Cape Town - The Zeenatul Islam Masjid in Muir Street, District 6, has issued a statement confirming that they met with City of Cape Town to address the recent Athaan (call to prayer) complaint.
Mayco member for Community Services and Health Zahid Badroodien previously said back in May that a complaint was lodged with the police over Athaan, and that the City had engaged with the mosque.
“The City's Environmental Health Service respects the Muir Street mosque’s request that further engagement take place after the holy month of Ramadaan."
On Monday, June 17 the mosque confirmed it met with the City as intended regarding the single complaint against the mosque’s Athaan.
The Masjid issued the following statement:
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During the meeting the City of Cape Town alluded to two sound tests being conducted that had conflicting results. After conducting the sound test to measure decibels, the City of Cape Town took it upon itself to run a second “reasonable person” test. As far as the mosque is concerned, there is a distinct difference between “noise disturbance” and the Athaan, the ringing of Church bells, or any similar call to prayer as an act of worship.
- The City of Cape Town reported to the mosque’s committee during the meeting that its own scientific test showed that the sound level of the Athaan fell within the accepted decibel measure as set out by the bylaw. The second test was a "reasonable person" test that led City of Cape Town officials to find that the Athaan is "noise nuisance”. This “reasonable person” test, in our view, is completely subjective and changing the terms of reference of the complaint amounts to a shifting the goal posts by the City of Cape Town.
- Since news of the complaint broke, there has been unprecedented support from the public – including from people of all faiths – for the Zeenatul Islam Masjid to stand firm with the Athaan. An independent online petition in support of the mosque was signed by more than 100 000 people. A number of organisations and individuals – including senior members of the ANC, the mayor of Cape Town Dan Plato, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Mandla Mandela on behalf of the Mandela family and many local and international dignitaries have issued public messages of support for the mosque in the face of the complaint.
- Mayco member Zaahid Baderodien went on record on the Voice of the Cape radio station in June and advised that he and his colleagues had petitioned their party the DA, as the governing political party in the City of Cape Town, to pass a motion to be taken to council. The motion’s intention is for calls to prayer, like the Athaan and the ringing of church bells, to be excluded from the bylaw that currently views calls to worship as noise disturbances. The mosque supports Mr Baderodien’s move to have the calls to prayer excluded from the bylaw.
- The mosque committee is aware of similar complaints against other mosques and places of worship in the City of Cape Town. Zeenatul Islam Masjid is one of the oldest mosques in Cape Town and marks its 100th anniversary this year. It has become part of the fabric of District 6. The mosque committee understands the seriousness of this challenge and the implications should this complaint succeed – not just for Zeenatul Masjid but for all faith communities in our city. We call on the City of Cape Town to heed the overwhelming public support for the Athaan and to dismiss the complaint.
Cape Argus