Denmark is pushing toward a nationwide ban on the Islamic call to prayer, with the country’s immigration minister warning that some neighborhoods should not sound like “a suburb of Islamabad.”
Immigration Minister Morten Bødskov announced that the government will reopen a review into whether the Muslim call to prayer can be legally prohibited across the country while still complying with Denmark’s constitutional religious freedom protections.
The Social Democrat minister argued that creeping “Islamisation” is claiming too much public space. “The call to prayer should not be heard over Danish rooftops,” Bødskov told Danish news agency Ritzau. “It has no place in Denmark, and you shouldn’t be in any doubt whether you’ve ended up in a suburb of Islamabad when you walk around Denmark.”
The Adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, is traditionally broadcast five times a day to summon Muslims to mosques, typically through loudspeakers mounted on minarets.
As originally reported, this marks the third attempt by a Danish immigration minister to create a legal framework banning the practice, following similar efforts in 2020 and 2025. Some areas of Denmark already have restrictions in place. In Copenhagen, local noise regulations effectively prevent mosques from broadcasting the Adhan outdoors through loudspeakers.
The new investigation will examine whether a national ban can be implemented without violating Denmark’s constitutional protections for religious worship, a hurdle that has complicated previous attempts.
The proposal fits neatly within Denmark’s broader immigration posture. Under Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, the country has pursued some of Europe’s strictest immigration policies. The controversial “ghetto” laws, for instance, allow authorities to force migrants to relocate from neighborhoods deemed to have too high a concentration of foreign residents. Asylum seekers may also be required to surrender valuables to help offset the cost of their accommodation.
During the 2015 migrant crisis, Denmark accepted far fewer asylum seekers than many of its European neighbors, signaling an approach that has only hardened since.
Legal challenges are widely expected if a nationwide ban moves forward. Denmark’s constitution protects public worship, though the country already restricts anti-democratic preaching and support for banned organizations. Navigating that legal tension will be the central challenge for any legislation that follows.