Ramadan is the most blessed month of Islam. It consists of a total abstention from food and drink from dawn until sunset. Muslims from all parts of the world fast during this month and there is an outstanding natural inclination towards prayer, contemplation and acts of charity. There is a special hustle and bustle in the homes and mosques and it is as if the whole atmosphere changes for virtue and goodness. Ramadan brings with it a mystical and spiritual bliss and creates an aura of peace and godliness. The mesmerising sound of passing breeze , the chirping of the birds, the echoing sounds of Azan, the recitation of Quranic verses fills the ears with a great pleasure. The moral and spiritual environment of the mosques creates an ambiance of God-consciosness and piety.
However, from quite some time, this peaceful and spiritually charged atmosphere has been tarnished by the frequent and unnecessary use of loudspeakers. Unfortunately the unnecessary use of loudspeakers in different mosques has been creating a lot of nuisance . Now a days this tremendous amount of noise that can be heard almost everywhere in the mornings and evenings has become an identification mark of our collective religiosity in Ramadan.
There is no doubt in this that in Ramadan it is a great virtue to resort to the dhikr (remembrance) of Allah with a great enthusiasm but putting it through the loudspeakers is something that doesn't syncronise with the mood of our religion. While offering prayers, it should be ensured that no outer loudspeakers are used and the sound is contained within a closed atmosphere so that the rights of other people are not violated. It should be clearly understood that loudspeakers are not an essential part of our religious practices and a frequent use of them should be discouraged and in our religious practices we must adhere to the sunnah of the Prophet (SAW).
Islam is the religion of peace and it not only safeguards individual rights but social rights as well. It believes in mutual coexistence and teaches its adherents not to hurt other beings with actions and words. There is a hadith in Saheeh Bukhari in which the Holy Prophet (SAW) was asked:
'Which of the Muslims is excellent?'
He replied: 'The one from whose tongue and hands the other Muslims are safe.' Thus hurting other Muslims is strictly forbidden in Islam. We are taught
not to raise our voices in public in such a way that the other person is disturbed or distracted. Though it is permitted to resort to the remembrance of Allah (Dhikr) both in seclusion as well as in assembly, silently as well as loudly but there is a concensus among the scholars and mystics of all the schools of thought that it should not become a nuisance for the people who can not tolerate it like sick, elderly, children etc. In the remembrance of Allah it is not desirable to exceed or overstep the limits of Shariyah as the Holy Quran says:
"Call upon your Lord in humility and privately; indeed, He does not like transgressors."(7:55)
Loudspeakers are not less than a nuisance for the people who cannot afford to tolerate huge amounts of noise due to one reason or the other.
The matter is not about the permissibility of dhikr bil jahr (ie, Remembrance of Allah loudly) but about putting it across the streets on loudspeakers which has been creating a lot of problems. It has been observed that the disturbance caused with the unnecessary use of loudspeakers is one of the most painful forms of torture on human mind.Some of the sick get very much disturbed by the squeaking sound of the loudspeakers.
Many people are very sensitive to sleep, a slightest sound affects their sleep not to talk of the tremendous noise created by the loudspeakers.
The elderly or women folk who pray inside their homes during Ramadan are disturbed and distracted by the noise and are not able to focus on their prayers. The children find it difficult to sleep and often it becomes a challenging task for the elders to pacify them.The students preparing for various examinations feel distracted as they need a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere for their studies.
In Ramadan, especially from midnight onwards or later, some people considering it a duty to wake other people up for Sehri make a blatant use of loudspeakers and fill the atmosphere with repeated announcements. One may ask, is all this really very important? Do people have no other means than this to wake themselves up for Sehri? Can't we use alarm clocks, mobile phones for the perpose? Shouldn't the loudspeakers be used with certain limits and regulations?
Unfortunately when asked to limit the use of loudspeakers some people feel very agitated and respond in an emotional and hostile manner. It is as if loudspeakers have become an essential part of religious identity and nobody is ready to introspect regarding the matter. When it comes to taking up appropriate steps, most of the people come up with cynical and egoistic narratives and respond as if their religious sentiments are hurt.
In order to restore peace and spirituality in our lives it is the need of the hour to limit the sound to the mosques and for that purpose a judicious use of internal speakers can be made. The minimal use of loudspeakers should be encouraged and efforts should be made to sensitise the common people about the nuisance created by them.In this connection, the adminstrators of the mosques can play a vital role by taking drastic steps to limit the use of loudspeakers. The Imams and preachers may also play their role in educating the people regarding the matter.Hopefully we will strive to be true representatives of Islam and refrain from harming others by any of our actions.

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