Dearborn mayor says mosque name to prayer complaints ‘not a problem’

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Dearborn, Michigan , Mayor Abdullah Hammoud responded to noise complaints a couple of mosque's name to prayer, saying it is "not a problem."

Hammoud mentioned the priority on the Nov. 3 episode of the " Not From Here " podcast. Native Dearborn residents have complained in current months {that a} close by mosque has been broadcasting the decision to prayer on loudspeakers a number of occasions a day, starting as early as 5:30 a.m.

Although residents raised issues throughout a September metropolis council assembly, Hammoud insisted that the decision to prayer beneath a sure decibel degree is allowed beneath metropolis ordinances and has been a part of Dearborn life for many years.

DEARBORN’S MUSLIM MAYOR TELLS CHRISTIAN HE’S ‘NOT WELCOME’ IN DEBATE ON HONORING PRO-TERROR ARAB LEADER

<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/343/192/dearborn-mayor-does-not-apologize-in-official-remarks-after-viral-clash-with-christian-minister.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/686/384/dearborn-mayor-does-not-apologize-in-official-remarks-after-viral-clash-with-christian-minister.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/672/378/dearborn-mayor-does-not-apologize-in-official-remarks-after-viral-clash-with-christian-minister.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/1344/756/dearborn-mayor-does-not-apologize-in-official-remarks-after-viral-clash-with-christian-minister.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/931/523/dearborn-mayor-does-not-apologize-in-official-remarks-after-viral-clash-with-christian-minister.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/1862/1046/dearborn-mayor-does-not-apologize-in-official-remarks-after-viral-clash-with-christian-minister.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/720/405/dearborn-mayor-does-not-apologize-in-official-remarks-after-viral-clash-with-christian-minister.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/1440/810/dearborn-mayor-does-not-apologize-in-official-remarks-after-viral-clash-with-christian-minister.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud dismissed complaints towards a neighborhood mosque's name to prayer. (Metropolis of Dearborn screenshot)

"I might inform you is, , these complaining concerning the name to prayer, I imply it is a very, only a few, you continue to wish to respect the desires and, when you have a critical concern, I've to uphold the regulation throughout all boards," Hammoud mentioned. "However we have carried out decibel readings at these mosques, all inside threshold, all inside authorized restrict. And so for me, it isn't a problem."

He continued, "We additionally should uphold our constitutional rights to freedom of faith. And I might say this, , that is the factor. I am saying this as a Muslim. Folks, after all, are going to say it is a name to prayer, however like, , why are these complaints simply coming ahead now?"

"Yeah, elections are developing," host Jaafar Issa remarked.

DEARBORN MAYOR REFUSES TO APOLOGIZE FOR TELLING CHRISTIAN MINISTER HE WAS 'NOT WELCOME HERE'

Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud mentioned the mosque's name to prayer didn't violate metropolis ordnance on noise ranges. (Charly Triballeau/Getty Photographs)

Hammoud did not immediately reply to that remark however shrugged and repeated, "Name to prayer has been occurring because the Nineteen Seventies in Dearborn."

The town ordinance states that noise in residential areas can't exceed 55 decibels at evening (after 10 p.m.) or 60 decibels in the course of the day (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.). Loudspeakers are prohibited between 10 p.m. and seven a.m.

Hammoud additionally mentioned that the majority mosques within the metropolis don't make a name to prayer at "Fajr" or daybreak and in contrast the sound to church bells.

Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor's workplace for remark.

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Dearborn, Michigan resident Andrea Unger began a petition to stress town council to implement a noise ordinance after two years of a neighborhood mosque broadcasting its calls to prayer over a loudspeaker. (Dearborn Metropolis Council by way of YouTube Screenshot)

Dearborn resident Andrea Unger, who has lived within the metropolis for 40 years, informed Fox Information Digital final month that she had recorded the decision to prayer for 30 consecutive days and located it constantly exceeded 70 decibels. She mentioned she raised concerns with the police division and metropolis council for the previous two years, however the issue continued.

She added that a few of her neighbors had been hesitant to talk out, fearing they'd be labeled anti-Muslim.

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"I've heard lots of people say, 'I am glad you mentioned one thing,' as a result of individuals are afraid they will get referred to as names like ‘Islamophobic,’ like our mayor [Abdullah H. Hammoud] referred to as [Dearborn resident and Christian minister] Ted Barham, since you disagree," she mentioned. "We're not Islamophobic, we're not anti-Muslim, we're not anti-Jewish. We simply wish to dwell in the neighborhood that it is at all times been [before] one thing modified two years in the past to permit this."

Fox Information' Kristine Parks contributed to this report.

Lindsay Kornick is an affiliate editor for Fox Information Digital. Story ideas could be despatched to lindsay.kornick@fox.com and on Twitter: @lmkornick.