Muslim Group Submits Application to Council to Broadcast the Muslim Call to Prayer, But the Council Gives an Unexpected Response

A mosque in western Sydney has had its request to broadcast the Muslim call to prayer rejected by the local council because of concerns about noise and the possible impact on people living nearby.

Canterbury-Bankstown Council rejected the application from the Lebanese Muslim Association, which wanted to broadcast the call to prayer from Lakemba Mosque, one of the largest and most well-known mosques in Australia.

The proposal was for the call to prayer, known as the adhan, to be broadcast once a week on Fridays. It would have lasted around 15 minutes and used four loudspeakers installed at the mosque.

The application was submitted in May, but it quickly became a major issue in the local community. More than 1,600 objections were reportedly submitted against the proposal, with some residents raising concerns about the effect of the loudspeakers on the surrounding neighbourhood.

At the same time, the proposal also received strong support from members of the Muslim community. Thousands of people signed a petition organised by the Lebanese Muslim Association in support of the plan.

The petition argued that the issue was about more than just sound, saying it was also about Muslims feeling that they belong and are able to openly practise their faith.

Some councillors supported the proposal and argued that the noise would be limited. Independent councillor Saud Abu-Sameh said residents who were concerned about hearing the call to prayer could simply close their windows if the broadcast was approved.

The Lebanese Muslim Association also argued that the sound would have a limited impact and claimed that the broadcast would mainly be heard by people living on Halden Street near the mosque.

However, council officers reached a different conclusion. They said the proposed use of the loudspeakers could produce too much noise and that the sound could travel beyond the immediate area around Halden Street, potentially disturbing a wider number of residents.

Barbara Coorey, a Canterbury-Bankstown councillor and one of the strongest opponents of the proposal, said she was not surprised by the council’s decision. She argued that the application did not meet the required planning standards and said the association should withdraw it.

The decision does not necessarily mean the matter is finished. The Lebanese Muslim Association can now decide whether to abandon the proposal or pay for independent acoustic experts to carry out another assessment of how much noise the broadcast would create.

The dispute has highlighted the difficult balance councils sometimes face between allowing religious communities to practise and express their faith publicly while also protecting residents from excessive noise and disruption.

For supporters, the weekly call to prayer would have been an important part of Muslim religious life and a way of making the community feel more included. For opponents, the main concern was whether nearby residents should have to listen to amplified religious broadcasts from a loudspeaker every Friday.

The council’s decision means the proposed weekly broadcast will not go ahead in its current form unless the Lebanese Muslim Association provides further evidence showing that the noise would not cause the level of disturbance identified by council staff.