Jammer keeps cell phones silent in Srinagar mosque

A mosque here has been using electronic jamming equipment to ensure that cell phones carried by devotees do not ring during prayers and cause disturbance to the congregation.

Masjid-e-Bilal, situated on the fashionable Bund banks of Jhelum River in Srinagar and adjacent to Residency Road, has installed a jammer to ensure that cell phones do not ring during prayers.

"Despite repeated requests, devotees would often forget to switch off their phones during prayers. This would result in disturbance of prayers which Islam forbids.

"Sometimes Bollywood songs set as ring tones would start in the midst of Nimaz and that would embarrass the entire congregation," said Molvi Ajaz Ahmad, the Imam of the mosque.

He said the jamming equipment was installed by the mosque management nearly two years ago.

"We have ensured that the range of the jammer is confined to the mosque so that it does not interfere with pedestrians carrying cell phones outside the mosque," the Imam said.

He said the Muezzin of the mosque switches on both the jamming equipment and the mosque loudspeaker before calling devotees to prayers five times during the day.

"The moment the prayers are over, we switch off both the jamming equipment and the loudspeaker," the Imam said.

Those who offer regular prayers at the mosque have expressed happiness at the mosque management's decision to install the jammer.

"We have since been praying peacefully without any disturbance caused by unwanted ringing of the cell phones," said Gulam Nabi, 48, who works at a hotel outside the mosque.