Source : Perth Now news

Plans to install four loudspeakers at one of the country’s most prominent mosques will only affect 20 homes according to detailed research published in a new development application.

The application, lodged by the Lebanese Muslim Association, says only 20 homes near the Lakemba Mosque will be affected by the weekly airing of an Islamic call to prayer, which will last about 15 minutes every Friday at midday.

Audio modelling shows 20 homes and a handful of commercial spaces will be directly affected by the noise generated by the speakers. Canterbury-Bankstown Council Credit: Supplied

According to Day Design senior acoustical consultant Adam Shearer, “the level of noise emitted by the four loudspeakers in the minaret during the call to prayer will meet acceptable noise level requirements” for both the local government area and the NSW Environment Protection Agency’s noise policy.

For each residential household predicted to be most directly affected by the noise, the decibels of the call to prayer did not register higher than 53, which according to Yale University’s “decibel level comparison chart” is about the same as standing next to a household refrigerator.

Plans include north, south, east and west-facing speakers. Picture: Canterbury-Bankstown Council
Plans include north, south, east and west-facing speakers. Canterbury-Bankstown Council Credit: Supplied Source Known

Lebanese Muslim Association secretary Gamel Kheir told The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday that he believed community sentiment had been “nothing but positive” and the call to prayer would only be heard within “a 20m radius of the mosque”.

He said he was in favour of church bells ringing and the call to prayer airing over the loudspeakers.

“Are we a multicultural society? Yes, we are. Are we a secular country? Yes, it allows for freedom of religious expression,” he said.

“If the church bells are allowed to ring – and we are in favour of those bells ringing – then why are we not allowed to do the call to prayer?”

Weekly calls to prayer have traditionally been made from the top of minarets for centuries. Picture: Canterbury-Bankstown Council
Weekly calls to prayer have traditionally been made from the top of minarets for centuries. Canterbury-Bankstown Council Credit: Supplied Source Known

Local councillor Barbara Coorey said the speakers were “totally unnecessary” and “an overkill”.

“I believe Mr Gamel Kheir’s comments about the sound only being heard 20m away are laughable and nonsensical,” Ms Coorey said.

“We are all entitled to our religious beliefs, we’re all entitled to pray and worship within the confines of our religious buildings. The LMA are displaying a propensity with these speakers to create an amenity problem.”

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