Dearborn, Michigan, Mayor Abdullah Hammoud addressed recent complaints from residents about a local mosque’s call to prayer, saying the issue is legally permissible and not a problem.
Speaking on the Nov. 3 episode of the “Not From Here” podcast, Hammoud said the mosque’s calls, even as early as 5:30 a.m., comply with city ordinances regarding noise levels. He noted that calls to prayer have been part of Dearborn life for decades.
“I would tell you is, you know, those complaining about the call to prayer, I mean it’s a very, very few,” Hammoud said. “We’ve done decibel readings at these mosques, all within threshold, all within legal limit. And so for me, it’s not an issue.”
Hammoud emphasized the importance of upholding constitutional rights to freedom of religion. “People, of course, are going to say this is a call to prayer, but why are these complaints just coming forward now?” he added.
The city ordinance limits noise in residential areas to 55 decibels at night (after 10 p.m.) and 60 decibels during the day (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.). Loudspeakers are prohibited between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Hammoud also mentioned that most mosques in the city do not broadcast the call at dawn, known as “Fajr,” and compared the sound to church bells.
Residents, however, say the volume has been excessive. Andrea Unger, who has lived in Dearborn for 40 years, said she recorded the mosque’s call for 30 consecutive days and found it consistently exceeded 70 decibels. She raised the issue with local authorities and city council over the past two years, but said the problem persists.
“We’re not Islamophobic, we’re not anti-Muslim, we are not anti-Jewish. We just want to live in the community that it’s always been,” Unger said, noting that some neighbors hesitate to speak out for fear of being labeled intolerant.
Hammoud stated that complaints about the call to prayer remain minimal. “I would say it’s a very small number of people, and if you have a serious concern, I have to uphold the law across all boards,” he said.
The debate over the mosque’s call to prayer highlights the balance between protecting religious freedoms and addressing community concerns over noise. Hammoud urged residents to recognize that the call to prayer has been a longstanding tradition in Dearborn, in place since the 1970s.
