Dearborn residents petition metropolis to implement noise ordinance towards mosque

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In Dearborn, Michigan, some neighbors are urgent metropolis officers to implement its noise ordinance, saying a close-by mosque's day by day name to prayer is disruptive and intrusive.

Andrea Unger, who has lived in Dearborn for 40 years, stated the loudspeakers at a mosque a couple of quarter-mile from her house carry the decision to prayer a number of occasions a day, typically lasting about 5 minutes. She stated the sound is so loud it may be heard clearly inside her house, generally as early as 5:30 a.m.

She has been elevating issues with the police division and metropolis council for the previous two years, however stated the issue continues.

"Our metropolis ordinance doesn't allow uncommon, annoying sounds for 5 minutes or longer, however the mosque continues to violate our privateness inside our house day by day," she advised Fox Information Digital. "It is not like happening to the park and other people will ask you about God or somebody involves your door. That is coming into your property, and you haven't any alternative."

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Dearborn resident Andrea Unger speaks at a metropolis council assembly in regards to the noise ordinance. (Dearborn Metropolis Council by way of YouTube Screenshot)

On the Sept. 23 Metropolis Council assembly, Unger introduced a petition signed by 40 neighbors urging enforcement of town’s noise ordinance, which prohibits "the continuance of any unreasonably loud, disturbing, uncommon or pointless noise which annoys, disturbs, injures, or endangers the consolation, repose, well being, peace or security of others inside the limits of town."

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

Unger advised Fox Information Digital she recorded the decision to prayer for 30 consecutive days and located it persistently exceeded 70 decibels.

She emphasised that her issues will not be about faith, however about equity and equal enforcement.

Welcome signal for Dearborn, Michigan, pictured in October 2024. (Charly Triballeau/Getty Photographs)

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"The Supreme Court docket has acknowledged that no public faculty might have a particular prayer to a particular God. But this prayer to Allah is prayed on loudspeakers over our college grounds and our playgrounds day by day. There isn't any atheist, Christian, Jewish, Catholic, or different group that's allowed to make use of loudspeaker to blast a five-minute prayer into the houses of individuals within the East Dearborn neighborhood," she added.

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

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

Muslims have a good time Eid al-Adha with Eid salah prayers. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu by way of Getty Photographs)

Metropolis Council President Mike Sareini advised residents final week on the metropolis council assembly that police had been investigating and had already discovered ordinance violations.

"It’s not authorized, nor will we assist it," Sareini stated, noting that he was ready for a full report from the police chief earlier than pursuing enforcement.

The Islamic Institute of Information, the mosque on the middle of Unger's criticism, lists seven day by day prayer occasions on its social media pages.

A number of makes an attempt to achieve the mosque for remark had been unsuccessful.

Christian minister Ted Barham, left, and Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, proper, through the Sept. 23, 2025, Metropolis Council assembly, following their viral confrontation weeks earlier. (Metropolis of Dearborn)

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One other mosque within the metropolis advised Fox Information Digital it had voluntarily lowered its sound system in response to neighborhood issues.

"We all the time respect our neighbors," stated Nabeel Bahalwan, director of the Dearborn Neighborhood Heart, which had additionally been talked about in conversations across the problem. He stated the middle had shut off its microphone broadcasting the decision to prayer till the matter is resolved.

Dearborn’s metropolis council drew widespread consideration in September after Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud known as Christian minister and Dearborn resident Ted Barham a "racist," "bigot" and an "Islamophobe" after he raised objections over road indicators being renamed to honor a controversial Islamic chief.