Denmark weighs ban on Islamic call to prayer amid integration debate

Denmark's immigration minister has announced plans to pursue a nationwide ban on the Islamic call to prayer, arguing that the practice has no place in the country and reflects what he described as a growing "Islamisation" of public space.

Morten Bødskov, a member of the center-left Social Democrats party, said the government would resume an investigation into the legal feasibility of prohibiting the call to prayer, The Telegraph reports.

"The call to prayer should not be heard over Danish rooftops," Bødskov told journalists. "It has no place in Denmark, and you shouldn't be in any doubt whether you've ended up in a suburb of Islamabad when you walk around Denmark."

The minister also claimed that a gradual "Islamisation" of Denmark was "taking up too much of the public space."

In some areas, including Copenhagen, local regulations already prevent mosques from broadcasting the call to prayer through loudspeakers mounted on minarets due to strict noise restrictions.

The Adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, is traditionally recited five times a day to summon worshippers to mosques and is often broadcast via loudspeakers in Muslim-majority countries.

The latest initiative marks the third attempt by a Danish immigration minister to establish a legal framework for banning the practice, following similar efforts by Social Democratic governments in 2020 and 2025.

Denmark has adopted some of Europe's toughest immigration policies under Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who began her third term in office earlier this month.

Under the country's so-called "ghetto" legislation, authorities can require migrants to relocate from neighborhoods deemed to have excessively high concentrations of foreign residents. Denmark has also implemented policies requiring some asylum seekers to surrender valuables to help cover accommodation costs and has limited financial support for applicants whose asylum claims have been rejected.

During the 2015 refugee crisis, when more than one million people fled conflicts in the Middle East and sought refuge in Europe, Denmark accepted significantly fewer asylum seekers than many neighboring countries.

Any move to ban the call to prayer could face legal challenges. The government's review is expected to examine the balance between constitutionally protected religious freedoms and the rights of residents living near mosques.

While Denmark's constitution guarantees the right to public worship, certain restrictions already exist, including prohibitions on anti-democratic preaching and financial contributions to banned organizations.

Several other European countries, including Germany and the United Kingdom, regulate mosque broadcasts through strict rules governing volume levels and permitted times in an effort to minimize disturbance to nearby residents.

Denmark, with a population of approximately six million, is home to around 270,000 Muslims and an estimated 100 mosques. Among them is the Grand Mosque of Copenhagen, which does not broadcast the call to prayer outdoors under an agreement with local authorities.

By Vafa Guliyeva