Muslim Prayer Calls in the Midwest

Now, Religion in the News, a report and comment on religious trends and events being covered by the media. This week’s item is from the Detroit Free Press, April 21, 2004, with the headline: “City Gives Tentative Okay for Muslim Prayer Calls—The Hamtramck, Michigan, City Council gave initial approval Tuesday night to allowing mosques in the city to broadcast the Muslim call to prayer over loudspeakers. This issue, which has divided many of the city’s Muslim and Christian residents, has attracted national attention and has evolved from a debate about a noise ordinance to one about religious freedom and tolerance.

“Tuesday’s meeting became contentious as many residents of the 2.1-square-mile city said the call to prayer would add to noise pollution. Others said they didn’t want Islamic beliefs imposed on them. The prayer, which is in Arabic, occurs five times a day from 6 AM till 10 PM.

“Supporters said the issue was religious freedom and an Islamic tradition. They cited the city’s church bells, which ring at least every hour, as comparable. In the end, the vote on the five-member council was unanimous.

“ ‘I have no doubt that no matter how we vote, this will be an issue for the courts,’” said Councilman Scott Klein. The final vote will be at the council’s 7 PM meeting next Tuesday. The measure would take effect May 26.

“Resident Bob Golen, 68, said he’ll fight to stop the ordinance. ‘This is only the beginning. There are many avenues open to us,’ said Golen, who added that residents would circulate petitions to put the issue on a ballot for voters to decide. Golen pledged to take the issue to federal court.

“Masud Khan, 48, of the al-Islah Islamic Center, which first asked the council for the amendment to the noise ordinance in January, said it took courage to approve the plan. ‘I’m very happy,’ he said. ‘Allah is great. God is good. We really appreciate their effort. Hamtramck is going to be a pioneer city for the whole United States.’

“City councilwoman, Karen Majewski, said the decision was taken with the consideration of the whole community.

“In recent years, the city once known for its large population of people with Polish ancestry and Catholic faith, has become increasingly Islamic. Muslims have come to the city from Bangladesh, Yemen, Pakistan, and other Islamic countries. Shahab Ahmed, the city’s first Muslim councilman, said he’d been bombarded with phone calls. ‘You should see my emails,’ he said.”

Tom: Dave, I know you’re going to get going on this, but this is political pressure, obviously. The community is becoming more and more populated by people of the Islamic faith, so you don’t vote for this, you’re out as a councilman. That would be my guess.

But if this were a Christian situation in which the Christians were looking for something that would represent their faith, wouldn’t the city council say, “Forget it! This is separation of church and state. We don’t go that way.”

Dave: Well, of course, the Muslims say that the church bells are ringing every hour. But there’s a difference...

Tom: They don’t call you to faith.

Dave: …because the call to prayer has some words about Islam, about Allah, and about prayer, whereas the church bells don’t. So there is a difference there. Now, it said this Hamtramck is going to be a pioneer city for the whole United States. Indeed, that’s what they intend. They intend to take over, Tom. This is not conspiracy theories or anything.

Muhammad said, “Allah commanded me to fight against all people till all people confess there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.”

So, they will first of all do it by legal means, by vote. And they are getting control in certain areas where you have a heavy concentration of Muslims. I was just on the Internet noting some information from Amsterdam, Holland. Amsterdam is very soon going have more Muslims than Dutch people, and they will be able to vote in anything they want. And when they do that, then they keep going. One of the problems, Tom, is in the West, we abort our babies. The Muslims don’t abort their babies. They produce them. And in the United States, give them enough time, they will take over.

Now they don’t even have to take over. The last time we were in South Africa, I think 3 percent of the population were Muslims. They’ve already imposed on that country their will. So that if you’re a chicken farmer you cannot sell your chickens unless they’re slaughtered under the supervision of an imam who puts his stamp on it. You go in the grocery store, everything has a Muslim stamp. Three percent have forced this on the rest of the population.

It’s like the homosexuals. What are they, two percent, maybe three at the most? And they’re forcing all the rest of society to conform to their views.

Tom: And, Dave, as you say, I’ll give you a birth rate in Yemen, for example. It’s 7.3, whereas Italy, for example, I think it’s 1.2. So that’s a reality that we’re dealing with.

Dave: And now the problem is, Tom, when Islam takes over—sharia—there’s no freedom for anyone else. And again, we mentioned it before. I’m going to mention it again. You don’t have to argue about it, you don’t have to debate about it. You don’t have to do a lot of research. Just go to Saudi Arabia where Islam began, where its holiest sites are, and where they practice Islam as Muhammad established it. There’s no freedom of press, freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, freedom of religion—you cannot build a non-Muslim place of worship. We let them do it here; you can’t do it there. You are dead if you are a Muslim and you convert to any other religion—they take your head off in Chop-Chop Square. A Jew can’t even enter; you can’t be a citizen of Saudi Arabia unless you are a Muslim. On and on it goes. Tom, this is what they’re aiming for. We wouldn’t be upset if the Italians took over America or whatever, or Scottish, Irish, or Presbyterians. Presbyterians don’t become terrorists. At least I don’t recall. Or Congregationalists.

But this is their religion. This is the very heart of it. This is what Muhammad established. This is the command; this is the law, sharia, of Islam. That’s why we’re a bit concerned when they are gaining such ground.