Mumbai: Amid ongoing restrictions on the use of loudspeakers, several mosques in Mumbai have turned to technology to maintain the call to prayer, with at least six registering on a mobile application that broadcasts the azan live to worshippers.
Developed by a Tamil Nadu-based company, the app—Online Azan—offers an alternative for mosques facing curbs on public announcements.
“Given the restrictions and sensitivities surrounding the use of loudspeakers for the call to prayer, the dedicated mobile app helps relay the azan directly to worshippers from local mosques,” said Fahad Khalil Pathan, managing trustee of Mahim Juma Masjid, to PTI.
The app, available for free on both Android and iOS devices, enables users to listen to the azan from home—especially during Ramzan and other periods when public broadcasts are limited.
“The initiative comes after a police crackdown on the use of loudspeakers, where officers visited the mosque (Juma Masjid) and warned loudspeaker use could result in action. This led to the mosque temporarily disabling its sound system,” Pathan stated.
To preserve the spiritual experience for the community, especially for elderly residents near the mosque, Juma Masjid in Mahim adopted the app as an accessible alternative.
The application was built with the technical support of IT professionals from Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, ensuring a real-time audio link between mosques and their congregations.
“The app plays a live audio stream of the azan through mobile phones, exactly when it is delivered from the mosque. Worshippers who cannot physically hear the azan due to sound restrictions can now receive it through this app in real-time,” Pathan said.
Beyond streaming, the Online Azan app serves a broader community role by notifying users of prayer times. It functions similarly to a smartwatch alert system, running automatically once installed and set up.
Worshippers have welcomed the initiative. “Even when loudspeakers are off, they can now still stay connected to their neighbourhood mosque's azan through their mobile phones,” they’ve said, appreciating the tech-forward solution.
Pathan noted that the current 10x15 box speakers used by some mosques don’t project sound as widely as traditional loudspeakers. “Many people who were accustomed to hearing the azan through loudspeakers have found it difficult to hear the call for prayers from the mosque.”
In this backdrop, the Online Azan app has proven to be very helpful.
“We chose innovation over confrontation. Now, the faithful can stay connected to the azan timings regardless of the use of loudspeakers. In the past three days alone, 500 residents living near our masjid have registered on the app. A total of six masjids in Mumbai have registered with the app's server (located in India),” he informed.
Getting started is simple—users download the app, choose their locality, and select their nearest mosque. Once configured, they begin receiving live notifications for each call to prayer.
The initiative has received cross-party support. Mumbai Congress general secretary Asif Farooqui welcomed the adoption of new technology by mosques.
Meanwhile, BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya has led a campaign against the use of loudspeakers at mosques in the city. He claimed that the campaign has resulted in the removal of 1,500 loudspeakers, citing lack of proper authorisation for their use.
(inputs from PTI)