There is a Protestant church about five blocks from my house. On the hour, they play Christian hymns from their bell tower (I think they are pre-recorded). We can hear them all over the neighborhood.

Now, what do you suppose would happen if a mosque was built in the neighborhood and played the Islamic call to prayer five times a day?

Is there a difference?

How did they get a permit for that? Strictly speaking, the adhan is much shorter than a full song, and is only five times a day, not every hour. The adhan is also a required part of congregational prayer, but I don't think that prerecorded hymns are required for Christian worship.

I am Christian, but I don't see any difference. Personally, IMHO that church shouldn't be allowed to do it. Like the Islamic call to prayer, it would be annoying. I don't like any type of (religious book) thumping and this is just another way to do it.

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The adhan is also a required part of congregational prayer,

Just curious as to why? I can understand if no one has clocks or watches, but dang near everywhere you look, folks have watches, phones with the time on them, or there is a wall clock somewhere around. Folks can make it to other things on time, why couldn't they do that on time without having to have a call to prayer played?

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Originally posted by Woody_in_La:

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The adhan is also a required part of congregational prayer,

Just curious as to why? I can understand if no one has clocks or watches, but dang near everywhere you look, folks have watches, phones with the time on them, or there is a wall clock somewhere around. Folks can make it to other things on time, why couldn't they do that on time without having to have a call to prayer played?

You'd need more than a watch to calculate prayer times. I have a computer program for it, but if you don't have the program, a specially programmed watch or clock, and the mosques in your area don't print timetables (and often those are incomplete), then you'd better be good at math and Islamic law, to do all the calculations required. Even with all that, a congregational prayer still requires the call.

It is a matter of community rules. In a small homogeneous community where everyone agree it makes sense to permit it. Elsewhere it would be deemed an unwarranted intrusion on those not eager to receive the message..

I guess a lot of the 'persecution' cited by current Christians is where they fail to perceive that their community is not a homogeneous as it once was.