Following restrictions on loudspeaker usage in Mumbai, mosques have initiated digital Azan using the 'Online Azan' app, allowing people to listen to live Azan on their mobile phones.
Digital Azan: In Mumbai, following legal restrictions on Azan from loudspeakers, mosques have adopted a unique digital solution. Now, Azan can be heard directly on your mobile phone, without any noise. This has been made possible with the help of a special mobile app—Online Azan. Several mosques in Mumbai are now live-streaming Azan through this app, which is proving to be very useful, especially for the elderly and devotees living in remote areas.
Restrictions on Loudspeakers and Digital Initiative
According to the High Court order in Mumbai, the sound level of loudspeakers has been controlled. A maximum of 55 decibels during the day and 45 decibels at night have been set. Although the court did not order the complete removal of loudspeakers, several mosques received notices from the police that legal action could be taken if the sound limits were not followed.
Following this warning, prominent mosques like Mahim Jama Masjid decided to stop using loudspeakers and turned towards a digital solution.
What is the Online Azan app?
'Online Azan' is a smartphone app that delivers the Azan from mosques to users' mobile phones as live audio. It was developed by IT experts from Tamil Nadu and is available on both Android and iOS platforms. With its help, users can listen to Azan in real-time on their smartphones, as if they were standing near the mosque.
Mumbai's Mahim Jama Masjid is leading this digital initiative. According to Fahad Khalil Pathan, the managing trustee there, this decision was taken after receiving a warning from the police regarding the compliance with the sound limits of loudspeakers, and that the Azan would now be given through digital means.
How the app works?
The Online Azan app streams live audio directly from the mosque. As soon as the Azan is given in the mosque, the app delivers that sound to the user's phone in real-time. For this, the user only needs to download the app once and select their nearby registered mosque.
Key Features:
- Live Azan Audio
- Namaz Time Alerts
- Automatic Streaming in the Background
- Easy Setup
- Servers Hosted in India
Registration Process and Security
An authentic registration process has been adopted to add mosques to the Online Azan app. This includes:
- Mosque application form
- Address proof
- Aadhar card of the person giving Azan
- The mosque is added to the platform only after verification. According to the company, more than 250 mosques in Tamil Nadu have already joined this network, and now 6 mosques in Mumbai have also joined.
500+ Users in Three Days
More than 500 people living near Mahim Jama Masjid registered on this app in just three days. This figure shows that people are not only accepting this digital initiative but also appreciating it.
Especially during festivals like Ramadan and Eid, when loudspeakers are restricted in public places, this app helps the Muslim community stay connected with religious activities.
The Meeting of Mosques and Technology
Fahad Khalil Pathan, trustee of Mahim Jama Masjid, says that this app is also quite easy for the elderly and those who are less connected to technology. He says that after repeated appeals from the police to pay attention to the sound limits, the mosques themselves took this step voluntarily.
Meanwhile, according to Mohammad Ali, the co-founder of the Online Azan app, the company has been working on this technology for the last three years. Their aim is that more and more mosques in India should stay connected to their community through digital means.
Data Privacy and Trust
Regarding user privacy, the company says that the app does not collect any personal data of the user and all servers are hosted in India. The app does not access calls or take location data, which also provides users with security assurance.
