Muslim Dearborn Mayor Weighs in on Residents’ Complaints About Mosque’s Call to Prayer

Dearborn, Michigan, Mayor Abdullah Hammoud responded to noise complaints about a mosque’s call to prayer, saying it’s “not an issue.”

Hammoud discussed the concern on the Nov. 3 episode of the “Not From Here” podcast. Local Dearborn citizens have complained in recent months that a nearby mosque has been broadcasting the call to prayer on loudspeakers multiple times a day, beginning as early as 5:30 a.m.

Though residents raised concerns during a September city council meeting, Hammoud insisted that the call to prayer under a certain decibel level is allowed under city ordinances and has been part of Dearborn life for decades.

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He continued, “We also have to uphold our constitutional rights to freedom of religion. And I would say this, you know, that’s the thing. I’m saying this as a Muslim. People, of course, are going to say this is a call to prayer, but like, you know, why are these complaints just coming forward now?”

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The city ordinance states that noise in residential areas cannot exceed 55 decibels at night (after 10 p.m.) or 60 decibels during the day (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.). {snip}

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{snip} Andrea Unger, who has lived in the city for 40 years, told Fox News Digital last month that she had recorded the call to prayer for 30 consecutive days and found it consistently exceeded 70 decibels. {snip}

She added that some of her neighbors were hesitant to speak out, fearing they would be labeled anti-Muslim.

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