All about Adhaan, the Call to Prayer (Part 1)

أذان  Adhaan (Azaan) translated as ‘Prayer Call’ or ‘Call to Prayer’ originates from the Arabic root أذن adhina which means “to listen, to allow, to permit, to hear, to learn, to call, to announce, to make known, to inform, to notify, to call to prayer, to exhort, to urge, to herald”.

Adhaan is the perpetual International Anthem of Muslims. It is also Islam’s official Broadcasting Channel. Adhaan is in fact the Global Announcement of Muslims – the Proclamation of the oneness of Almighty Lord –  echoed throughout the world via hundreds and thousands of minarets spread across every nook and corner of Planet Earth – not once but five times in a day.

Going beyond the popular cliche 24-7, I can say that the Muslim Prayer Call, Adhaan, is much more than any Live Feed, Live Streaming!

If you are interested in having a glimpse of the miracle called Adhaan, please read on this amazing discovery.

I would like to break this post into different points for the convenience of reading, and presentation.

1. What is the Text of the Adhaan?

The Text of the Adhaan, the Muslim Prayer Call is as follows:

2. What is the proof that the phrases of the Adhaan must be repeated twice?

According to authentic hadeeth, Bilal (radhiyallahu anhu) was commanded by the Holy Prophet sal-lal-laahu-alaihi-wa-sallam to repeat the phrases twice in Adhaan, and once in lqamah. (Read the Arabic Text of this hadeeth here)

3. Meaning of Adhaan:

Allah is Great. Allah is Great.

Allah is Great. Allah is Great.

I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship and slavery except Allah.

I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship and slavery except Allah.

I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Rush towards Salah. Hasten towards Salah.

Rush towards Success. Come Fast to have success.

Allah is Great. Allah is Great.

There is none worthy of worship and slavery except Allah.

4. There is an interesting connection between Adhaan and human ear: 

* One meaning of Adhaan, as mentioned earlier, is hearing. And the organ of hearing is ear.

The Arabic word for ear, Uzun أٌذٌن comes from the same root as أذان Subhanallah!

If you have ears (uzunain, dual for uzun) listen and respond to the Prayer Call (adhaan).

Responding to the call of Prayer gives meaning to one having ears!

How many of us do bother to listen attentively let alone respond to the call?

Sometimes we get this feeling: Man, you have ears and the hearing capacity and yet you are deaf!

* Islam encourages Muslims to call out the Adhaan in the ear of the new born child. It is the established Sunnah.

When Fatimah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, gave birth to Hassan ibn Ali, the Prophet Muhammad, sal-lal-laahu-alaihi-wa-sallam, in the capacity of grandfather uttered the Adhaan in the ear of this new born child. Find the hadeeth here

The first thing that a new born hears after coming into this world is the Adhaan, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar…Allah is Great, Allah is Great….

Adhaan is Islam’s Red Carpet rolled out for the new born!

There cannot be any better welcome ceremony for the new born human being in this world!

* Human ear likes to hear good, beautiful and relaxing tones. Adhaan turns out to be a soothing balm to a Muslim during the day’s hectic work. The more beautifully it is said, the more refreshing the experience one becomes.

You need to have a listening ear, an attentive mind and a responding heart to understand the miracle in Adhaan.

5. Why Adhaan is in Arabic and why can’t it be in different languages?

* Arabic is the official language of Islam as it was the language of the Prophet Muhammad sal-lal-laahu-alaihi-wa-sallam and it is the language of the Qur’an and hadeeth.

* Arabic language unites Muslims on a global level. If Adhaan is permitted to be called out in different native languages, then it would cease to be the international anthem of Muslims. It would lose its sheen and shine. It would become meaningless, a mere shout in local language!

A Muslim traveler to a foreign country never feels that he is a stranger in that land whenever he hears the Adhaan. Ah…this is the same call I used to hear in my hometown! You are a part of a global Islamic brotherhood connected with faith, not with any ethnicity.

6. A little discussion on the wordings of Adhaan would be meaningful here:

* Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar…..Every time you hear this, your free yourself from the pitfalls of ego and egoistic feeling. You are not great nor your boss is! Allah is Great. That’s it.

You hear the Adhaan and remind yourself that responding to Salah and worshipping Allah who is the Lord of the world, is the most important part of your daily activity.

* Ash-hadu Al-laa ilaaaha il-lal-laah….. You give the proof and bear witness that none is worthy of worship, obedience and slavery except Allah.

You refresh your spirituality by affirming the greatest fact of life through listening and repeating the greatest Zikr of all times.

* Ash-hadu Anna Muhammadar Rasoolul-laah……You give the proof and bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

You accept the prophethood of Muhammad sal-lal-laahu-alaihi-wa-sallam and declare that you belong to the global community of Muslims. You are a part of the global fellowship of Islamic brotherhood.

* Hayya Alas-Salaah….. Rush towards Prayer.You tell yourself that you need to take a break and rush towards the masjid (if it is possible) and offer Salah at its appointed time.

You remind yourself that offering Salah is your priority, and that all other works are of secondary nature.

* Hayya Alal Falaah…… Rush towards Success. You tell yourself that success is beckoning you. Now you need to grab the opportunity.

You remind yourself that real and true success comes only through Salah. And Salah is the key to success both in this world and in the Hereafter.

You temporarily stop yourself from doing other activities in order to qualify yourself towards achieving that amazing success.

* Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar…. Am I ready to accept that Allah is Great by intending to proceed towards offering Salah?

* Laa ilaaha il-lal-laah….. That undoubtedly Allah is the One True Lord Almighty but where do I stand?

I perform Salah by responding to the Prayer Call. I accept that there is none worthy of worship except Allah.

or I give a damn care to this Adhaan. I give in to temptations and start following the Satan.

* As-Salaatu Khairum Mi-nan-naum…… Prayer is better than sleep. Prayer is better than sleep.

During Fajr Adhaan, the Mu’ezzin says this and you are snoring. Satan is happy.

Your attitude says the opposite: Sleep is better than prayer!!

7. We all must pay attention to the following hadeeth:

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (Sal-lal-laahu-alaihi-wa-sallam) said:

“Were people to know:

* the blessing of pronouncing Adhaan (Prayer Call) and standing in the first row, they would even draw lots to secure these privileges.

* And were they to realize the reward of performing Salat early, they would race for it;

* and were they to know the merits of Salat after nightfall (‘Isha’) and the dawn (Fajr) Salat, they would come to them even if they had to crawl.”  (Read the Arabic Text of Hadeeth No. 1033 here)

………Continue Reading Part 2 Inshaa’Allah.

Sal-lal-laahu ‘Ala Muhammad, Sal-lal-laahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam.