Mosques in New York can now call to prayer over loudspeakers without a permit.
Mayor Eric Adams has removed the permit requirement for broadcasting the adhan over loudspeakers. Until now, it had only been permitted without a permit on Fridays during Ramadan.
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From now on, The mosques of New York will be able to broadcast the call to prayer (call to prayer) with speakers without having to apply for municipal permits. Mayor Eric Adams has decided to abolish this procedure to remove bureaucratic hurdles and promote religious expression. Until now, anyone wishing to sound the call to prayer publicly had to obtain prior authorisation. Under the new rule, this will no longer be necessary.
According to NBC New York reports, Adams has defended the measure as a way to allow that religious freedom is a tangible reality in the city. With this measure, the aim is to facilitate the religious practice of the Muslim community and to reinforce the values of coexistence and cultural plurality in New York. The new protocol also authorises other places of worship that wish to make public calls.
For two years now it has allowed the call to prayer during Ramadan without permission.
Since Ramadan 2023, mosques in New York have been able to broadcast the Friday call to prayer and to announce the breaking of the fast. The only restriction, now as before, is that it must not exceed the ambient noise level by more than 10 decibels.
When Adams announced the measure in August 2023, he said that «We want our Muslim brothers and sisters to know that they are free to live their faith in the city of New York.«. Despite the facilities, according to the report of The Midtown Gazette, some mosques did not. One of the imams of the Ar-Rahman mosque consulted by this outlet said that «It's a great victory for us, but we don't want to disturb our neighbours.«.
In contrast, in neighbourhoods with a larger Muslim presence, such as Brooklyn, Queens or the Bronx, most mosques were going to broadcast the’call to prayer publicly during the Fridays of Ramadan. Precisely in Brooklin, the Masjid-Al-Aman of Brooklyn, For several years now, they have been illegally playing the Call to Prayer, which can be heard within a 20-block radius..
What is the call to prayer?
The’call to prayer It is a 90-second Arabic recitation that repeats “Allahu akbar” six times, “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah” three times, and “I bear witness that Muhammad is the prophet of Allah” twice. “Allahu akbar” means “Allah is the greatest”, that is to say, greater than any other god.
New York is no exception in the West. In cities such as Minneapolis, Cologne, Fittja (Sweden) or Utrecht (the Netherlands), the authorities have allowed mosques to broadcast the call to prayer.’call to prayer. In Australia, The largest mosque has applied for permission to broadcast the call to prayer over loudspeakers. without any sign of opposition.
Criticism of the mayor for his Islamic alliances
According to an article published by Middle East Forum (May 2025), Several analysts accuse Adams of having given voice to figures and organisations with links to political Islam.. One of the key figures in the new politics is Mohammed Bahi, the mayor's liaison with religious communities and founder of the organisation. Muslims Giving Back. According to the article, some members of this entity are said to have expressed sympathies for extremist groups in the past.
It is also questioned.the presence during the announcement of the measure of Islamic leaders who have defended regimes such as Iran's or have been linked to groups like the Muslim Brotherhood.
A small step for Islam
The Muslim community has expressed its deep gratitude for Adams's gesture, although some mosques have decided not to install loudspeakers to avoid complaints. For many worshippers, Listening to the cry in the street prayer is a symbol of recognition and respect.. For a teacher from Queens interviewed by NBC, it is a good measure because for the children “It's a way of remembering who they are.”.
Furthermore, several analysts and professors have expressed doubts about whether the’call to prayer —with its explicit message about the uniqueness of Allah and the superiority of Islam— is compatible with a secular and plural society such as New York. The former royal chaplain Gavin Ashenden, for example, He has described the cry in the prayer as “a declaration of religious triumphalism."”.
With more than 300 mosques in the city and a growing Muslim community, Adams's measure marks a before and an after.. But it also opens up a profound debate about where religious freedom ends and where neighbourly and ideological coexistence begins.
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