosques, including the most significant mosques in Islam, the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. In 2018, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched a project to renovate more than 130 historic mosques in the kingdom.
It observed that the use of loudspeakers, in fact, affects the fundamental rights of citizens under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, and observed: “No one has got the right to make other persons captive listeners. One cannot disturb others’ basic human rights and fundamental rights.
SHOULD LOUDSPEAKERS BE BANNED?- YES
➢ Noise pollution
➢ Disturbance
➢ Religion can be preached without loudspeakers
➢ Religious tension
SHOULD LOUDSPEAKERS BE BANNED?- NO
➢Matters of religion
➢Pointing out one religion
➢Tolerance
Q. Freedom of speech and expression includes?
1. Right to strike
2.Freedom of commercial advertisements
3.Freedom of silence
A) 1 & 2 only
B) 2 only
C) 2 & 3 only
D) All of the above
Comments
Post a Comment