Bombay Juma Masjid introduces Al Islaah app to remind devotees of Azaan
India Today
The Juma Masjid of Bombay Trust has launched a mobile app that will alert devotees about five-time prayers. The app will be available on both iOS and Android.
The Juma Masjid of Bombay Trust has launched a mobile app, Al Islaah, which will not only live-stream the calls for prayer but also notify users about the namaaz timings. The app was introduced after the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) objected to the use of loudspeakers that called for prayers five times a day.
The trust said that earlier there were apps but only recorded Azan could be played on those apps. The trust said that the call for prayers is an important part of Islam. Therefore, they used technology to reach a larger audience.
"The Supreme Court's guidelines on the use of loudspeakers are for all and not only for Azaan. But a political party has been targeting Muslims for political gains. After the Azaan controversy, we held a meeting and started to look for options. We first tried to get a radio frequency, but it needed a lot of clearance and paperwork," said Shuaib Khatib, chairman of the Mosque Trust.
"So we decided to develop an application. This app will help in listening to Azaan early in the morning, which is not allowed on loudspeakers," Khatib said.
When asked why such initiatives were not taken earlier, Khatib said, "Every religion has a set of beliefs. Earlier, they were not politicised. But now politicians are trying to create a rift between communities on these issues. So, we thought of this idea as we have to follow the SC's guidelines as well as our religion."
The app also has public address system provisions for the masjid authorities to send announcements to the community. In the next stage of development, the app will also allow users to send their queries to community leaders. The Al Islaah app will also be used for Friday prayers.
The name given to the app, ‘Al Islaah’ means ‘reform’. According to the mosque management, this app balances faith and law. The committee decided to develop it considering the restrictions and multiple litigations regarding the use of loudspeakers.
