‘Noisy’ church (es) closed but what about the mosques, or?

The most recent case was in the Ashanti region when a regional minister caused the police to close a church whose noise levels had exceeded ‘permissible limits.’ The action had pitted political/police power against divine power. It’s not my place to declare a winner.

So a Christian caused the closure of a place of worship. ‘Caused’ for emphasis because he reported to the police who then took action on the basis of his complaint. The head pastor briefly detained and later released, thank God for our type of ‘rule of law.’

But whiles on rule of law, let’s not be detracted that the minister had obstructed the rule of (the) Lord. The church members who upped their voices after the initial complaint may have been busy interceding and breaking principalities before Mr. Minister barged in.

So it made the news headlines and the radio stations reopened for the umpteenth time the long flogged talk about how Ghanaians suffered noise pollution as laws and bylaws sat in legislations that taxpayers’ money was spent to promulgate. Me I tire seff.

Soon as the noise debate is resurrected people begin to point out at other noise providers and very often because it is the church that is a victim, you get the line that let’s not forget the Muslims also disturb with the dawn call to prayer.

It is true, very true; but it is rare to hear that a mosque has been closed anywhere in Ghana. That won’t happen in a long while all things being equal. That call (Azaan) in lexical Arabic simply means announcement. It’s just that, a call to prayer.

In context of the Muslim prayer, it is a reminder or notice to the Muslim that the time for prayer is close. The adherent is thus supposed to get ready for the particular prayer as in perform ablution and get to the mosque if they can.

So we pray five times a day at dawn, midday, late afternoon, sunset and an hour after sunset. Except for the dawn prayer, all the four others are not of too much headache. For even the dawn call, the call would barely last five minutes.

The prayer proper (salat) is a well planned and gently undertaken process that cannot produce the kind of sounds that the law will frown upon. We cannot compare that to the continuous rumble and tumble of melodious praise and worship.

Hallelujah! Throw in the elements of ministration and of tongues, spice it all up with sustained clapping of hands, stamping of feet, clanging of equipment that produces shrill sounds and tunes, is that not where the issue of noise then comes from?

Indeed for a Muslim who really wants to get to the mosque to pray, there are several measures one can put in place, majority of us have Azaan software on our phones, in effect even without the call to prayer, a Muslim serious about prayer will still be reasonably okay.

As above alluded to, another church is bound to be closed if the laws are not enforced. Mind you Islam teaches us Muslims that your mode of worship should not derange another person, whoever they are.

The Muslim call to prayer has even survived ban on drumming and singing in no mean a place as the heart of the Ga kingdom. It is because it operates within a milieu of social interest and communal integrity.

In fact, set aside the whole mosque noise argument. Check the calibre of churches that are caught in this noise pollution thingy, never the Roman Catholic, the Presbyterian, the Methodist and others like those.

So next time talk of mosques meet churches in the arena of noise and facility closure, be rest assured that the mosques have mastered the art of being diligent long before today – way back in the time of our beloved prophet, Mohammed (SAW). 1439 odd years back. Allahu Akbar!