The Adhan (Arabic: أَذَان), also spelled Azān, is the Islamic call to prayer, recited to announce the beginning of the time for the obligatory daily prayers. It is performed by a Muezzin from a mosque's minaret, although it may also be recited elsewhere. The adhan is recited five times a day, corresponding to the five obligatory prayers: Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha. The adhan has historically been one of the most recognizable features of Muslim religious life and is commonly heard from mosques around the world.
The wording of the adhan differs in some respects between Sunni and Shia traditions. In Shia Islam, the phrase meaning “Come to the best of deeds” is included in the adhan, while it is not part of the Sunni formulation. In Sunni Islam, the fajr adhan includes the phrase “Prayer is better than sleep,” which is not included in the Shia formulation. Shia Muslims traditionally recite declarations affirming Ali. However, they generally do not consider this phrase to be an obligatory part of the adhan, but rather recommended and commendable. The fundamental elements of the adhan, including the proclamation of God's greatness, His oneness, and Muhammad's prophethood, are shared by both branches.
Etymology , Arabic for "announcement", from the root , meaning: "to listen, to hear, be informed about", is variously transliterated in different cultures. It is commonly written as athan, as well as in French; in Iran and parts of South Asia (in Persian, Pashto, Balochi, Hindi, Bengali, Urdu, and Punjabi); or in Southeast Asia (Indonesian and Malaysian); and in Turkish, Bosnian, and Serbo-Croatian Latin ( in Serbo-Croatian Cyrillic and Bulgarian); and in Albanian. Muslims in many parts of South Asia, including the Malabar Coast of India and the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, use the Persian term () for the call to public prayer. Another derivative of the word is (), meaning 'ear'.
Announcer
A muezzin () is a person designated by a congregation to recite the from its mosque. Typically, the call is made using a microphone and a recitation that is subsequently broadcast to the speakers, usually mounted on the upper part of the mosque's minarets, thus calling those nearby to prayer. However, in many mosques, the message can also be recorded. As Islamic prayers are recited at least five times daily, the call to prayer must be recited at least five times daily, as well. Thus, the would be made by replaying a previously recorded call to prayer without the presence of a muezzin.
This way, the mosque operator can edit or mix the message and adjust its volume, without having to hire a full-time muezzin, or in the event of a muezzin's absence. This is why, in many Muslim countries, the sound of the prayer call can be identical between one mosque and another, as well as between one Salah hour and another, as is the case at the London Central Mosque. In the event of religious holidays like Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha—as in Indonesia, where the Six Kalmas ('phrases') have to be recited aloud all day long—mosque operators use this recording method to create a looping recital of the s. Where no can be heard, it is recommended that religious Muslims recite it before they begin their prayers.
The muezzin is chosen for his ability in reciting the clearly, melodically, and loudly enough for all people to hear. This is one of the important duties in the mosque, as his companions and community rely on him in his call for Muslims to come to pray in congregation. The congregation's Imam leads its prayer five times daily. The first muezzin was Bilal ibn Rabah, a freed slave of Abyssinian heritage.William Muir, The Life of Mohammad from Original Sources, reprinted by Adamant Media Ludwig W. Adamec (2009), Historical Dictionary of Islam, p.68. Scarecrow Press. . Quote: "Bilal, ..., was the first mu'azzin." According to the , the muezzin should have an elegant voice, as well, and should be wise about the times of prayer and Islam.
The most famous muezzins in Islamic history are Bilal ibn Rabah, who is widely regarded as the first and most famous muezzin; and Ibn Umm Maktum, a muezzin of Muhammad. In the modern era, notable muezzins include Ali Ahmed Mulla of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, and Rahim Moazenzadeh Ardabili, known as the Bilal of Iran. His adhan is known as “Ruh al-Arwah” (“Spirit of Spirits”) because of its deeply spiritual, moving, and emotional quality. It gradually became the most recognizable adhan in Shia Islam and especially in Iran, where almost everyone are familiar with his beautiful adhan and is still widely broadcast today. Recorded in 1955 while fasting during Ramadan, his adhan has been officially added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, and is also registered as Iran's national List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is the first ever adhan to be included in UNESCO.
Words +What is recited and how many timesRecitalArabicRomanizationTranslationSunniShia2xٱللَّٰهُ أَكْبَرُallāhu akbarGod is the greatest2xأَشْهَدُ أَن لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُashhadu an lā ilāha illa llāhI testify there is no god except Allah2xأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ ٱللَّٰهِashhadu anna muḥammadan rasūlu llāhI testify Muhammad is the messenger of AllahNone2xأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ عَلِيًّا وَلِيُّ ٱللَّٰهِashhadu anna ʿaliyyan waliyyu llāhI testify that Ali is the friend of GodNone2xأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ عَلِيًّا حُجَّةُ ٱللَّٰهِashhadu anna ʿaliyyan ḥujjatu llāhI testify that Ali is the proof of God2xحَيَّ عَلَى ٱلصَّلَاةِḥayya ʿala ṣ-ṣalāhCome to prayer2xحَيَّ عَلَى ٱلْفَلَاحِḥayya ʿala l-falāḥCome to successNone2xحَيَّ عَلَىٰ خَيْرِ ٱلْعَمَلِḥayya ʿalā khayri l-ʿamalCome to the best of deeds2xNoneٱلصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ ٱلنَّوْمِaṣ-ṣalātu khayrun mina n-nawmPrayer is better than sleep2xٱللَّٰهُ أَكْبَرُallāhu akbarGod is the greatest1xلَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُlā ilāha illā llāhThere is no god except Allah The phrase “Ashhadu anna ʿAliyyan waliyyu Allah” (“I bear witness that Ali is the Wali of God”) or “Ashhadu anna ʿAliyyan hujjatu Allah” (“I bear witness that Ali is the proof of God”), which is recited only by Shia Muslims after “Ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasulu Allah”, is not considered part of the adhan or iqama. Its recitation is therefore not obligatory, although it is regarded as recommended and commendable. Some Shia Muslims occasionally add other phrases, such as “Ashhadu anna mawlana Amir al-Mu'minin ʿAliyyan wa abna'ahu al-maʿsumin hujaju Allah”, meaning, “I bear witness that our master, the Commander of the Faithful Ali, and his infallible sons are the proofs of God [on Earth].”
The phrase “Al-salatu khayrun min al-nawm”, meaning “Prayer is better than sleep,” is recited only by Sunnis during the Fajr adhan. According to some Sunni sources, the phrase was added to the adhan on the instruction of Umar after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The phrase “Hayya ʿala khayr al-ʿamal”, meaning “Come to the best of deeds,” is recited only by Shias. According to Shia sources, it was removed from the Sunni adhan by Umar after the death of Muhammad. Shia tradition holds that Muhammad himself recited the adhan for all obligatory prayers before the Hijra.
Religious views Shia
Shia sources state Muhammad, according to God's command, ordered the adhan as a means of calling Muslims to prayer. Shia Islam teaches that no one else contributed, or had any authority to contribute, towards the composition of the adhan.Quran : Surah Sajda: Ayah 24-25
Shia sources also narrate that Bilal ibn Rabah al-Habashi was, in fact, the first person to recite the adhan publicly out loud in front of the Muslim congregation.
The fundamental phrase lā ʾilāha ʾillā llāh is the foundation stone of Islam along with the belief in it. It declares that "there is no god but Allah". This is the confession of Tawhid or the "doctrine of Oneness [of God]".
The phrase Muḥammadun rasūlu -llāh fulfills the requirement that there should be someone to guide in the name of God, which states Muhammad is God's Messenger. This is the acceptance of prophethood or Nabuwat of Muhammad.
According to the Shia belief, Muhammad declared Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor, at Ghadir Khumm, which was required for the continuation of his guidance. According to the hadith of the pond of Khumm, Muhammad stated that: "Of whomsoever I am the authority, Ali is his authority". Hence, it is recommended to recite the phrase ʿalīyun walī -llāh ("Ali is His [God's] Authority").
In one of the Qiblah of Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah (1035–1094) of Fatemi era masjid of Qahira (Mosque of Ibn Tulun) engraved his name and kalimat ash-shahādah as lā ʾilāha ʾillā -llāh, muḥammadun rasūlu -llāh, ʿalīyun walīyu -llāh ().
Adhan reminds Muslims of these three Islamic teaching Tawhid, Nabuwat and Imamate before each prayer. These three emphasise devotion to God, Muhammad and Imam, which are considered to be so linked together that they can not be viewed separately; one leads to other and finally to God.
The phrase is optional to some Shia as justified above. They feel that Ali's Walayah ("Divine Authority") is self-evident, a testification and need not be declared. However, the greatness of God is also taken to be self-evident, but Muslims still declare Allāhu ʾakbar to publicize their faith. This is the reason that the most Shia give for the recitation of the phrase regarding Ali.
Sunni Sunnis believe that the adhan was not written or said by the Islamic prophet, Muhammad, but rather by one of his companions. Abdullah ibn Zayd, a companion of Muhammad, reportedly had a vision in his dream, in which the adhan was revealed to him by God. He related this to his companions; later, this news reached Muhammad, who confirmed it. Because of his stunning voice, Muhammad chose a freed Habeshan slave by the name of Bilal ibn Rabah al-Habashi to make the call for prayers. Muhammad preferred the call over the use of bells, used by Christians, and horns, used by Jews.Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Arabic) Chapter of Fitan, 2:45 (India) and 4:501 Tradition # 2225 (Egypt); Hadith #2149 (numbering of al-'Alamiyyah)
During the Friday prayer (Salat al-Jum'ah), there is one adhan but some Sunni Muslims increase it to two adhans; the first is to call the people to the mosque, the second is said before the imam begins the khutbah (sermon). Just before the prayers start, someone amongst the praying people recites the iqama as in all prayers. The basis for this is that at the time of the caliph Uthman he ordered two adhans to be made, the first of which was to be made in the marketplace to inform the people that the Friday prayer was soon to begin, and the second adhan would be the regular one held in the mosque. Not all Sunnis prefer two adhans as the need for warning the people of the impending time for prayer is no longer essential now that the times for prayers are well known.
Supplication Shia While listening to the adhan, it is recommended to repeat the same words silently, except when the adhan reciter (muezzin) says: "" and "" (ʾašhadu ʾan lā ʾilāha ʾillā -llāh and ʾašhadu ʾanna Muḥammadan rasūlu -llāh) they silently say:
Whenever Muhammad's name is mentioned in the adhan or iqama, it is recommended to recite salawat, a form of the peace be upon him blessing specifically for Muhammad. This salawat is usually recited as either (), (), or ().
Immediately following the adhan, it is recommended to sit and recite the following dua (supplication):
Sunni