HARDING: Questionable answers at Regina mosque press conference were revealing enough

Despite its haziness, a recent press conference told us enough to know why a Muslim call to prayer in downtown Regina was put on pause. It also told us that those opposed to allowing it may have an uphill climb.The Regina City Jamia Masjid was scheduled to broadcast the Adhan, or call to prayer, at noon on Friday, June 26 from four loudspeakers on its roof. That did not take place, and mosque director M Anisur Rahaman followed through with a scheduled press conference to explain why..Rahaman said the previous Adhan on June 19 was broadcast through four speakers atop the mosque, each one pointing in a different cardinal direction. He explained that the first broadcast was set at only 30% of maximum volume, which could conceivably travel one kilometre. He said there was no negative feedback until social media posts by local company Just Bins prompted positive and negative responses.Regina citizens can be thankful for this exposure. Without it, the process would likely have echoed the removal of the John A. Macdonald statue from Victoria Park in 2021. People who wanted it removed were consulted, and those who did not were left in the dark until it was too late to lobby against it.The director said the recent Adhan was cancelled following meetings with other Muslim organizations on June 23 and meetings with police on June 25."Yesterday, we had meetings for long hours with several police officers, and we came to a decision that today we should pause. We would also like to see the comments from the neighbours, what are they thinking about the call to prayer," Rahaman said. He acknowledged some people who were "present" outside to hear the Adhan for themselves would not get a chance to do so—even though what they thought of the Adhan would supposedly feed into the mosque's future steps."The social media discussion has already spread, and I think it's okay not to have a call to prayer today. Because if everything goes well, we are prepared to start the prayer and the call to prayer next month," Rahaman explained.Rahaman said fellow believers told him they were "not feeling safe as a minority Muslim," prompting the pause. "Social media comments that we have received, a few of them are actually threats, and are also not very positive. As a Muslim, we don't feel comfortable.".This question of what constitutes a threat is relevant. Media reports cited the police as saying the mosque had received as many as 15 threats, something they would not know apart from the claims of the director himself.Asked about these threats, Rahaman replied, "I have received phone calls, I have also received emails saying that people are coming to remove the speaker on the rooftop," he explained."Another threat, they are saying they do not understand what we are saying in Arabic, and that they are afraid of it... He was very angry at the beginning, but after that he calmed down."This answer exhibits a common tactic of diversity advocates who characterize their opponents as having fear rooted in ignorance. This has prompted words like Islamophobia, homophobia, and transphobia.But Rahaman even used this exchange to pivot to justifying a broadcast in English."He said that because we do not understand, that is why we are afraid.... And I told him that then that is a good suggestion, we will also... translate it into English so that, during the initial period, they are familiar with what they are listening to.".Rahaman continued, "So this is what I find the threats are...That is what I also discussed with the police who came yesterday."When one reporter pointed out that this disagreeable phone call did not constitute a threat, and asked for other examples, Rahaman referred to the previous threat to "take the mic out." He then mentioned someone else who left messages saying they wanted the Adhan to stop."What will be the consequences? That I don't know because I think this is the first attempt in Canada that we have made, and we would like to continue it. So we would like to hear from the community, to know what they are thinking," he explained.Rahaman said the police authorized a temporary permit to demonstrate what the prayer is and how it would be received. He claimed the mosque "did not have enough time for public consultation, but this [press conference] is part of that consultation process."But why the rush, and why start now? Ramadan finished in March. The mosque is full of drywall dust, wrapping up year-long renovations as it prepares to accommodate a school and a child-care centre.Rahaman said the building was "closed" until renovations finish in a month. Probably not coincidentally, that is just when the mosque hopes to have its permits for a call to prayer made permanent.Another plausible element in the timing of the call is the possibility that it was intended to test the limits of newly passed anti-hate legislation. In a press release, the Regina Police Service promised "enhanced" police protection for the call to prayer and informed the public of newly "enhanced" anti-hate legislation..How will this consultation work? Rahaman said they would talk to the public in person, meet with police in two weeks, and decide on future steps.“We don't think that we will have enough time to reach anybody," said Rahaman. "We also would prefer that we have one day when anybody who wants to come in person, right, can come together if we have a specific day.”To recap, we have a mosque that received a temporary permit for a call to prayer without any public knowledge. When it finally took place due to social media exposure, those who objected to the mosque were characterized as threatening and reported to police. To navigate the backlash and preserve the mosque's objectives, they put the prayer on pause.A short public consultation will ensue with people who get no chance to hear what an approval really means, thus nullifying the alleged reason the police gave for issuing a temporary permit. It will also take place without "enough time...to reach anybody." And anyone who opposes the call will be characterized as someone who just doesn't understand and carries an ignorance-based fear.If the City grants a permanent exemption to its noise bylaws to allow the Adhan, someone should install a giant gong somewhere between City Hall and the police station and hit it whenever the Adhan rings out. Citizens would deserve fresh reminders of the flawed gong-show process that led to its permission. The only problem is that the gong would be shut down for breaking noise bylaws.Only a minority can prevail against a public that opposes its wishes. Other voices, no matter how numerous and wide-ranging, tend to be dismissed and shut down. So long as Cultural Marxists are at the helm, this trend will be hard to reverse.

HARDING: Questionable answers at Regina mosque press conference were revealing enough

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