German tourists sue over vacation "ruined by Islamic prayer call"

ISTANBUL, Turkey - A German couple have had their legal attempt to get a refund from a travel agent in Hannover after they complained that their €2,258 all-inclusive holiday to Turkey's Aegean resort of Doganbey was ruined by the Islamic call to prayer.

The couple complained that the call to prayer which was recited from a nearby mosque on a loudspeaker every morning at 6am disturbed their sleep, as well as complaining that the call was repeated five times a day every day in accordance with Islamic custom.

The Hannover district court dismissed the case on April 11th and published its statement on Tuesday, saying "The call to prayer is customary in Turkey and is comparable with church bells in a Christian country."

The call to prayer, otherwise known as the Adhan, is recited from mosques in Muslim countries to notify worshippers that a new prayer time period has set in and that congregational prayers are about to start.

Full story: http://www.eturbonews.com/45050/german-tourists-sue-over-vacation-ruined-islamic-prayer-call

-- eTN 2014-04-25

Prayer call at 6 a.m. They were lucky , it is sometimes 4 a.m. here in Saudi

Where in the Quran is it stated that the call to prayer must be broadcast over loudspeakers so often.

I lived in the Middle East for quite a while. The only time I ever overslept was when the loudspeaker broke one morning.

I wonder why people go to a Muslim country if you don't like the call to prayer? I wouldn't go to the Vatican if the sound of church bells bothered me.

Ignorant tourists. If they did their homework properly they would have known what to expect. In my experience of German tourists they expect to be treated as special people instead of the same as others. The old 'Germanic Superiority Complex' it seems.

In case I oversleep, I get woken up about 5.00-5.30 by the birdsong and then the dawn sunlight, but I'm not complaining and wouldn't know who to sue.

.... only revenge is to turn the arrow on the hotel room celiing to point to San Francisco or Tel Aviv.

Moved into an apartment in Dubai 10 yrs ago, there was a large mosque behind it (which at the time did not know it was there upon viewing the apartment )

When i moved in, the next morning the prayers started. After a while i got used to it and can quite honestly say i'm either going deaf or just did not hear it anymore.

This couple seem to be a little silly, If you goto an Islamic country this is one thing you will encounter. Its like me going into KFC and ordering a meal, then getting legal advice as im ellergic to chicken... Duh...

They were looking for some quick and easy cash. Knuckle heads.

Before I moved here for good, I stayed at an inn here in Bangkok, next to a mosque, and I never found it disturbing. In fact, I found it pleasant, soothing...

Have the same thing here in my area of Bangkok, very loud wailing throughout the day and night . . . why is it necessary to broadcast it over loudspeakers? Don't people have watches?

The thing about mosques (and most places of worship in fact) is that they are not exactly subtle buildings. I remember spending a night in Margoa with the neighbouring temples lights turning night into day through the curtains. All we did was stay somewhere else the next night. Good thing about hotels....there's always another one!

If you don't like it don't visit a Muslim country. We have to deal with this 2-3 times a week living in the countryside when they start playing that tacky music(No not the Thai anthem that is actually pretty good) over the loud speakers. Nothing says awesome like 6:30am adverts for the locals Wats big party. They last 10-45 minutes and its ear shattering because all the dogs in the neighborhood start barking. My friends house is actually humorous the neighbors dog barks at 8am and 6pm(National anthem) every day its like having a dog clock.

Ignorant tourists. If they did their homework properly they would have known what to expect. In my experience of German tourists they expect to be treated as special people instead of the same as others. The old 'Germanic Superiority Complex' it seems.

It's nothing about superiority, it's about cashback options.

In Europe you have quite high options of getting significant amounts refunded if you can proove "ruining factors" for your vacations.

Even in Germany the mosques broadcast by loudspeaker as do some modernized churches. Same same.

Bye,

Derk

Have the same thing here in my area of Bangkok, very loud wailing throughout the day and night . . . why is it necessary to broadcast it over loudspeakers? Don't people have watches?

True. We live right next door to a mosque in Phra Khanong and have become accustomed to the daily 5am 'department store announcement chime'' followed by the prayer call (don't even really notice that anymore), however yesterday this was followed by what appeared to be call training for young boys ... over the loudspeaker. Went out at lunchtime and it was still going on when we got back at 7pm.

Before I moved here for good, I stayed at an inn here in Bangkok, next to a mosque, and I never found it disturbing. In fact, I found it pleasant, soothing...

Are you tone deaf?

it's the most horrid wailing I've ever heard.

Where in the Quran is it stated that the call to prayer must be broadcast over loudspeakers so often.

The same chapter that says Muslim women must wear veils.

.... only revenge is to turn the arrow on the hotel room celiing to point to San Francisco or Tel Aviv.

Common practise in the Middle East, so much so that part of the room make up procedure is for housekeeping to check it and realign it. The usual trick is to rotate it 180 degrees so that they are pointing their arse towards Mecca.

I am Buddhist but we learn to respect other religions, it's beauty to have really understand the local culture as the 5 times a day call Muslim for prayers it started in an African slave during Muhamed time his voice was so wonderful during that time have no speaker and loud enough for whole village listen his prayers.

Those Germans are indeed idiots.

This call to prayer was introduced during a time in history that Muslim people had no watches or loudspeakers and lived in small communities.

However I have absolutely no problem that the Muslims try still to follow this instruction despite the fact we live in a time that everybody has alarm clocks...but I must admit that it can be for me very stressful if I stay a in hotel room facing a minaret where from 4 a.m. to 05.30 a.m. the sound blasts at more than 100 Decibel (measured by an instrument of a Muslim friend who was shaking his head)

There is no need for such high level noise as there are at short distance other (competing?) mosques.

Lesson : I choose now my hotel and room taking into account this "risk"

I read this and had to laugh.

Istanbul is one of my favorite cities in the world. When I visit there, I stay in Sultanahmet in the old city. It is a very traditional neighborhood. Within a short distance of where I stay, there are three mosques. Every morning the muezzin do the call to prayer. It gets me up and moving early so I see more of the city.

One thing that I find interesting is that most mosques use recordings these days. Like any other recordings, some are better than others. Only one of the mosques has what I would call a good recording. And, of course, there is the little matter of starting time. Each of the three mosques must have a clock that is just a bit off from the other two. The first mosque starts and then 10 or 15 seconds later the second starts and finally the third one chimes in a few seconds later. It makes for an interesting cacophony. Luckily, it only lasts a few minutes and the place would not be the same without it.

To our German traveler friends, I would say enjoy the diversity of the world or stay home in your own safe little cocoon. That way, the world will not bother you and you will not bother those of us that love the differences we find on the road.

David

It is of course a problem with all preaching religions. In order to attract more souls it needs to be heard. I do not think I saw anywhere in the Qúaran it needs to be done as loud as possible and on loudspeakers, though. Mind you, the village head in Thailand can also be a pain.... Come to think of it, for that money they could have had a great trip to Thailand, Laos or Myanmar.

Anyone that visits a Muslim country for a holiday or to live is a nutter, steer well clear of those countries

As for the decision what <deleted> Christian Churches ring their Bells 1 DAY A WEEK on Sunday Morning not 5 TIMES A DAY EVERY DAY

Serves themselves right for going to a Muslim country I say.

Have the same thing here in my area of Bangkok, very loud wailing throughout the day and night . . . why is it necessary to broadcast it over loudspeakers? Don't people have watches?

True. We live right next door to a mosque in Phra Khanong and have become accustomed to the daily 5am 'department store announcement chime'' followed by the prayer call (don't even really notice that anymore), however yesterday this was followed by what appeared to be call training for young boys ... over the loudspeaker. Went out at lunchtime and it was still going on when we got back at 7pm.

Exactly the same in Indonesia, where the young guys take turns in hollering down the mike.

I did find that the mosque next to our house responded nicely when I donated some large goats who were to be carved up for the poor. (IdalAdah)

A few weeks later I had no money available when the weekly door knocker for the 'orphanage' appeared. Next morning about 5am, it was full blast once again.

.... only revenge is to turn the arrow on the hotel room celiing to point to San Francisco or Tel Aviv.

Common practise in the Middle East, so much so that part of the room make up procedure is for housekeeping to check it and realign it. The usual trick is to rotate it 180 degrees so that they are pointing their arse towards Mecca.

"common practice" in hotels catering for Muslims is that the "qibla" is fixed and can't be turned. that's my experience based on a dozen years in the Middle East.

next intelligent remark please!

Hopefully Thai govt will continue keeping those bloody muslims in check, and we won't be waking up from deranged howling in 6am.

Have the same thing here in my area of Bangkok, very loud wailing throughout the day and night . . . why is it necessary to broadcast it over loudspeakers? Don't people have watches?

Not to disrespect Muslims, but why do they need constant reminders to pray?

Ignorant tourists. If they did their homework properly they would have known what to expect. In my experience of German tourists they expect to be treated as special people instead of the same as others. The old 'Germanic Superiority Complex' it seems.

Rubbish,can't leave it alone can you. I noticed in a German newspaper some 10 years ago where German families asked for advice where they could go on holiday where there weren't any Brits as they were generally obnoxious and drunk so it works both ways.

The morning and evening prayers are tied to sunup and sundown. They change daily as the seasons change.

That is one reason for the call to prayer.

Ignorant tourists. If they did their homework properly they would have known what to expect. In my experience of German tourists they expect to be treated as special people instead of the same as others. The old 'Germanic Superiority Complex' it seems.

Rubbish,can't leave it alone can you. I noticed in a German newspaper some 10 years ago where German families asked for advice where they could go on holiday where there weren't any Brits as they were generally obnoxious and drunk so it works both ways.

The last time I was in the UK, I didn't see many traditionally British looking people. Maybe they should be advised to go to London!