Are East Oxforders right in opposing loud speaker ezan in the neighborhood?

Question

Please check this out:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=504373&in_page_id=1770

What do you think?

My position is that ezan can be a nice thing from a good müezzin, but loud speakers ruin the experience. I also like the bells I hear from the neighborhood church and wouldn't want it to stop. But East Oxford isn't Istanbul and I want your opinions.

I hear you, Rick, but you wouldn't believe the nonsense we have to put up here, in Istanbul.

Answer 1

I can understand why it would be opposed. Most Brits believe there country is being taken over by immigrants and that there culture is being harmed by the PC lefties who think that our British culture offensive. so theres always going to be an uproar when a imported culture or religion gains ground.

I don't know how many of you visit the UK. but it has changed significantly in terms of population and welfare . most blame the Government over its lack of immigration control.I won't go into the details here because its the wrong section and will turn into a rant anyway.
Most of foreigners who I have met come to the UK to work and are paid half cash and half check so that they are seen to be paid low and then claim benefits from the Government.
Whilst the British workers are paying more tax and the government thinks of more ways of fining people to make up the money.

That's one of the reasons I am moving out. The Brits are loosing there Patience with it.
Turkey wouldn't stand for any of the nonsense that happens in the UK.

edit sorry.
I forgot to mention. I rarely here Church Bells in England. the church near me rings there bells on a Sunday . that's all not five times a day and never at 5 in the morning more like mid morning and early evening. in England its against the law to honk your horn after 7 pm. people complain at noise when kids and elderly are asleep no matter what it is.

Answer 2

When it is from a good muezzin the voice is very nice and it is really spiritual. When i come to Turkey (i always come at 01.00 and we stay up until morning talking) ezan starts and it makes you feel very ( i don't know how to explain but a good feeling)

But in some regions (derme catma birsuru cami oluyor hem goz zevkine hem kulak zevkine hem de dine hakaret gibi, sanki gorev icabi muezzin koymussun, muezzin de zorla okuyor gibi bir ses) there are some muezzins that are really loud and not saying it beautifully. So i can understand them, there should be rules.

Without exaggeration there should be rules in city life and people should compromise. People should live in harmony and nobody should disturb eachother.(bir de bazi ulkelerin insanlari her nedense gittikleri yerin kulturune ayak uydurmak istemiyorlar, bunu benlik kaybi olarak goruyorlar)

But all these things i said are of course valid under normal conditions. If there is racism or discrimination, that's another case to talk about:-)

Answer 3

Considering myself a Muslim- non practicing but a believer- and I am a person who is born and raised in this culture, it even bothers me to hear Ezan from loudspeakers. Ezan is a good call and it is a pleasure for me to listen to it from a good muezzin, it really bothers me to hear muezzins with bad voice and from loud speakers.

I am living in Kuwait which is semi- sheria but even in here, it is against the rules to use loudspeakers over a certain decibel.

In this context, I agree with East Oxforders who protest loudspeaker broadcast of Ezan . We must bear in mind that the ratio of Christians is a lot higher than Muslims and the majority sets the rules. Also one's freedom ends when the others freedom starts so the Muslims of East Oxford has to respect the non Christians way of life.

Answer 4

We should all be tolerant! But, quite honestly, I hate noise and noise also shows disrespect for people who want to sleep and who deserve their sleep! Think about all those people who work nightshifts! Every morning at 7am a siren goes off near my house to inform people that it is 7am and it also goes off at 12pm and at 5pm...just annoying! I feel the same about church bells and would also feel the same about that loudspeaker or any other noise making machines. Of course, for the people of Oxford, the same should apply! Respect sleep!

Answer 5

Actually it's their right to say that. But..here's the point, if it is because they are really disturbed by the loud voice,muslims should respect that as the minority. But if they are disturbed by muslims only being muslims,that's a crime against human rights.

As for myself, i'd prefer it to be in more harmony. Sometimes i can't hear a word of them when the voice comes from 7-8 mosques at one time.That kills the real meaning of the invitation.

Answer 6

I completely agree with you. With a trained voice ezan sounds beautiful - without the microphone of course. It's the same with church bells. Unless of course those people (and that country) would like to state that theirs is a solely Christian country, as written in law/constitution. Otherwise, they should show tolerance.