DEARBORN, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — A rising chorus of complaints in Dearborn is putting the city’s noise ordinance to the test.

Islamic calls to prayer.

Residents in east Dearborn say outdoor broadcasts of the Islamic call to prayer have grown too loud, prompting petitions, council speeches, and a review by city officials.

MORE NEWS: Audit Uncovers Safety Violations on Michigan School Buses

Police Chief Issa Shahin says officers have taken “dozens of readings” and found mosques largely within legal limits. “The overwhelming majority of readings are in compliance” and “are no louder than the ambient noise of the trucks driving by.”

In addition, Council President Michael Sareini said the city continues to work with mosque leaders and residents to find a solution. 

“No faith should be imposing on someone else’s property and livelihood,” Sareini told the Detroit Free Press, adding that officials have asked mosques to keep volumes below 60 decibels—the city’s residential limit.

A petition is circulating.

Nonetheless, a petition signed by 40 residents urged the city to address what they called a disruption to their “quality of life and tranquility.” 

The Islamic Institute of Knowledge on Schaefer Road, one of several mosques in east Dearborn, says it’s working to ease tensions over the outdoor call to prayer. Chair Akram Bazzi said that the mosque’s loudspeaker operates within the city’s legal noise limits but agreed to turn it down “about five percent” to accommodate nearby residents.

Muslim leaders speak up.

Even some Muslim leaders have called for restraint. Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi of the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights urged other mosques to consider their neighbors’ concerns, saying amplified calls to prayer that disturb residents are “discouraged” in Islam. 

MORE NEWS: Michigan Puts Medicaid’s GLP-1 Spending on a Diet

“In such cases, broadcasting the adhan is not considered a virtuous act; rather, it may be deemed even sinful. Respect for neighbors and the broader community is a core principle in our faith,” Elahi said. 

The debate comes as Dearborn again faces scrutiny over how it balances religious freedom and local law. Last week, Michigan News Source covered a separate story about a planned “Dearborn Crusade”—a Christian rally set for Ford Field Park that has renewed discussion over how the city handles public displays of religion.