Muslims are very touchy when they are asked to restrain the use of loudspeakers from the precincts of mosques and hence your write-up advising them against excessive indulgence in this regard is timely and bold (‘Retaining the Solemnity’ by Maqbool Ahmed Siraj, Islamic Voice, Aug-2011). It may well stir a hornets’ nest!
A well argued article, it contains all it should to deter the proponents of this despicable practice nurtured over a period of time. Well it is OK to the extent of Azan and some urgent announcements like deaths. But to use it for all and sundry like religious discourses, intermittent time alerts to acquaint the faithful of the approaching deadline of Sehri, Invocation etc carried out till late in the night or sometimes in the dead of the night is, to say the least, uncivilized, unlawful and sacrilegious. I say sacrilegious because it lowers the sanctity of a holy place like mosque in the eyes of others who may abhor its very sight for reasons that it is the fountainhead of such unwelcome noise!
The announcements, salaams or bayaans (discourses) etc are OK with us which go to create an Islamic ambience in our respective localities. But we are not the only ones living in a locality as we are not living in seclusion. Majority of residents in and around are our Hindu brethren for whom the announcements are nothing but a nuisance, an infringement of their right to sleep in peace. Infants, ailing and aged people, students, workers etc are most affected irrespective of their faith, because they need a well-deserved night’s sleep to enable them to carry on with their lives the next day. From the environment point of view, it may also be disturbing the schedule of animals, birds etc.
As pointed out in the article, it is quite possible that we may be indulging in this avoidable practice as a reaction to similar practices being indulged in by the members of other communities. Of course, during their festivals, we are witness to the ear-splitting noise of fire crackers and huge sound systems and inconveniences like erection of pedals all over the town. But, fortunately these festivals are limited to a few days or a week to the maximum as against Ramazan which is month-long.
But all said and done, we should not be into unhealthy competition for at stake is the image of our religion, its teaching and the dwindling prospect of our status and standing in the comity of the rest of the religions.I only pray that wiser counsel prevail. Amen.
Abdulaziz Burjawale
16, Fateh Nagar,
Heggeri extn,
Hubli-540058
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October 2011 |