Originally published by Laurin-Whitney Gottbrath on April 24, 2020, via Al Jazeera.
Photo courtesy of Abdisalem Adam
For the first time in a major U.S. city, the Islamic call to prayer, or adhan, echoed publicly through loudspeakers from Dar Al-Hijrah Mosque in Minneapolis as Ramadan began in 2020.
📢 The adhan is now heard five times a day during the holy month, reaching thousands in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. The initiative came in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which had shut down mosque gatherings and community iftars.
🕌 Imam Abdisalam Adam described it as a way to maintain spiritual connection during a time of isolation, saying the broadcast provides a sense of peace and normalcy for the Muslim community.
❤️ “If we cannot be physically together, at least this echo, this voice, this call to prayer can be an extension of us being together at this difficult time,” said Jaylani Hussein of CAIR-MN.
🌍 Community members hope this marks the beginning of greater visibility, inclusion, and investment for Muslim neighborhoods in Minneapolis and beyond. Local leaders also emphasized the need for more infrastructure support and economic relief alongside symbolic actions.
