BBC Radio Broadcasts Azaan (Call to Prayer) For The First Time

Staff Desk

April 9, 2020

Muslims living in the United Kingdom will now be able to listen to Friday prayers live on BBC Radio for the first time ever in UK history.

A number of Imam lead the special 5:50 am broadcast on 14 BBC radio local station every week, in that, they will recite the verses from the Holy Quran and Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad PBUH, before leading listeners in prayer and delivering the sermons.

The broadcast will include all the stations that are being broadcasted in the areas where large Muslim communities live. The localities included;

London
Berkshire
Merseyside
Warwickshire
Conventry
Nottingham
Derby
Stoke
Leicester
West Midlands
Manchester
Lancashire
Sheffiled
Leeds

The head of BBC Local Radio, Chris Burns said that the BBC Radio (Local) is all about keeping communities connected an hoping that weekly religious reflections will help Muslims feel a part of the community as they’re being quarantined.

The mosques in the United Kingdom have closed since 23rd March 2020 to stop the spread of coronavirus. BBC Local Radio is also broadcasting Christian services on Sundays to its’ national and local stations.

The Jummah Prayer broadcast which had begun last Friday will continue until the lockdown has been lifted and until Muslims start going to their local mosques to pray.

BBC also planned the regular broadcasts for the Hindu and Jewish communities, Chris Burns said. In a recent TV appearance of the British Queen Elizabeth, also praised the efforts of the people from all religious communities for stepping forward to stop the spread of COVID-19.