Muslim cleric questions Sonu Nigam's `motive` for rant on azaan

New Delhi [India], Apr 17 (ANI): Muslim cleric Sayeed Mufti Mukarram on Monday condemned Sonu Nigam's rant against 'azaan', saying the singer wants to attract media attention and that's why he is making such 'objectionable' comments. Seemingly annoyed by the sound of 'azaan', Sonu tagged it as "forced religiousness" and wrote, "God bless everyone. I'm not a Muslim and I have to be woken up by the Azaan in the morning. When will this forced religiousness end in India." When asked about Sonu's unnecessary comment on 'Azaan', Mufti told ANI, "I strongly condemn his words. The azaan has been done this way since last 40-50 years. Either he wants to be highlighted by this matter or maybe he has some other motive. I feel, without any reason he is making the issue of azaan objectionable." Continuing, "Azaan starts at dawn. Thousands of people at that time had already gone to morning walk. Whenever azaan happens, it is time to get up and not to sleep. We do not give azaan at midnight. So if azaan happens at morning, I don't think there should be any problem regarding this." He also feels that Muslims use "slow volume" while doing azaan and shared that in Islam Prophet has said to take care of their neighbours. "Our prophet says that we should take care of our neighbours, so if we play loud speakers in slow volume that does not mean we are doing hooliganism or we want to wake up everyone. I feel that every religion should play loud speakers in slow volume, so that it doesn't affect anyone," he said. Taking a dig at singer's 'there was no electricity during the time of Prophet' remark, he said that "There was neither any film industry at that time too nor singers. So we are making a use of modern technology." Mufti concludes by appealing to all the religious places that they should play loud speakers with slow volume. (ANI)