Australia’s largest mosque could begin broadcasting the Muslim call to prayer from loudspeakers every week under a proposal lodged with a Sydney council.
Lakemba Mosque, also known as the Masjid Ali Bin Abi Talib, has proposed to affix four loudspeakers to its minaret in a new bid to the Canterbury-Bankstown Council in Sydney’s west.
It would be the first mosque in Sydney to broadcast the call to prayer – known in Arabic as the adhan – regularly throughout the year.
According to planning documents, nearly two thirds of the Lakemba population identified as Islamic in 2021 while nearly one quarter spoke Arabic at home.
The proposed development would be permissible under zoning restrictions with council’s consent, according to the application.
The mosque is owned and operated by the Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA), a community-based non-profit organisation established in 1962.
A spokesperson for the LMA told Daily Mail Australia the proposal was ‘modest in nature but deeply meaningful to our community.’
‘If approved, it reflects the growing recognition of Australia’s multicultural identity and religious diversity,’ the spokesperson said.
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Lakemba Mosque (pictured) will install four loudspeakers to its minaret if the Canterbury Bankstown Council approves its proposal
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Pictured is Sheikh Yahya Safi who has served as the mosque’s head Imam since 1996
Lakemba Mosque is a Sunni place of worship. It’s opening in 1977 was attended by former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and is widely considered to be Australia’s most significant mosque.
The mosque is situated on Wangee Road among mostly single-storey residential dwellings and low-rise commercial buildings.
The five-minute call to prayer would be broadcast once a week prior to the Friday prayer, referred to as the Jummah.
‘The adhan would be broadcast around midday on Friday, a time when most people are at work, school, or otherwise active, minimising any potential disruption,’ the LMA spokesperson said.
‘Importantly, local residents and community members have been overwhelmingly supportive of the proposal. For many, it represents cultural inclusion and the freedom to express one’s faith peacefully in public life.’
The LMA spokesperson said they had not received any ‘formal objections’ through the council application process.
‘Informal feedback from the surrounding neighbourhood has been respectful and positive. We understand the importance of balance, and this proposal has been designed to uphold religious expression while maintaining harmony with local residents.’
The mosque broadcasted the call-to-prayer during Ramadan – the holiest month in the Islamic calendar – during the Covid-19 lockdowns in May 2020.
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As the largest mosque in Australia, several thousand worshippers attend it on a weekly basis
‘The adhan is a traditional and peaceful call to prayer—a reminder for worshippers to attend the mosque,’ the LMA spokesperson said.
‘It is not a sermon, speech, or call to action, but a spiritual moment marking the significance of prayer time, especially on Fridays. The adhan is already publicly broadcast in cities around the world, including London, Birmingham, Auckland, Toronto, Stockholm, New York City, and parts of the Netherlands.’
‘These examples show how cities around the world accommodate faith and culture respectfully and harmoniously.’
