Can text messages really serve the purpose of 'azaan'?

The minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng has urged Muslim leaders to consider using whatsapp messages to call their members to worship instead of the usual megaphones or Azaan as we the Muslims prefer to call it.

The minister in an attempt to explain why he thinks it should be so said it will reduce noise pollution in the country, that's his opinion or his suggestion to help reduce noise pollution in the country. We will all agree to the fact that noise pollution is not good for our environment and we must try as much as possible to always minimize it for a peaceful living.

I don't always rubbish or attack people's opinions or suggestions but I always try as much as possible to analyze them for a better understanding to the general public. My dear Minister as much as we all want to control this noise pollution, we shouldn't forget to check whether doing so will cause more harm than good because the people are more important than the environment and hence the interest or rights of the people should be considered first before any other thing.

Professor Kwabena Frimpong, if you care to know calling the Azaan loud and clear is also part of the prayers and if we should agree with you, it will mean that we are indirectly going by your wish and not our Creator's command and that is impossible. And also if we are to agree with your opinion with the text messages, meaning the prayers will now be limited to only those who have access to gadgets that can receive messages, which also suggest that those who can't read nor write will also be left out. Professor if this suggestion of yours is to be put in place, meaning prayers will now be for the literates who have access to mobile phones and the Imams has their contacts.

Professor Kwabena Frimpong the sadden part of your suggestion is the proposing of text message for us the Muslims, Minister you of all people should know when it comes to matters of religion, it is so sensitive to the extent that people easily misinterpret them, and people are always ready to do the unacceptable when they think their religion is been looked down upon. So to me I think when it comes to matters of religion we should always try to choose our words carefully to prevent issues that might make one feel his or her religion is been looked down upon. I think freedom of worship is being practiced every where in the world today, so if using megaphones is seen as noise pollution and should be ban as you wish then this freedom of worship is being violated here.

I think noise pollution is not that much from the megaphones used to call for prayers but rather construction machines, cars, motorcycles, aeroplanes, factories and many others, so it looks unfair to suggest such to us the Muslims when all these noise hubs are right under your nose such night clubs, drinking spots and restaurants where the most noise is produced.

The best suggestion I think Professor Kwabena Frimpong should have made is to urge Muslim leaders to also help in reducing noise pollution in our environment and not to tell them to use text messages to call their members to come for prayers. And not only has the minister limited his suggestion to only the Muslims but also the Christians, he urged the Christians to also limit their noise in their auditoriums or churches.

Professor Kwabena Frimpong with all due respect, if you can you reconstruct your suggestion in a better way for the public, it will help reduce the rising anxieties and anger.

Suntaa Abudu Ibrahim

UDS Nyankpala campus SCC.