Noise level near Islamic Society of Boston in Cambridge? (apartment, contractors)

[sayselena]

Hi,
I'm moving to Cambridge in the next few months and was looking at an apartment that is very close to the Islamic Society of Boston in Cambridge. Does anyone know how loud their calls to prayer are in the morning? I don't think I can live there if I'm going to be woken up at 5AM every morning.

[Gauss44]

This will also depend on the quality of your building and if the windows seal well or not. Have you asked your would-be neighbors if they think it's noisy?

[johnathanc]

Don't they pray indoors?

[goyguy]

Traditionally someone has climbed the minaret (tower/steeple) of a mosque to sound the call for prayer. (In modern times a recording usually stands in.) Because the Islamic Society doesn't serve only residents of the immediate area this is dispensed with altogether, no matter that there's no minaret on their building. For that same reason I don't believe any of the other worship facilities in and around Boston do the prayer calls either.

I've heard recordings of calls to prayer, and I wouldn't want them waking me up either!

[edwardsyzzurphands]

Originally Posted by goyguy

Traditionally someone has climbed the minaret (tower/steeple) of a mosque to sound the call for prayer. (In modern times a recording usually stands in.) Because the Islamic Society doesn't serve only residents of the immediate area this is dispensed with altogether, no matter that there's no minaret on their building. For that same reason I don't believe any of the other worship facilities in and around Boston do the prayer calls either.

I've heard recordings of calls to prayer, and I wouldn't want them waking me up either!

+1. Good explanation.

I live in Inman as well nearby and have never heard a call to prayer similar to if you are in a Middle East country. You just see folks filing in during prayer times (especially during Fajr and Isha) and do not disturb anyone in the area.

[Bob Lanata]

after reading this post, I could not help think about the bells that some churchs chime. That would keep me up if I had to sleep during those hours

[professeurpablo]

I have friends who live nearby and am frequently in the area between Inman and Central Squares. Not once have I heard the call to prayer, so I suspect you'd be fine there. Prospect and Hampshire Streets are quite busy and are part of a couple of bus routes, so that would be the main noise you'd be contending with there.

[goyguy]

Additional note to the OP: A large new residential/commercial building some five stories high is being constructed at the southeast corner of the Prospect/Hampshire intersection. Its walls and roof are in place but there's bound to be a good bit of noise still generated until the structure's complete. Contractors do tend to be good about abiding by the ordinance dictating no work before 7 AM. But if you're not normally awake by then you will be.

[PK12]

Loll.

Calls to prayer do not happen anywhere in the U.S. MAYBE in Dearborn Michigan, but I even doubt that.

[Niandra]

I think church bells are more annoying. I live nearby in Cambridge and have never had any noise issues with the mosque.

My old roommate is Muslim (from France) and prayed 5x a day and never bothered anyone.