[lennydetroit]

For those who have heard or read about the Muslim Prayer Call, but are unfamiliar with its content, the following may be helpful. It's the text of a letter I sent to our local newspaper The (Hamtramck) Citizen

Dear Editor:

Noticeably missing from the flurry of media coverage surrounding Hamtramck City Council's resolution to allow the broadcasting of the Muslim Call to Prayer has been the text of the chant itself. Following is a translation of that chant from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community website, (www.alislam.org). Each line contains a transliteration of the Arabic phrase followed by its English translation.

Allahu Akbar - Allah is the greatest (recited four times)
Ash-hadu alla ilaha illallah - I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah (recited twice)
Ash-hadu anna Muhammadar Rasulullah - I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah (recited twice)
Hayya alassalah - Come to prayer (recited twice)
Hayya alal-Falah - Come to success (recited twice)
Allahu Akbar - Allah is the greatest (recited twice)
La ilaha illallah - There is none worthy of worship except Allah

I find it difficult to equate this recitation to the chiming of a church bell, a bell that could be easily moved to a secular location such as a city hall, a town square, or even a factory, to signal the hour without attaching any religious significance to it.

Substitute the name Jesus for that of Allah and imagine the legal firestorm that would descend on Hamtramck if city officials sanctioned it for daily public airing.

I respect every Muslim's right to worship in his or her own way, but I also reserve my own right to worship in mine without being told via a government sanctioned message that my God is not worthy.

Sincerely,
Lenny

[FormerLib]

An excellent point, Lenny! I hope it works.

[NYTexan]

I wonder who will be appointed to translate the messages to see that it's not a call to arms!

Like it was used in Iraq today.

[Montaignes Cat]

In the moslem countries, when the moslem call to prayer sounds, all the men get on their knees and pray...... right there, in the streets, blocking traffic, in the middle of the day, a not-so-impromptu demonstration. What else are they going to do, they are told to pray, and pray now, this second.

Now imagine this in the United States, the moslem call to prayer sounds, the moslem men get on their knees and pray...... in our streets, blocking our traffic, in the middle of the day, daily demonstrations, every day.

[Gritty]

"Hamtramck is going to be a pioneer city for the whole United States." (Masud Khan, of the Al-Islah Islamic Center)

OK.

If Lamtramck is going to be a "pioneer city", than it needs to allow all to participate in this process, Mr. Khan...

Allahu Akbar
Allah is the greatest
Allah is the greatest
Allah is the greatest
Allah is the greatest

Ash-hadu alla ilaha illallah
I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah
I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah

Ash-hadu anna Muhammadar Rasulullah
I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah
I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah

Hayya alassalah
Come to prayer
Come to prayer

Hayya alal-Falah
Come to success
Come to success

Allahu Akbar
Allah is the greatest
Allah is the greatest

La ilaha illallah
There is none worthy of worship except Allah

Now to make it fair, the Christians need proclaim the following over all their Church loudspeakers 5 times a day, starting at 6AM, ending at 10PM, throughout the city...

Jesus is Lord!
Jesus is Lord!
Jesus is Lord!
Jesus is Lord!

I bear witness that there is no Savior but Jesus!
I bear witness that there is no Savior but Jesus!

I bear witness that Jesus is the Son of God!
I bear witness that Jesus is the Son of God!

Come and worship!
Come and worship!

Come to new life!
Come to new life!

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!

There is non worthy of worship but the Savior, Jesus!

Fair is fair, right, Mr. Khan?

What chance does anybody think the above will be approved by this cowardly and feckless multi-cultural and tolerant City Council - and if it did the Muslims would put up with it for a second?