In a shock to Muslim students, Duke University has reversed its decision to allow the Muslim call to prayer or Adhan in campus, bowing to pressures from Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham.

Plans changed because the Durham, North Carolina, school's effort to "unify was not having the intended effect," Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations, said in a statement cited by the CNN on Thursday, January 15.

"Duke remains committed to fostering an inclusive, tolerant and welcoming campus for all of its students," Schoenfeld said.
The decision to raise adhan from the Duke Chapel bell tower was announced in a statement by the university officials on Tuesday.

The Adhan is the call to announce that it is time for a particular obligatory Salah (ritual prayer).

The Adhan is raised five times a day and usually lasts about three minutes.

Estimates put the number of Muslim students at Duke university at more than 700, out of Duke's 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

Now, with the reversed decision, members of the Muslim community will have to gather on the quadrangle outside the Chapel, a site of frequent interfaith programs and activities. 
Our Muslim community enriches the university in countless ways," said Schoenfeld.
"We welcome the active expression of their faith tradition, and all others, in ways that are meaningful and visible."

Though the reasons behind reversing the decision remained unclear, many blamed Graham who called on donors to withhold support over the plan to allow the adnan.

“I am glad to hear that Duke University reversed its decision to allow the Muslim call to prayer to be broadcast from its chapel bell tower. They made the right decision!,” he tweeted on Thursday.

Others expressed their disappointment in Duke, saying it caved to political correctness.

“@interfaithNancy Duke caved in to political correctness from whiny Christians who don't even go there, terrible,” @TheTruthGuy۲۳ tweeted.

The United States is home to a Muslim minority of between six to eight million.

A recent survey found that American Muslims are the most moderate around the world.

It also showed that US Muslims generally express strong commitment to their faith and tend not to see an inherent conflict between being devout and living in a modern society.