Not everyone is comfortable hearing religious sounds in public spaces, especially when they are loud. A recent example of this occurred in New York, where a video of a call to Muslim prayer in Jackson Heights sparked discussion online.
In the video, a resident recorded the sound as people gathered to pray. Police were also present, with a line set up to separate those participating in the prayer from other residents passing through the area.
What stood out in the video and led to much of the backlash was the volume of the call to prayer. It could be heard echoing across a wide area, not just among those gathered for the religious observance. While the sound may be meaningful and welcomed by those participating, others felt it was disruptive.
The video sparked a broader discussion about whether such public religious sounds should be limited in volume, even during major holidays like Eid. Many people felt the criticism was justified, while others argued that the same concerns would apply to any religion if the sound were equally loud, not just Islam.
People Reacting to the Loud Call to Muslim Prayer in New York
Many people reacted strongly to the video, saying the volume of the call to prayer could be disruptive to daily life. “Horribly invasive. Keep your religion out of my daily life. All religions,” one person wrote.
Another commenter said they would be more understanding if it were limited to a specific occasion. “If this is a once a year’ish thing for Eid I get it. Big holiday. As a night shift worker in the city I could not function with the noise pollution on the regular,” they said.
Others defended the situation by pointing to the religious significance of the event. “People on here just willfully ignoring that it’s a major holiday so they can be mad. Bet they wouldn’t make this post on Christmas for the church bells,” one person wrote.
The differing reactions showed how divided opinions were, with some focusing on noise concerns and others emphasizing religious expression.
More people continued sharing their frustration as the discussion grew. One commenter wrote, “I think people in the comments are being a bit ignorant to the situation. Certain neighborhoods blast the call to prayer EVERY DAY, multiple times a day, not just on Eid. If it were just on Eid, that would be understandable. But there are some neighborhoods where it just gets blasted every day, 5 times a day. And yes, THAT loud. And people are like ‘BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CHURCH BELLS,’ I don’t even remember the last time I’ve audibly heard church bells and I live near multiple churches… and last time I checked church bells don’t demand you believe in or pray to a particular God, they’re just simple melodies… and the people complaining about the Jewish shabbat alarm, it’s ONCE a week. Once a week. Not 5 times a day.”
The situation highlighted concerns some people have about noise levels in shared public spaces. At the same time, others emphasized the importance of religious expression. Some suggested that adjusting the volume could be a way to balance both perspectives.
