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Hindustan Times
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Deprived of loudspeakers, mosques adopt novel ideas to continue broadcasting azaan
MUMBAI: After the police, following court directives to enforce noise pollution regulations, removed loudspeakers from all religious structures in the city, Mumbai's mosques are looking for alternatives to overcome the predicament. A couple of them have come up with innovative ideas. Following court directives, the police removed 1,149 loudspeakers from mosques across the city. Last week, CM Devendra Fadnavis declared that the city had been made loudspeaker-free. (PTI) In the course of the drive, the police removed 1,608 loudspeakers from religious structures in Mumbai alone. Of these, 1,149 were in mosques, 48 in temples, 10 in churches, four in gurudwaras and 147 in other religious establishments, as per the information given by the state government in the state legislature. On Friday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis declared that the city had finally been made loudspeaker-free. Even as several petitions have been filed in the Bombay high court, claiming that the police action infringes upon the right to religious freedom, mosques in the city have begun looking at technology-based innovative options. While some have begun using a mobile application designed to resolve the problem, a society in Maharashtra Nagar, Mankhurd, has installed speakers in flats, connecting them directly to the nearby mosques. 'All the speakers are directly connected with our mosques, and as soon as the muezzin starts reciting azaan, the residents get to hear it,' said Razzak Shaikh, who played a vital role in the initiative. 'It leaves no ground for others to raise objections to azaan.' Shaikh said that they had pre-empted the police action. 'The police removed speakers from mosques only a few weeks ago, but we had installed the sound system last September,' he told Hindustan Times. 'As many as 50 homes are benefitting from this.' The second azaan option is a mobile app developed in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, which is turning out to be a feasible option for the community. Over two dozen mosques in the city have already started using it because of its unique features, among them major mosques such as the Mahim Juma Masjid and Sunni Badi Masjid at Madanpura. The app was developed four years ago as a solution for people who stayed far away from mosques and could not hear the azaan. Seventy-year-old lawyer Allapitchai M, who got the app developed, said that the issues of Muslims living far away gave him the idea of developing such an app. 'The people of Tamil Nadu took to it, and it is being used by around 250 to 300 mosques in the state,' he said. Allapitachai said he was not aware of the situation of mosques in Mumbai or Maharashtra. 'This app was also not developed for that purpose,' he said. 'This is the reason that when a Mumbai mosque approached us a few months ago, we were not keen on sharing it with them. But then we came to know about the situation in Mumbai and did share it.' The 'OnlineAzan' app has a distinct feature that offers a separate system for every mosque. 'Those who download the app will get to hear the azaan from their own mosque in real time once a muezzin starts reciting it,' said Allapitchai. 'We have developed a website, ' where a mosque can request to be added. We are providing the app absolutely free. It was developed for charity purposes and not to mint money.' The mosque that first started using the OnlineAzan app was Noor Masjid in Cheeta Camp, Trombay. Social worker Mohammad Ibrahim, 62, said they had been using the app for the last three months. 'As soon as the muezzin recites azaan, all those who have downloaded the app get to hear it at the same time,' he said. 'The community is really happy with it, and now two more nearby mosques have joined in.' Mohammad Iqbal, trustee of the Sunni Badi Masjid, Madanpura, said they came to know about the app from the Mahim masjid. 'We shared the link through WhatsApp and now most people coming for daily prayers have started using it,' he said. 'We have asked people from other mosques to start using it without waiting for the court verdict.' Azaan has been a crucial part of daily prayers for centuries, a call for Muslims to come and worship at the mosque. Over the years, the use of loudspeakers was started to ensure that azaan reached out to the maximum number of Muslims.
India Today
29-06-2025
- General
- India Today
No more loudspeakers? This app to relay azan from Mumbai mosques directly to homes
In the backdrop of curbs over the use of loudspeakers, half-a-dozen mosques in Mumbai have registered on a dedicated mobile phone application which relays the 'azan', or call to prayer, directly to the faithful in app, Online Azan, has been developed by a Tamil Nadu-based the restrictions and sensitivities surrounding the use of loudspeakers for the call to prayer, the dedicated mobile app helps relay the azan directly to worshippers from local mosques, Fahad Khalil Pathan, managing trustee of Mahim Juma Masjid, told The free app will allow users to listen to the azan at home, especially during Ramzan (the Islamic holy month of fasting) and other times when public announcements are restricted, he explained."The initiative comes after a police crackdown on the use of loudspeakers, where officers visited the mosque (Juma Masjid) and warned loudspeaker use could result in action. This led to the mosque temporarily disabling its sound system," Pathan ensure that spiritual experience remains uninterrupted, especially for the elderly and those residing nearby (the mosque), the Juma Masjid in the Mahim area has adopted the app, he app was developed with technical support from a team of IT professionals from Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, and is now available on Android devices and app plays a live audio stream of the azan through mobile phones, exactly when it is delivered from the mosque. Worshippers who cannot physically hear the azan due to sound restrictions can now receive it through this app in real-time, Pathan app also serves a larger community purpose by notifying users about prayer times and can be used like a smart watch alert system. Once installed and configured, it runs have praised the initiative, stating that even when loudspeakers are off, they can now still stay connected to their neighbourhood mosque's azan through their mobile said the 10x15 box speakers installed at mosques do not spread the sound of the azan as widely as the traditional loudspeakers. Many people who were accustomed to hearing the azan through loudspeakers have found it difficult to hear the call for prayers from the this backdrop, the Online Azan app has proven to be very helpful."We chose innovation over confrontation. Now, the faithful can stay connected to the azan timings regardless of the use of loudspeakers. In the past three days alone, 500 residents living near our masjid have registered on the app. A total of six masjids in Mumbai have registered with the app's server (located in India)," he simply need to download the app, select their locality, and choose the masjid nearest to them. They will then receive live notifications whenever the call to prayer is made from that important to clarify that the Bombay High Court has not ordered the removal of loudspeakers, but has set permissible sound limits -- 55 decibels during the day and 45 decibels at night. In response and on recurring request from the police, we have voluntarily stopped using loudspeakers and have shifted to box speakers to comply with the guidelines," Pathan Ali, one of the co-founders of Online Azan, said the company that developed the app is three-year-old and has 250 mosques in Tamil Nadu registered with company asks for an application form, address proof of the mosque and the Aadhaar card of the person who gives the call to prayer, he Congress general secretary Asif Farooqui welcomed the move by mosques to adopt the new technology."Loudspeaker was just a medium to convey what needs to be said in a larger way. There should be no disturbance to others. Prayer is important and not loudspeaker. There are multiple ways to communicate the call to prayer and it is good mosques are adapting to new innovations," the politician leader Kirit Somaiya has been spearheading a campaign against the use of loudspeakers on mosques in former MP has claimed that due to his campaign, 1,500 loudspeakers have been taken down in the metropolis, which he said were being used without permission from authorities. - Ends
United News of India
29-06-2025
- United News of India
Maha: 'Online Azan' app helps Mumbai faithful navigate loudspeaker curbs
Mumbai, June 29 (UNI) At least six mosques across the city have adopted a digital solution to maintain the call to prayer amid tightening restrictions on loudspeaker use. The "Online Azan" application, developed by a Tamil Nadu-based tech firm, delivers real-time azan broadcasts directly to worshippers' mobile devices. The initiative follows increased police enforcement of sound regulations, including visits to mosques like Mahim Juma Masjid where authorities warned of legal action against loudspeaker violations. "This led us to temporarily disable our sound system," said Fahad Khalil Pathan, managing trustee of Mahim Juma Masjid said today. Developed with technical expertise from Tirunelveli professionals, the free app streams live azan audio precisely synchronized with mosque announcements. It serves nearby residents, particularly the elderly, and those beyond traditional speaker range. The app also functions as a prayer-time notification system, operating automatically after initial setup. Pathan emphasised the community-driven approach: "We chose innovation over confrontation. Five hundred local residents registered within three days, and six Mumbai mosques now broadcast through the India-based server." Users select their locality and nearest mosque during setup to receive location-specific alerts. The shift responds to sound limits set by the Bombay High Court – 55 decibels daytime, 45 decibels nighttime – not a full loudspeaker ban. Mosques have replaced traditional speakers with smaller 10x15 box speakers that comply with regulations but have reduced audio range. Mohammed Ali, co-founder of Online Azan, confirmed 250 mosques in Tamil Nadu already use their three-year-old platform. Mosque registration requires submission of an application form, address verification and the muezzin's Aadhaar identification. Political reactions vary: Mumbai Congress general secretary Asif Farooqui praised the technological adaptation, noting "Prayer is important, not loudspeakers." Conversely, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya claims his campaign has removed 1,500 unauthorised loudspeakers across the city. The solution preserves religious observance while addressing urban noise concerns, with Pathan observing: "Even when speakers are off, worshippers stay connected to their mosque's call." UNI AAA SS
New Indian Express
29-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Sound of innovation: Mumbai mosques go digital with 'azan app' to overcome loudspeaker curbs
MUMBAI: In the backdrop of curbs over the use of loudspeakers, half-a-dozen mosques in Mumbai have registered on a dedicated mobile phone application which relays the 'azan', or call to prayer, directly to the faithful in real-time. The app, Online Azan, has been developed by a Tamil Nadu-based company. Given the restrictions and sensitivities surrounding the use of loudspeakers for the call to prayer, the dedicated mobile app helps relay the azan directly to worshippers from local mosques, Fahad Khalil Pathan, managing trustee of Mahim Juma Masjid, told PTI. The free app will allow users to listen to the azan at home, especially during Ramzan (the Islamic holy month of fasting) and other times when public announcements are restricted, he explained. "The initiative comes after a police crackdown on the use of loudspeakers, where officers visited the mosque (Juma Masjid) and warned loudspeaker use could result in action. This led to the mosque temporarily disabling its sound system," Pathan stated. To ensure that spiritual experience remains uninterrupted, especially for the elderly and those residing nearby (the mosque), the Juma Masjid in the Mahim area has adopted the app, he said. The app was developed with technical support from a team of IT professionals from Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, and is now available on Android devices and iPhones. The app plays a live audio stream of the azan through mobile phones, exactly when it is delivered from the mosque.
The Print
29-06-2025
- The Print
Sound of innovation: Mumbai mosques go digital with ‘azan app' to overcome loudspeaker curbs
Given the restrictions and sensitivities surrounding the use of loudspeakers for the call to prayer, the dedicated mobile app helps relay the azan directly to worshippers from local mosques, Fahad Khalil Pathan, managing trustee of Mahim Juma Masjid, told PTI. Mumbai, Jun 29 (PTI) In the backdrop of curbs over the use of loudspeakers, half-a-dozen mosques in Mumbai have registered on a dedicated mobile phone application which relays the 'azan', or call to prayer, directly to the faithful in real-time. The free app will allow users to listen to the azan at home, especially during Ramzan (the Islamic holy month of fasting) and other times when public announcements are restricted, he explained. 'The initiative comes after a police crackdown on the use of loudspeakers, where officers visited the mosque (Juma Masjid) and warned loudspeaker use could result in action. This led to the mosque temporarily disabling its sound system,' Pathan stated. To ensure that spiritual experience remains uninterrupted, especially for the elderly and those residing nearby (the mosque), the Juma Masjid in the Mahim area has adopted the app, he said. The app was developed with technical support from a team of IT professionals from Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, and is now available on Android devices and iPhones. The app plays a live audio stream of the azan through mobile phones, exactly when it is delivered from the mosque. Worshippers who cannot physically hear the azan due to sound restrictions can now receive it through this app in real-time, Pathan said. The app also serves a larger community purpose by notifying users about prayer times and can be used like a smart watch alert system. Once installed and configured, it runs automatically. Worshippers have praised the initiative, stating that even when loudspeakers are off, they can now still stay connected to their neighbourhood mosque's azan through their mobile phones. Pathan said the 10×15 box speakers installed at mosques do not spread the sound of the azan as widely as the traditional loudspeakers. Many people who were accustomed to hearing the azan through loudspeakers have found it difficult to hear the call for prayers from the mosque. In this backdrop, the Online Azan app has proven to be very helpful. 'We chose innovation over confrontation. Now, the faithful can stay connected to the azan timings regardless of the use of loudspeakers. In the past three days alone, 500 residents living near our masjid have registered on the app. A total of six masjids in Mumbai have registered with the app's server (located in India),' he informed. Users simply need to download the app, select their locality, and choose the masjid nearest to them. They will then receive live notifications whenever the call to prayer is made from that mosque. 'It's important to clarify that the Bombay High Court has not ordered the removal of loudspeakers, but has set permissible sound limits — 55 decibels during the day and 45 decibels at night. In response and on recurring request from the police, we have voluntarily stopped using loudspeakers and have shifted to box speakers to comply with the guidelines,' Pathan said. Mohammed Ali, one of the co-founders of Online Azan, said the company that developed the app is three-year-old and has 250 mosques in Tamil Nadu registered with it. The company asks for an application form, address proof of the mosque and the Aadhaar card of the person who gives the call to prayer, he said. Mumbai Congress general secretary Asif Farooqui welcomed the move by mosques to adopt the new technology. 'Loudspeaker was just a medium to convey what needs to be said in a larger way. There should be no disturbance to others. Prayer is important and not loudspeaker. There are multiple ways to communicate the call to prayer and it is good mosques are adapting to new innovations,' the politician noted. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya has been spearheading a campaign against the use of loudspeakers on mosques in Mumbai. The former MP has claimed that due to his campaign, 1,500 loudspeakers have been taken down in the metropolis, which he said were being used without permission from authorities. PTI MR RSY GK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
