Melilla: controversy surrounding the banning of loudspeakers from the Grand Mosque at night

A new debate on cohabitation is agitating Melilla, a Spanish city nestled on the northern coast of Morocco. At the heart of the controversy: the ban on loudspeakers in the Grand Mosque at night, a decision which is making waves in this city where Muslims and Christians have lived side by side for centuries.

“We are only applying the law on noise,” defends Daniel Ventura, responsible for the Environment. The measure, which covers the time slot 9 p.m. to 9 a.m., responds to repeated complaints from local residents. But it only targets the central mosque, specifies the elected official, “the sixteen other Muslim places of worship in the city not being concerned”.

On the side of the local Islamic Commission (CIM), incomprehension dominates. “How can we practice dawn prayer without appeal?” asks its president, Farid Abdel-Lah. In summer, when prayer times fluctuate with the sun, the situation becomes particularly complex.

There has been no shortage of attempts at conciliation. Meetings were held, technical solutions such as lowering the volume were discussed. But in this city of 87,000 inhabitants, where cultural diversity is part of the local DNA, the subject strikes a sensitive chord.

“Between respect for traditions and the tranquility of the inhabitants, there is necessarily common ground,” wants to believe a merchant in the city center. In the meantime, discussions continue, while the Grand Mosque must adapt its centuries-old practices to the constraints of modern urban life.

This controversy reflects a broader challenge facing many European cities: reconciling religious traditions and common rules of life. In Melilla, the historic laboratory of Spanish-Muslim living together, the issue goes beyond the simple question of decibels. It touches on the subtle balance between respect for cultural identities and adaptation to contemporary urban standards. The resolution of this conflict could well serve as an example for other municipalities facing similar challenges.