Minneapolis first major US city to have all five calls to prayer

Minneapolis is the first major city in the US to allow for the Muslim call to prayer throughout the day all year long.

The city previously had the adhan three times a day, but now it will be at the traditional five times a day, including in the early hours of the morning.

"In Minneapolis, the noise ordinance meant no noise before 7 am or after 10 pm. Now, that's changed," Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Minnesota, told The New Arab. "Now it's official. We're the third city in the US."

Minneapolis joins Paterson in New Jersey and Hamtramck in Michigan in allowing mosques to give their daily calls to prayer at all traditional times.

On Thursday, a city council vote is expected to allow for the daily calls to prayer, something that the mayor is said to support and is expected to sign.

So far, there are four mosques that are expected to make use of the new rule. Minneapolis is home to the largest concentration of Somalis in the US, many of whom regularly attend mosque and will now be able to hear the calls to prayer at traditional hours, as they would in Muslim-majority countries.

"This is incredible for our community. This is a big victory for religious freedom," said Hussein. "For generations to come, they know they can fully practice their faith, and not only have the right but be unapologetic about it."

Now, he said, "Muslims won't have to leave the US to listen to the call to prayer. It's such a profound part of being Muslim." 

Hussein said that he's hopeful other cities across the country, including neighbouring Saint Paul, will follow suit.  

Meanwhile, in Astoria, in the New York City borough of Queens, the adhan has been permitted during this year's Ramadan, something local Muslims hope to continue throughout the year.