Mosques told to quiet down 5am call to prayer

Social media was still trending over the weekend over a ‘court’ decision in the occupied areas to ban three mosques from using a speaker for the call to the 5am prayer.

Although the decision was taken earlier this week, the news which travelled to Turkey was not greeted well by some users and was reported by Turkish media outlets.

According to reports, Feza Guzeloglu a lawyer in Lefka has been complaining for years over the sound that the three local mosques were making since the 1990s when making the call to prayer early in the morning.

Daily Politis reported that the ‘court’ issued an interim decision on Tuesday banning the mosques from calling the morning prayer – at around 5am – using speakers.

Grand Mufti of Turkey Mehmet Gormez has apparently weighed in on the discussion, calling on Turkey and the north to not ruin their ties over the matter while Turkish Cypriot Mufti Dr Talip Atalay said the ‘court’ decision is not binding to the religious ongoings in the occupied areas.

Nevertheless social media users, primarily from Turkey, have expressed their disagreement calling on people to back off from the Adhan – the Islamic call for prayer – while several Turkish Cypriots responded that although they respect the religion, using a speaker clashed with the island’s culture.

Speakers will be used to call for prayer all other times of the day.

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