A mosque in Minneapolis, Minnesota, will publicly broadcast the call to prayer five times a day during the month of Ramadan.
The Muslim holy month began on Thursday when the Dar al Hijrah mosque began to broadcast the “adhan” publicly after being granted a permit by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
Al Jazeera called the move “historic” because it is the first time a U.S. city has publicly broadcasted the prayer.
“While the adhan is commonly broadcast throughout the Middle East, North Africa and other places, for many Muslims in the US, it is only heard inside mosques or community centres,” Al Jazeera reported.
“There’s definitely a lot of excitement,” said Imam Abdisalam Adam, who is on the board of the Dar al Hijrah mosque. “Some people see it as historic,” Adam told Al Jazeera. “To the point … that they’re not doing it, able to see it in their lifetime.”
Minneapolis has become a hub for Somali immigrants settling in the United States, including Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, who represents the area in the House. An estimated 69,000 Somalis call Minnesota home, making it the state with the most Somali immigrants in the U.S.
“Tonight’s historic call to prayer in Minneapolis will bring comfort and remind the faithful and the neighborhood that as we are physically distant we can still be connected to our faith and mosque,” said Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
