Bad news for Muslims of this country as it plans to ban ‘azaan’, govt says that ‘we can’t make another Pakistan’

Denmark is once again considering a nationwide ban on the public broadcast of the Islamic azaan, the call to prayer, as the country’s government continues to pursue some of Europe’s toughest immigration and integration policies.

Danish Immigration Minister Morten Bødskov has revived discussions on restricting the public use of loudspeakers for the azaan, arguing that growing Islamisation is taking up too much space in public life in Denmark.

“The sound of the azaan should not be heard from rooftops in Denmark,” Bødskov said, adding that parts of the country should not feel as though residents have “arrived in a district of Islamabad.”

According to reports, Muslims make up around five percent of Denmark’s population, making them the country’s largest minority community.

Move comes amid tough immigration policies

The renewed push comes under the government of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, whose administration has introduced some of Europe’s strictest immigration and integration measures in recent years.

Earlier this year, Denmark implemented legislation banning Islamic full-face veils in public spaces and also directed educational institutions to remove prayer rooms from their premises.

Bødskov argued that arrangements such as the public broadcasting of the azaan have “no place in Denmark.”

Restrictions already exist in Copenhagen

Some parts of Denmark already have regulations that effectively limit public azaan broadcasts. In the capital city of Copenhagen, strict noise regulations prevent mosques from using loudspeakers to broadcast the call to prayer publicly.

Even Copenhagen’s Grand Mosque does not use external loudspeakers for the azaan.

Proposal may face legal challenges

A nationwide ban on a religious practice could face significant legal scrutiny, as Denmark’s constitution guarantees the right to practice religion publicly.

Legal experts and critics argue that a countrywide prohibition on the azaan could raise serious questions regarding religious freedom and equal treatment under the law.

Bødskov said the government would first examine whether such a ban would be compatible with constitutional protections and Denmark’s commitments to religious freedom.

Critics of the proposal have already accused the government of unfairly targeting a single religion, warning that any such measure could violate fundamental rights protected under Danish law.

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