The historic Zeenatul Islam Masjid has called on the City of Cape Town to drop a complaint about its athaan being too loud.
The mosque in Muir Street, District Six, was responding to a resident’s complaint which was lodged with the City this Ramadaan.
“We call on the City of Cape Town to heed the overwhelming public support for the athaan and to dismiss the complaint,” the mosque said.
The support included a petition signed by more than 100 000 people, the ANC, Mayor of Cape Town Dan Plato, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Mandla Mandela.
The mosque questioned why the City had subjected it to two different volume tests.
“The City 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 City said.
“The second test was a ‘reasonable person’ test that led the City of Cape Town officials to find that the athaan is a ‘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.”
The mosque said it backed Mayco Member for Community Services and Health, Zahid Badroodien’s recommendation that the athaan and ringing of church bells be excluded from the bylaw that currently views calls to worship as noise disturbances.
And it warned that not accommodating Zeenatul Islam’s call to prayer would have serious implications “for all faith communities in our city”.