“Sacred Noise”: The Case of the Ezan in Ljubljana

Abstract

This paper considers the situation in which the anticipation of a new sound in public space gives rise to political, social, and ideological debates. It demonstrates how the religious sound of ezan (the Muslim call to prayer) caused public discomfort even prior to becoming a part of Ljubljana’s soundscape, how power politics affected society and its religious sphere, and what kind of discourses take place in regard to the sounds associated with the Muslims in Slovenia.

Keywords

• religious sounds
• ezan
• bell ringing
• power relations
• muslims
• ljubljana