Is there a Ban for loud speakers in Saudi Arabia- what’s the truth?

The country has limited the number of external loudspeakers allowed in mosques to four.

The minister of Islamic affairs, Sheikh Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, recently released a circular outlining the Ramadan guidelines. Following the distribution of this circular, a 58-second video reportedly depicting a dialogue between two people conveying a list of new Ramzan restrictions in Saudi Arabia went viral. The list claims the following as new rules – no loudspeakers, no broadcasting prayers, no praying on streets, and no asking for donations.

The caption of the post states “Saudi Arabia Bans Loudspeaker And Prayers On Road”. 

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This subject was covered by media outlets such as ThePrint, Live Hindustan, ABP, India TV and OpIndia.

Fact check

We carefully examined the Ministry’s March 3 circular and found no reference of ‘loudspeakers’. The circular did not have anything listed as no loudspeakers or no broadcasting prayers as claimed by the viral posts. The circular listed the importance of reading some useful books, full regulation in their work, no absenteeism unless necessary, not collecting financial donations for projects to iftar the fast and so on. The list also mentions that iftar should be in the places prepared for that in the courtyards of the mosque and no temporary rooms or tents to be created to hold the iftar in them.

We investigated whether Saudi Arabia has prohibited loudspeakers across the country but found no evidence of such a prohibition. In further search we came across a Siasat Daily report published on 20 January, 2023. According to the Siasat report, Saudi Arabia issued regulations restricting the use of external loudspeakers in mosques across the country.

More information was revealed in a Gulf News report published on 19January, 2023. As per the source, Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Dr. Abdul Latif bin Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh has ordered a limit of four exterior loudspeakers to be used in mosques for prayer calls.

According to the report, Dr. Al Sheikh had instructed all Imams to remove extra loudspeakers, if any, from mosques. He advised them to either store them in a warehouse for later use or give them away to mosques that do not have enough. As per the Gulf News report, Dr. Al Sheikh had instructed all Imams to remove extra loudspeakers, if any, from mosques. He advised them to either store them in a warehouse for later use or give them away to mosques that do not have enough.

Importantly, the report pointed out that this was not the first-ever effort on the part of the government to ensure that the sound of microphones during prayers did not cause trouble to elderlies and children. “Last year, the ministry issued restrictions on volume levels for loudspeakers at mosques during the fasting month. Speakers must not exceed a third of their maximum volume,” Gulf News says.

Conclusion

Fact crescendo found that the viral claim that no loudspeakers are to be used as a part of new rules for Ramzan in Saudi Arabia is to be Misleading. The country has limited the number of external loudspeakers allowed in mosques to four.