The Vile Wailing
Jan 11, 2008
In a move that has surprised even many of Oxford's Muslim residents, the city's largest mosque, the Oxford Central Mosque, has applied for permission to publically announce the adhaan over a loudspeaker.
What better way to get along than by blaring an extended, uncouth noise to the neighborhood five times a day.
There seem to be few objections to the many curry houses and halal takeaways along the stretch of road neighbouring the mosque, yet the adhaan seems to symbolise a foreign invasion into a monocultural Anglo-Saxon Christian society that doesn't in reality exist.
This is an odd sentiment. Preparing varieties of foods doesn't, in any way, threaten the classical liberal values of the West. However, bringing in retrograde religious practices and imposing them on the rest of society does tear at the fabric of the West.
In short: The West opposes Hamas -- not hummus.
Having said that, it may not have been the wisest of actions for members of Oxford's Muslim community to push for an amplified call to prayer at this time, particularly in the current climate of artificially created anti-Muslim tensions.
[Emphasis mine.]
Ah, I see. The first step should have been to get a near-majority in the area. Then implement the wretched azaan which would result in the exodus of sane infidels who value their peace. Voila! A sharia infested ghetto is finally made.
Often the logic goes this way. Whatever the horrid religious practice under discussion, the opposition to it from many Muslims isn't that the acts are outrageous, but that the current time and space isn't fruitful.
Just wait a few years. The kafir will be weaker then.
Totally different.
There can be a curry house or halal takeaway up the street from my home and it's my choice whether to patronize them or not. Sounds from a loudspeaker, especially if I can hear them inside my house with the door shut (which I suspect is the point) is an intrusion. It's an invasion of personal territory. Yes, people are going to object.
Interesting comment on that site, that the people who are pushing for this did not consult the local Muslim community first. Dang, they may not want to hear it either. As is pointed out by a commenter, in the West Muslims use their watches.
Isaac, where in the ME can one hear church bells, do you know?
Posted by: Laura(southernxyl) | Jan 11, 2008 at 07:39 PM
Good question.
I know for sure that in the massive chunk of the Middle East called Saudi Arabia one doesn't hear church bells because, well, there aren't any churches there.
I lived in Bahrain for a few days and heard no church bell there either. Perhaps, in Lebanon one can likely find this feature but it makes no sense to refer to that as "the Middle East".
Furthermore, there's an aesthetic difference. An infrequent bell can sound pleasant whereas a man's yelling and wailing will ruin your sleep at 4 a.m.
I remember going back to Arabia from America for the first time during my school years. I was sleeping when this noise woke me up in the early hours. For a brief, terrifying moment I thought I was hearing a war siren.
Then, of course, I realized it was the damn azaan.
Posted by: Isaac Schrödinger | Jan 11, 2008 at 07:59 PM
I'd advocate shooting it out with a good hunting rifle at a distance, but the best the brits can hope for today is to throw rocks at it. Speaking of such things... have you seen 28 days/weeks later? If so, isn't it funny watching the Brits have to defend themselves against a horde of zombies trying to destroy them with blunt objects?
Posted by: MikeT | Jan 11, 2008 at 08:32 PM
Yes, I've seen the movies. Both were well crafted.
Hunh, it is something: the core of the Anglo world tries to fight back against mindless 'humans' and ends up losing. Shows just how fragile civilization is.
Posted by: Isaac Schrödinger | Jan 11, 2008 at 08:44 PM
I seem to remember reading somewhere that dhimmis aren't allowed to ring church bells in Muslim lands, or otherwise glorify or promote their religion. They also aren't allowed to even repair their existing churches. Given entropy, this dooms the non-Muslim edifices to slow decay (or rapid vandalism) while new mosques are built all over the place.
Posted by: Classical Liberal | Jan 11, 2008 at 09:52 PM