REGINA — A Regina mosque that received large backlash for a publicly broadcast call to prayer is welcoming public input on whether the prayer should continue.
Dozens of people filled out a two-minute survey outside the Regina City Jamia Masjid on Friday.
“We want to meet and greet and talk with our neighbours and make sure all of us are on the same page,” explained Regina City Jamia Masjid director M. Anisur Rahaman.
On June 19, the mosque broadcast a two-to three-minute call to prayer in downtown Regina, inviting followers to observe Islamic beliefs and teachings. Rahaman said they intended to do the broadcast once a week, every Friday at 12 p.m. The broadcast received an amplification permit under the City of Regina’s bylaw, which expired as of July 10.
But the reaction to the prayer has been mixed, noted Rahaman.
“From the neighbours' feedback, feedback is very positive, and from social media, there are also negative comments, so we would like to understand everyone better.”
Donna Nelson, who lives in Regina's downtown Central Park neighbourhood, said she fully supports the broadcast.
“We have to be open to accepting all religions and faiths, and if we allow Christian bells, then we should allow the mosque call to prayer.”
Nelson said this decision is important as the entire country has become multi-faith.
“Regina is now multi-faith, or Saskatchewan is now multi-faith, Canada is multi-faith, and we have to be open to different ways of practicing.”
Another person, who wished to remain anonymous, said broadcasting this religion is forced submission.
“It's my feeling that the forced submission with the loud blasting speakers of religious ideology, which is speech and different than a musical note, is forced submission.”
She said being expected to submit to an ideology goes against the principles of religious freedom and believes such practices should be kept indoors.
“They shouldn't do a public kind of broadcast of words like this; anything like this should just be held in whatever is in a car space, and it would make this outside the public.
While she opposed the broadcast, she welcomed the mosque taking in public feedback.
“This is about peaceful conversation where people can gather and share their differing viewpoints, and this is absolutely marvellous.”
Meanwhile, Nelson said the survey shows respect for those impacted.
“They're being very respectful of the people that live around here and the community.”
Results and next steps
The in-person survey was scheduled to take place on Friday outside the Regina City Jamia Masjid from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
For those who cannot attend, Rahaman said the survey can be collected over their cell number or email.
Once the surveys are collected, Rahaman will share the results with the Regina Police Service (RPS).
“So if the RPS does issue a new permit for us based on a positive result, as soon as we re-open the mosque, the broadcast could begin next month.”
However, Rahaman said the public broadcast would not continue if survey feedback is largely negative.
“We obviously respect all of them, so anything that we need to update ourselves on, we are more than willing to do that.”
