Denmark Seeks Nationwide Ban on Islamic Call to Prayer

Denmark Seeks Nationwide Ban on Islamic Call to Prayer
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Danish Immigration Minister Morten Bødskov has sparked debate after announcing a renewed effort to ban the Islamic call to prayer, known as the Adhan, across Denmark.

Bødskov, a member of the center-left Social Democrats, said the government would resume a legal review into whether the Muslim call to prayer can be prohibited nationwide. He argued that the Adhan has “no place in Denmark” and claimed that what he described as the “Islamization” of public space had gone too far.

In some areas, including Copenhagen, local noise regulations already prevent mosques from broadcasting the call to prayer through outdoor loudspeakers. The Adhan is traditionally recited five times a day to invite Muslims to prayer and is commonly broadcast from mosques in Muslim-majority countries.

The proposal marks the third attempt by a Danish immigration minister to create a legal basis for banning the practice, following earlier efforts in 2020 and 2025.

Any nationwide ban is expected to face legal challenges, as Denmark’s constitution protects the right to public worship. The government’s review is expected to examine the balance between religious freedom and the rights of residents living near mosques.

Denmark, home to around six million people, has an estimated Muslim population of about 270,000 and nearly 100 mosques. The Grand Mosque of Copenhagen currently does not broadcast the call to prayer outdoors under an agreement with local authorities.