Dar Al-Hijra Mosque in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was granted a permit to perform the adhan – the call to prayer – five times a day, throughout the month of Ramadan. Believed to be the first time ever the Muslim call to prayer has been publicly-broadcast in a major US city, the adhan will be heard in the Cedar-Riverside neighbourhood, one of the largest Muslim populations in Minnesota and home to congresswoman Ilhan Omar.

Recited by different representatives from mosques around the city, the call to prayer is expected to reach thousands of people, according to Jaylani Hussein, the executive director of Minnesota's Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

“The adhan in Minneapolis is a signal that none of us are ever alone. It is further evidence that fear and isolation are temporary and that the opportunities for all of us to be connected in mind, body and spirit are most powerful and ever present,” said Sharif Mohamed, Imam of Dar Al-Hijra Mosque.

Though not without its controversy – with some claiming a double standard in the invoking of religious freedom – the historic adhan, which has been in the works for years, is coming with the support of the community, including through the donation of the speaker system by local long-standing nightclub and music venue, First Avenue. “We are honoured to be a part of this initiative to keep people safe and socially-distanced during the month of Ramadan,” said Dayna Frank, CEO of First Avenue. 

Main image courtesy of the Dar Al-Hijra Mosque.