Adhan
The is the Islamic call to prayer, usually recited by a muezzin, traditionally from the minaret of a mosque, shortly before each of the five obligatory daily prayers.
File:Eid al-Fitr Fajr azan at Malmö Mosque - 19 August 2012.webm|thumb|Fajr adhan at the Malmö Mosque in Sweden, 2012|300x300px
It is the first call summoning Muslims to enter the mosque for obligatory prayers ; a second call, known as the, summons those already in the mosque to assemble for prayer. Muslims are encouraged to stop their activities and respond to the adhan by performing prescribed prayers, demonstrating reverence for the call to prayer and commitment to their faith.
The five prayer times are known in Arabic as , , , , and .
In Turkey, they are called sabah, öğle, ikindi, akşam, and yatsı; the five calls to prayer are sung in different makams, corresponding to the time of day. In fridays, the dhuhr is called the Jummah prayer or friday prayer. It is considered the most important prayer of Islam. In Turkey, Jummah is called cuma namazı.
Terminology
, 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, or adhane, azān in Iran and parts of South Asia, adzan in Southeast Asia, and ezan in Turkish, Bosnian and Serbo-Croatian Latin. 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 بانگ,, for the call to public prayer.
Another derivative of the word is , meaning 'ear'.
Announcer
The muezzin is the person who recites the adhan from the mosque. Typically in modern times, this is done using a microphone: a recitation that is consequently broadcast to the speakers usually mounted on the higher part of the mosque's minarets, thus calling those nearby to prayer. However, in many mosques, the message can also be recorded. This is due to the fact that the "call to prayer" has to be done loudly and at least five times a day. This is usually done by replaying previously recorded "call to prayer" without the presence of a muezzin. This way, the mosque operator has the ability to edit or mix the message and adjust the volume of the message while also not having to hire a full-time muezzin or in case of the absence of a muezzin. This is why in many Muslim countries, the sound of the prayer call can be exactly identical between one mosque and another, as well as between one Salah hour and another, as is the case for the London Central Mosque. In the event of a religious holidays like Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, for example in Indonesia, where the Kalimah has to be recited out loud all day long, mosque operators use this recording method to create a looping recital of the Kalimah. Where no adhan can be heard, then it is recommended that practitioners recite it before they begin their prayers.The muezzin is chosen for his ability in reciting the adhan 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 Imam leads the prayer five times a day. The first muezzin in Islam was Bilal ibn Rabah, a freed slave of Abyssinian heritage. According to Mawsuʿah al-Fiqhiyah, the muezzin should have an elegant voice too, and should be wise about the times of prayer and Islam.
Words
Repeating the two testimonies of faith is recommended according to the Shafi'i school. The first time should be said in low voice to oneself, and the second should be called out; this was the practice of the people of Mecca. The Maliki school uses the same adhan, except allāhu akbar should only be said twice in the beginning; this was the practice of the people of Medina. Both positions also use a narration in Sahih Muslim as evidence.On rare situations where there is a serious danger to people going outside to congregate in mosques like heavy weather, or pandemics like COVID-19, the muezzin may say "ṣallū fī buyūtikum" or "ṣallū fī riḥālikum" after "ḥayya ʿala ṣ-ṣalāh" and "ḥayya ʿala l-falāḥ".
Religious views
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.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 ".
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.
File:Kalema at Bab al Nasr, Fatimid Cairo.jpg|thumb|right|photo of kalima at Bab al-Nasr of Shia Fatimid dynasty of Cairo with phrase ʿalīyun walīyu -llāh
File:Kalema-tut-shahadat.jpg|thumb|The qiblah of Mustansir of Shia Fatimid dynasty of, in Mosque of Ibn Tulun of Cairo showing Kalimat ash-shahādah with the phrase ʿalīyun walīyu -llāh
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.
In one of the Qiblah of Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah of Fatemi era masjid of Qahira 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 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
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.During the Friday prayer , 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. 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 says: "أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ" and "أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ ٱللَّٰهِ" 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 :
Sunni
While listening to the adhan, it is recommended to silently repeat after the caller, except when they say "come to prayer" and "come to success", to which it is recommended to silently say "hawqala|there is no ability and no power except by God, ". Most scholars, including the Malikis, Shafi'is, and Hanbalis, view this as only recommended; however, others, including the Hanafis and Zahiris, view it as necessary.Immediately following the adhan, it is recommended to recite the following supplications:
1. A testification of faith
2. Prayers and blessings on Muhammad and his family
3. Praying for Muhammad's station and virtousness
4. Any personal supplication made to God between the adhan and iqamah. It was narrated this is a time when supplications are especially answered and not rejected.