Germany’s largest mosque to broadcast call to prayer on Fridays

Agreement between city of Cologne and local Muslim community shows ‘diversity is appreciated,’ mayor says.

Germany’s largest mosque will be permitted to broadcast the call to prayer over loudspeakers on Friday afternoons, after an agreement between the city of Cologne and the Muslim community to ease restrictions, the city said on Monday.

All 35 mosques in Cologne will now be permitted to broadcast the call to prayer for up to five minutes on Fridays between noon and 3pm, under a two-year initiative.

That includes the Cologne Central Mosque, which was opened in 2018 after becoming a flashpoint for anti-Muslim sentiment from far-right parties which grew stronger after an influx of asylum seekers in 2015-2016.