Residents of Hamtramck Michigan are voting today on whether to reverse a city noise ordinance that allows mosques to broadcast the adhan—the Islamic call to prayer—five times a day: Muslim Prayer Broadcasts Focus Of Hamtramck Vote. (Hat tip: brakes.)

Hamtramck mosques began broadcasting the prayers May 28, after a decision by the City Council that drew worldwide attention, Local 4 reported.

In the Islamic faith, there are five calls to prayer, but in Hamtramck, only those at 1:35 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9:05 p.m. will be broadcast, according to the station’s reports. The 5:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. prayers will be withheld.

“We have great joy,” resident Abdul Motlib said about the prayer broadcast.

Motlib said the call to prayer will help Muslims to remember to take time out of their schedule to pay tribute to nearly 1,400 years of worship.

Other residents are negative about the broadcasts, calling it noise.

“I wouldn’t want that piped in my window. I’d like to be able to go to sleep,” resident Jerry Radziszewski said. “We have no idea what’s being said or sung or anything. We have no idea. To us, it’s just noise. That’s it. It’s racket.”

Well, Mr. Radziszewski, somehow I doubt it would make you feel any better to know what’s being said in that “racket:”

Allah is great, Allah is great
Allah is great, Allah is great

I bear witness there is no deity but Allah
I bear witness there is no deity but Allah

I bear witness that Muhammad (pbuh) is the Messenger of Allah
I bear witness that Muhammad (pbuh) is the Messenger of Allah

Hurry to the prayer
Hurry to the prayer

Hurry to the success
Hurry to the success

Allah is great, Allah is great

There is no deity but Allah