SHAH ALAM - The external loudspeakers in mosques should only be used for azan and iqamah (the first and second call to prayers), Penang Mufti Datuk Seri Dr Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor reminds Muslims.
He said the use of external loudspeakers for other activities would disrupt the peace of the local communities.
"In Penang, it is not gazetted, it is up to the mosques and suraus, but we advise the external loudspeakers to only be used for the azan and iqamah as it is a symbol of Islam.
"We want to perform worship, why should we bother others, they do not come to the mosque as they are not ready to listen to tazkirah, ceramah (talks) and so on.
"If they want to come to the mosque we allow the use of the loudspeaker inside," he told Sinar Harian, yesterday.
Wan Salim said there should be no issue on why previously the use external loudspeakers for recitation of the Quran and talks were allowed and now it was not.
"The environment is changing, the fatwa (religious edict) has to change as well. Although Penang did not gazette it, we do not advise individuals to use external loudspeakers for things other than azan and iqamah.
"This is because we have received complaints from residents who live near mosques and suraus. There are those who are ill, senior citizens who are sick, young children, people who are taking a rest after work and students who were studying.
"We could not just follow our own ways, we must take into account the environment. The differences back then were mosques were located further from homes, hence when you wanted to recite the Quran using external loudspeakers it would not raise any issues.
"Now in the cities with homes much closer to mosques we must understand that if the situation and environment change, the fatwa can change too," he said..