Adhan
Encyclopedia
The adhān is the Islam
ic call to prayer, recited by the muezzin
at prescribed times of the day. The root of the word is meaning "to permit"; another derivative of this word is , meaning "ear".
Adhan is called out by the muezzin in the mosque
five times a day, traditionally from a minaret
, summoning Muslim
s for mandatory (fard
) prayers (salah). A second call known as iqama
(set up) then summons Muslims to line up for the beginning of the prayers. The main purpose behind the multiple loud pronouncements of adhan in every mosque is to make available to everyone an easily intelligible summary of Islamic belief. It is intended to bring to the mind of every believer and non-believer the substance of Islamic beliefs, or its spiritual ideology. In modern times, loudspeakers
have been installed on minarets for this purpose.
The adhan sums up the Shahada
, the statement of faith: There is no deity
but Allah
, and Muhammad
is the Messenger of God
. This statement of faith called the Kalimah
, is the first of the Five Pillars of Islam
.
Followers of the Maliki
madh'hab say this line twice instead of ten times.The line "Prayer is better than sleep" is used only for the first prayers of the day at dawn (fajr
prayer; Salat al-fajr). Allah
means "The God" in Arabic, and means the One True God worshiped in the Abrahamic monotheistic religions
}According to Twelver Shi'a scholars, Ashhadu ana Alian waliullah ("I testify that Ali
is the vicegerent of God") is not a part of adhan and iqamah but some say it is recommended (Mustahabb
) to say that twice after third part of the adhan which is Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan-rasūl ullāh.
Fatimid/Ismaili/Dawoodi Bohra
believe and include and recite this at same place, twice in main adhan, but not in Iqama.
Fatimid/Ismaili/Dawoodi Bohra also recite mohammadun -va- ali-un khayr-ul- basar va itarat-o- homa khayr-ul-itar (Muhammad and Ali are the best gentleman and their progeny is the best of progeny) twice after 6th part Hayya 'ala-khayril-amal. At the end of Azaan ,they recite Lā ilāha illallāh twice (but once in Iqama). This tradition is continued from their first Da'i al-Mutlaq
, Zoeb bin Moosa (1132 CE), after their 21st Imam
, At-Tayyib Abi l-Qasim, and claim this is true Fatimid tradition.
state that the adhan was not written or said by the Islamic prophet, Muhammad, but by one of his Sahaba
h (his companions). Umar
, a prominent sahabah of Muhammad, had a vision in his dream, in which the call for prayers was revealed to him by God. He later related this to his companions. Meanwhile, this news reached Muhammad, and he liked it and confirmed it. Because of his stunning voice Muhammad choose a freed Habeshan
slave by the name of Bilal ibn Rabah al-Habashi to give the call for prayers. Muhammad preferred the call better than the use of bells
(as by the Christian
s) and horns
(as by the Jews
).
During the Friday prayer
(Salat Al Jumu'ah), there are 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
Uthmaan 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.
Other Shi'a sources state 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 La- ilaha-ill-al-lah is the foundation stone of Islam along with the belief that "there is no god but the God". This is confession of Tawhid
or the "doctrine of Oneness [of God]".
The phrase Mohammad-un –rasul-al-lah fulfils the requirement that there should be someone to guide in the name of God, which states Muhammad is God's rasul (messenger) nabi
(prophet
). This is acceptance of Nabuvat of Muhammad.
Muhammad declared Ali
(Ali bin Abu 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 mawla
, Ali is his mawla". Hence, the Adhan requires further confession, the phrase Ali-un- vali-ul-lah means "Ali is his (Allah
's) Wali
"the friend" ", stressing the need that, for the continuation of the faith, there is a requirement of Wali, which is the one and only Imam after Imam which are really taking care of Islam, hence this is also confession of Imamah
.
In one of the Qibla
h of Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah (1035–1094) of Fatemi era masjid of Qahira (Mosque of Ibn Tulun
) engraved his name and Kalema-tut-shahadat
as La ‐ilah‐ ilal‐lah, Mohamad‐un‐ rasul‐al‐lah Ali –un‐wali‐ul–lah.
Adhan reminds everyone, these three Islamic teaching Tawhid, Nabuwat and Imamate
before each prayer. These three emphasise devotion to God, Muhammad and Imam
, which are so linked together that these 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 Valayat 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 Allaho Akabar to publicize and confirm/boost their faith. This is the reason that the most shia give for the recitation of the phrase regarding Ali.
(supplication) is optionally read by Muslims after the adhan is recited:
is followed by a longer pause
and is repeated one or more times according to fixed rules. During the first statement
each phrase is limited in tonal range
, less melisma
tic, and shorter. Upon repetition
the phrase is longer, ornament
ed with melismas, and may possess a tonal range of over an octave
. The adhan's form
is characterised by contrast and contains twelve melodic passages which move from one to another tonal center
of one maqam
a fourth
or fifth
apart. The tempo
is mostly slow; it may be faster and with less melismas for the sunset prayer. During festivals, it may be performed antiphon
ally as a duet.
brought about by the establishment of the Republic of Turkey
in 1923, the Turkish government
at the time, encouraged by Atatürk
, tried to supply secularism to Turkey. As he declared the speech in opening ceremony of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey
on November 1, 1937, bizim devlet idaresindeki ana programımız, chp programıdır. bunun kapsadığı prensipler, idarede ve siyasette bizi aydınlatıcı ana hatlardır. fakat bu prensipleri, gökten indiği sanılan kitapların dogmalarıyla asla bir tutmamalıdır. biz, ilhamlarımızı gökten ve gaipten değil, doğrudan doğruya hayattan almış bulunuyoruz. The program involved implementing a Turkish
adhan program as part of its goals, as opposed to the conventional Arabic
call to prayer.
It was considered Bid‘ah , which is any type of innovation
in Islam. Though innovations in worldly matters, such as science, medicine and technology are acceptable and encouraged, Bid`ah within the religion is often seen as a sin or innuendo
, and Muhammad stated as such:
Similar statements are found in other verses of the Qur'an and other Hadith
as well.
The adhan was replaced with the following:
Following the conclusion of said debates, the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı) released an official mandate on July 18, 1932, announcing the decision to all the mosques across Turkey, and the practice was continued for a period of 18 years.
On July 16, 1950, a new government was sworn in, led by Adnan Menderes
, who had campaigned almost exclusively on a platform of repealing the ban on the Arabic adhan. The Arabic adhan was restored, and Arabic was declared as the liturgical language
.
, the Turkish national anthem
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic call to prayer, recited by the muezzin
Muezzin
A muezzin , or muzim, is the chosen person at a mosque who leads the call to prayer at Friday services and the five daily times for prayer from one of the mosque's minarets; in most modern mosques, electronic amplification aids the muezzin in his task.The professional muezzin is chosen for his...
at prescribed times of the day. The root of the word is meaning "to permit"; another derivative of this word is , meaning "ear".
Adhan is called out by the muezzin in the mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
five times a day, traditionally from a minaret
Minaret
A minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
, summoning Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s for mandatory (fard
Fard
also is an Islamic term which denotes a religious duty. The word is also used in Persian, Turkish, and Urdu in the same meaning....
) prayers (salah). A second call known as iqama
Iqama
The word iqamah or ikamet refers to the second call to Islamic Prayer, given immediately before the prayer begins. Generally speaking, the iqamah is given more quickly and in a more monotone fashion, as compared to the adhan, as it is addressed to those already in the mosque rather than a...
(set up) then summons Muslims to line up for the beginning of the prayers. The main purpose behind the multiple loud pronouncements of adhan in every mosque is to make available to everyone an easily intelligible summary of Islamic belief. It is intended to bring to the mind of every believer and non-believer the substance of Islamic beliefs, or its spiritual ideology. In modern times, loudspeakers
Loudspeakers in mosques
Loudspeakers in mosques are generally used for Adhan or "call to prayer", or sometimes for Khutbah or sermons. External loudspeakers are generally mounted on tall minarets. Mosque loudspeakers are used for a call to prayer, five times a day...
have been installed on minarets for this purpose.
The adhan sums up the Shahada
Shahada
The Shahada , means "to know and believe without suspicion, as if witnessed"/testification; it is the name of the Islamic creed. The shahada is the Muslim declaration of belief in the oneness of God and acceptance of Muhammad as God's prophet...
, the statement of faith: There is no deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
but Allah
God in Islam
In Islamic theology, God is the all-powerful and all-knowing creator, sustainer, ordainer, and judge of the universe. Islam puts a heavy emphasis on the conceptualization of God as strictly singular . God is unique and inherently One , all-merciful and omnipotent. According to the Islamic...
, and Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
is the Messenger of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. This statement of faith called the Kalimah
Kalimah
The Kalimah literally translates as "the word". In the Islamic context, it translates to "the word of Islam." It is a centrepiece in the faith of Muslims...
, is the first of the Five Pillars of Islam
Five Pillars of Islam
The Pillars of Islam are basic concepts and duties for accepting the religion for the Muslims.The Shi'i and Sunni both agree on the essential details for the performance of these acts, but the Shi'a do not refer to them by the same name .-Pillars of Shia:According to Shia Islam, the...
.
Sunni
| Recital | Arabic | Transliteration | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4x | الله أكبر | Allahu Akbar Takbir The Takbīr or Tekbir is the Arabic term for the phrase ' . It is usually translated "God is [the] Greatest," or "God is Great". It is a common Islamic Arabic expression... |
God is Greatest |
| 2x | أشهد أن لا اله إلا الله | Ash-hadu al-la ilaha illa llah Shahada The Shahada , means "to know and believe without suspicion, as if witnessed"/testification; it is the name of the Islamic creed. The shahada is the Muslim declaration of belief in the oneness of God and acceptance of Muhammad as God's prophet... |
I bear witness that there is no God except God. |
| 2x | أشهد أن محمدا رسول الله | Ash-hadu anna Muħammadan rasulullah | I bear witness that Muhammad is God's Messenger |
| 2x | حي على الصلاة | Hayya 'ala s-salah | Come to salat Salat Salah is the practice of formal prayer in Islam. Its importance for Muslims is indicated by its status as one of the Five Pillars of Sunni Islam, of the Ten Practices of the Religion of Twelver Islam and of the 7 pillars of Musta'lī Ismailis... (prayer, worship) |
| 2x | حي على الفلاح | Hayya 'ala 'l-falah Falah Falah is the Arabic word for success , happiness and well-being. In Islamic context, according to the Qur'an, actions such as conforming to Allah's commands, establishing the Zakat , not taking intoxicants and not gambling will all lead to falah.... |
Come to salvation |
| 2x | الله أكبر | Allāhu akbar | God is greatest |
| 2x | لا إله إلا الله | La ilaha illallah | There is no god except God. |
Followers of the Maliki
Maliki
The ' madhhab is one of the schools of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam. It is the second-largest of the four schools, followed by approximately 25% of Muslims, mostly in North Africa, West Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and in some parts of Saudi Arabia...
madh'hab say this line twice instead of ten times.The line "Prayer is better than sleep" is used only for the first prayers of the day at dawn (fajr
Fajr
The Fajr prayer is the first of the five daily prayers offered by practising Muslims. The five daily prayers collectively form one pillar of the Five Pillars of Islam, in Sunni Islam, and one of the ten Practices of the Religion according to Shia Islam.The Fajr prayer is mentioned by name in the...
prayer; Salat al-fajr). Allah
Allah
Allah is a word for God used in the context of Islam. In Arabic, the word means simply "God". It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and...
means "The God" in Arabic, and means the One True God worshiped in the Abrahamic monotheistic religions
Shi'a
| Recital | Arabic | Transliteration | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4x | الله اكبر | Allahu Akbar | Allah is the Greatest |
| 2x | اشهد ان لا اله الا الله | Ash-had al-la ilāha Ilah is an Arabic term meaning "deity" or "god". The feminine is ; with the article, it appears as . It appears in the name of the monotheistic god of Islam as , translated, that is, "the god"... illa llah |
I testify that there is no God except Allah |
| 2x | اشهد ان محمدا رسول الله | Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan-rasūlu llāh | I testify that Muhammad is a Messenger of Allah |
| 2x | اشهد ان عليا ولي الله | Ash-hadu anna Aliya wali-ul-lah | I testify that Ali is a Vicegerent of God |
| 2x | حي على الصلاة | Hayya 'alas-salāh | Come to prayer |
| 2x | حي على الفلاح | Hayya 'alal-falāh | Come to success |
| 2x | حي على خير العمل | Hayya- al Khair al amal | The time for the best of deeds has come |
| 2x | الله اكبر | Allah-u Akbar | God is greater than any description |
| 2x | لا اله الا الله | Lā ilāha illallāh | There is no deity except for God |
}According to Twelver Shi'a scholars, Ashhadu ana Alian waliullah ("I testify that Ali
Ali
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
is the vicegerent of God") is not a part of adhan and iqamah but some say it is recommended (Mustahabb
Mustahabb
Mustahabb is an Islamic term referring to recommended, favored or virtuous actions.-Definition:Mustahabb actions are those whose status of approval in Islamic law falls between mubah and wajib...
) to say that twice after third part of the adhan which is Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan-rasūl ullāh.
Fatimid/Ismaili/Dawoodi Bohra
Dawoodi Bohra
Dawoodi Bohra is a subsect of Ismāʿīlī Shīʿa Islām. While the Dawoodi Bohra is based in India, their belief system originates in Yemen, where it evolved from the Fatimid Caliphate and where they were persecuted due to their differences from mainstream Sunni Islam...
believe and include and recite this at same place, twice in main adhan, but not in Iqama.
Fatimid/Ismaili/Dawoodi Bohra also recite mohammadun -va- ali-un khayr-ul- basar va itarat-o- homa khayr-ul-itar (Muhammad and Ali are the best gentleman and their progeny is the best of progeny) twice after 6th part Hayya 'ala-khayril-amal. At the end of Azaan ,they recite Lā ilāha illallāh twice (but once in Iqama). This tradition is continued from their first Da'i al-Mutlaq
Da'i al-Mutlaq
The term Dāʻī al-Mutlaq literally means "the absolute or unrestricted missionary". In Ismā'īlī Islām, the term dāʻī has been used to refer to important religious leaders other than the hereditary Imāms, and the Daʻwa or "Mission" is a clerical-style organisation. "The Daʻwa" was a term for the...
, Zoeb bin Moosa (1132 CE), after their 21st Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
, At-Tayyib Abi l-Qasim, and claim this is true Fatimid tradition.
Sunni view
SunnisSunni Islam
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam. Sunni Muslims are referred to in Arabic as ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah wa āl-Ǧamāʿah or ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah for short; in English, they are known as Sunni Muslims, Sunnis or Sunnites....
state that the adhan was not written or said by the Islamic prophet, Muhammad, but by one of his Sahaba
Sahaba
In Islam, the ' were the companions, disciples, scribes and family of the Islamic prophet...
h (his companions). Umar
Umar
`Umar ibn al-Khattāb c. 2 November , was a leading companion and adviser to the Islamic prophet Muhammad who later became the second Muslim Caliph after Muhammad's death....
, a prominent sahabah of Muhammad, had a vision in his dream, in which the call for prayers was revealed to him by God. He later related this to his companions. Meanwhile, this news reached Muhammad, and he liked it and confirmed it. Because of his stunning voice Muhammad choose a freed Habeshan
Habesha people
The term Habesha ābešā, Ḥābešā; al-Ḥabašah) refers to the South Semitic-speaking group of people whose cultural, linguistic, and in certain cases, ancestral origins trace back to those people who ruled the Axumite Empire and the kingdom known as DʿMT .Peoples referred to as "Habesha" today...
slave by the name of Bilal ibn Rabah al-Habashi to give the call for prayers. Muhammad preferred the call better than the use of bells
Bell (instrument)
A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
(as by the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s) and horns
Shofar
A shofar is a horn, traditionally that of a ram, used for Jewish religious purposes. Shofar-blowing is incorporated in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.Shofar come in a variety of sizes.- Bible and rabbinic literature :...
(as by the Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
).
During the Friday prayer
Jumu'ah
Jumu'ah is a congregational prayer that Muslims hold every Friday, just after noon in lieu of dhuhr...
(Salat Al Jumu'ah), there are two adhans; the first is to call the people to the mosque, the second is said before the Imam begins the khutbah (sermon
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
). 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
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
Uthmaan 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.
Shi'a view
Shi'a sources state that it is Muhammad who, according to God's command, ordered the adhan as a means of calling Muslims to prayer. Shi'a Islam teaches that no one else contributed, or had any authority to contribute, towards the composition of the adhan.Other Shi'a sources state 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 La- ilaha-ill-al-lah is the foundation stone of Islam along with the belief that "there is no god but the God". This is confession of Tawhid
Tawhid
Tawhid is the concept of monotheism in Islam. It is the religion's most fundamental concept and holds God is one and unique ....
or the "doctrine of Oneness [of God]".
The phrase Mohammad-un –rasul-al-lah fulfils the requirement that there should be someone to guide in the name of God, which states Muhammad is God's rasul (messenger) nabi
Prophets of Islam
Muslims identify the Prophets of Islam as those humans chosen by God and given revelation to deliver to mankind. Muslims believe that every prophet was given a belief to worship God and their respective followers believed it as well...
(prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
). This is acceptance of Nabuvat of Muhammad.
Muhammad declared Ali
Ali
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
(Ali bin Abu Talib) as his successor
Succession to Muhammad
The Succession to Muhammad concerns the various aspects of successorship of Muhammad after his death, comprising who might be considered as his successor to lead the Muslims, how that person should be elected, the conditions of legitimacy, and the role of successor...
, at Ghadir Khumm, which was required for the continuation of his guidance. According to the hadith of the pond of Khumm
Hadith of the pond of Khumm
The Hadith of the pond of Khumm refers to the saying about a historical event crucial to Islamic history. This event took place on 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah of 10 AH in the Islamic calendar at a place called Ghadir Khumm, which is located near the city of al-Juhfah, Saudi Arabia and was a place...
, Muhammad stated that "Of whomsoever I am the mawla
Mawla
The word Mawlā or patron has two meanings. Mawla is an Arabic word "مولی", prominently used in Islamic literature which means protector.“Call them by their fathers: that is juster in the sight of Allah. But if you know not their father'sthey are your Brothers in faith and those entrusted to you...
, Ali is his mawla". Hence, the Adhan requires further confession, the phrase Ali-un- vali-ul-lah means "Ali is his (Allah
Allah
Allah is a word for God used in the context of Islam. In Arabic, the word means simply "God". It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and...
's) Wali
Wali
Walī , is an Arabic word meaning "custodian", "protector", "sponsor", or authority as denoted by its definition "crown". "Wali" is someone who has "Walayah" over somebody else. For example, in Fiqh the father is wali of his children. In Islam, the phrase ولي الله walīyu 'llāh...
"the friend" ", stressing the need that, for the continuation of the faith, there is a requirement of Wali, which is the one and only Imam after Imam which are really taking care of Islam, hence this is also confession of Imamah
Imamah (Shi'a doctrine)
Imāmah is the Shia doctrine of religious, spiritual and political leadership of the Ummah. The Shīa believe that the A'immah are the true Caliphs or rightful successors of Muḥammad, and further that Imams are possessed of divine knowledge and authority as well as being part of the Ahl al-Bayt,...
.
In one of the Qibla
Qibla
The Qiblah , also transliterated as Qibla, Kiblah or Kibla, is the direction that should be faced when a Muslim prays during salah...
h of Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah (1035–1094) of Fatemi era masjid of Qahira (Mosque of Ibn Tulun
Mosque of Ibn Tulun
The Mosque of Ahmad Ibn Ţūlūn is located in Cairo, Egypt. It is arguably the oldest mosque in the city surviving in its original form, and is the largest mosque in Cairo in terms of land area....
) engraved his name and Kalema-tut-shahadat
Shahada
The Shahada , means "to know and believe without suspicion, as if witnessed"/testification; it is the name of the Islamic creed. The shahada is the Muslim declaration of belief in the oneness of God and acceptance of Muhammad as God's prophet...
as La ‐ilah‐ ilal‐lah, Mohamad‐un‐ rasul‐al‐lah Ali –un‐wali‐ul–lah.
Adhan reminds everyone, these three Islamic teaching Tawhid, Nabuwat and Imamate
Imamate
The word Imamate is an Arabic word with an English language suffix meaning leadership. Its use in theology is confined to Islam.-Theological usage:...
before each prayer. These three emphasise devotion to God, Muhammad and Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
, which are so linked together that these 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 Valayat 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 Allaho Akabar to publicize and confirm/boost their faith. This is the reason that the most shia give for the recitation of the phrase regarding Ali.
During adhan
While listening to the adhan, Muslims repeat the same words silently, except when the muezzin says ḥayya 'alas-salāh or ḥayya 'alal-falāḥ they silently say lā hawla wa lā quwata illā billāh (there is no strength or power except from God).Post-adhan
The following duaDua
In the terminology of Islam, Duʿāʾ Plural: Dow'āt literally meaning invocation, is an act of supplication. The term is derived from an Arabic word meaning to 'call out' or to 'summon', and Muslims regard this as a profound act of worship. This is when Muslim people from all over connect with God...
(supplication) is optionally read by Muslims after the adhan is recited:
| Arabic | Transliteration | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| اللهم رب هذه الدعوة التامة والصلاة القائمة | Allahumma rabba hadhi-hid da'wa-tit-tamma wa-salati Qae-ma | O God, Owner of this perfect call and Owner of this prayer to be performed |
| آت محمداً الوسيلة و الفضيلة | Ati muhammadanil wasilata wal fadeela | Bestow upon Muhammad al waseelah (a station in Paradise Paradise Paradise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and... {Jannah Jannah Jannah , is the Islamic conception of paradise. The Arabic word Jannah is a shortened version meaning simply "Garden". According to Islamic eschatology, after death, one will reside in the grave until the appointed resurrection on . Muslims believe that the treatment of the individual in the life... }) and al fadeelah (a rank above the rest of creation) |
| وابعثه مقاماً محموداً الذي وعدته | Wab ath-hu maqamam-mahmuda-nil alladhi wa aadtha | And raise him to the rank you have promised him |
Form
Each phrasePhrase (music)
In music and music theory, phrase and phrasing are concepts and practices related to grouping consecutive melodic notes, both in their composition and performance...
is followed by a longer pause
Rest (music)
A rest is an interval of silence in a piece of music, marked by a sign indicating the length of the pause. Each rest symbol corresponds with a particular note value:The quarter rest may also be found as a form in older music....
and is repeated one or more times according to fixed rules. During the first statement
Sentence (linguistics)
In the field of linguistics, a sentence is an expression in natural language, and often defined to indicate a grammatical unit consisting of one or more words that generally bear minimal syntactic relation to the words that precede or follow it...
each phrase is limited in tonal range
Range (music)
In music, the range of a musical instrument is the distance from the lowest to the highest pitch it can play. For a singing voice, the equivalent is vocal range...
, less melisma
Melisma
Melisma, in music, is the singing of a single syllable of text while moving between several different notes in succession. Music sung in this style is referred to as melismatic, as opposed to syllabic, where each syllable of text is matched to a single note.-History:Music of ancient cultures used...
tic, and shorter. Upon repetition
Repetition (music)
Repetition is important in music, where sounds or sequences are often repeated. One often stated idea is that repetition should be in balance with the initial statements and variations in a piece. It may be called restatement, such as the restatement of a theme...
the phrase is longer, ornament
Ornament (music)
In music, ornaments or embellishments are musical flourishes that are not necessary to carry the overall line of the melody , but serve instead to decorate or "ornament" that line. Many ornaments are performed as "fast notes" around a central note...
ed with melismas, and may possess a tonal range of over an octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
. The adhan's form
Musical form
The term musical form refers to the overall structure or plan of a piece of music, and it describes the layout of a composition as divided into sections...
is characterised by contrast and contains twelve melodic passages which move from one to another tonal center
Tonic (music)
In music, the tonic is the first scale degree of the diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone. The triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord...
of one maqam
Arabic maqam
Arabic maqām is the system of melodic modes used in traditional Arabic music, which is mainly melodic. The word maqam in Arabic means place, location or rank. The Arabic maqam is a melody type...
a fourth
Perfect fourth
In classical music from Western culture, a fourth is a musical interval encompassing four staff positions , and the perfect fourth is a fourth spanning five semitones. For example, the ascending interval from C to the next F is a perfect fourth, as the note F lies five semitones above C, and there...
or fifth
Perfect fifth
In classical music from Western culture, a fifth is a musical interval encompassing five staff positions , and the perfect fifth is a fifth spanning seven semitones, or in meantone, four diatonic semitones and three chromatic semitones...
apart. The tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
is mostly slow; it may be faster and with less melismas for the sunset prayer. During festivals, it may be performed antiphon
Antiphon
An antiphon in Christian music and ritual, is a "responsory" by a choir or congregation, usually in Gregorian chant, to a psalm or other text in a religious service or musical work....
ally as a duet.
Turkey
As an extension of the reformsAtatürk's Reforms
Atatürk's Reforms were a series of political, legal, cultural, social and economic reforms that were designed to modernize the new Republic of Turkey into a democratic and secular nation-state...
brought about by the establishment of the Republic of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
in 1923, the Turkish government
Politics of Turkey
Politics of Turkey takes place in a framework of a strictly secular parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Turkey is the head of government, and of a multi-party system...
at the time, encouraged by Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was an Ottoman and Turkish army officer, revolutionary statesman, writer, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey....
, tried to supply secularism to Turkey. As he declared the speech in opening ceremony of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey
Grand National Assembly of Turkey
The Grand National Assembly of Turkey , usually referred to simply as the Meclis , is the unicameral Turkish legislature. It is the sole body given the legislative prerogatives by the Turkish Constitution. It was founded in Ankara on 23 April 1920 in the midst of the Turkish War of Independence...
on November 1, 1937, bizim devlet idaresindeki ana programımız, chp programıdır. bunun kapsadığı prensipler, idarede ve siyasette bizi aydınlatıcı ana hatlardır. fakat bu prensipleri, gökten indiği sanılan kitapların dogmalarıyla asla bir tutmamalıdır. biz, ilhamlarımızı gökten ve gaipten değil, doğrudan doğruya hayattan almış bulunuyoruz. The program involved implementing a Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
adhan program as part of its goals, as opposed to the conventional Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
call to prayer.
It was considered Bid‘ah , which is any type of innovation
Innovation
Innovation is the creation of better or more effective products, processes, technologies, or ideas that are accepted by markets, governments, and society...
in Islam. Though innovations in worldly matters, such as science, medicine and technology are acceptable and encouraged, Bid`ah within the religion is often seen as a sin or innuendo
Innuendo
An innuendo is a baseless invention of thoughts or ideas. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging , that works obliquely by allusion...
, and Muhammad stated as such:
Similar statements are found in other verses of the Qur'an and other Hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
as well.
The adhan was replaced with the following:
Following the conclusion of said debates, the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı) released an official mandate on July 18, 1932, announcing the decision to all the mosques across Turkey, and the practice was continued for a period of 18 years.
On July 16, 1950, a new government was sworn in, led by Adnan Menderes
Adnan Menderes
Adnan Menderes was the first democratically elected Turkish Prime Minister between 1950–1960. He was one of the founders of the Democratic Party in 1946, the fourth legal opposition party of Turkey. He was hanged by the military junta after the 1960 coup d'état, along with two other cabinet...
, who had campaigned almost exclusively on a platform of repealing the ban on the Arabic adhan. The Arabic adhan was restored, and Arabic was declared as the liturgical language
Sacred language
A sacred language, "holy language" , or liturgical language, is a language that is cultivated for religious reasons by people who speak another language in their daily life.-Concept:...
.
Turkish National Anthem
Adhan in the eighth verse of İstiklâl MarşıIstiklâl Marsi
The İstiklâl Marşı is the National Anthem of Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, officially adopted on 12 March 1921 - two and a half years before the 29 October 1923 establishment of the Republic of Turkey, both as a motivational musical saga for the troops fighting in the Turkish War...
, the Turkish national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
See also
- AngelusAngelusThe Angelus is a Christian devotion in memory of the Incarnation. The name Angelus is derived from the opening words: Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ The Angelus (Latin for "angel") is a Christian devotion in memory of the Incarnation. The name Angelus is derived from the opening words: Angelus...
- Sahih Muslim of Muslim ibn al-HajjajMuslim ibn al-HajjajAbul Husayn Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj ibn Muslim ibn Warat al-Qushayri al-Nisaburi was the author of the second authentic sahih collection of hadith in Sunni Islam, Sahih Muslim.-Biography:...
, translation into English by Abd-al-Hamid SiddiquiAbd-al-Hamid SiddiquiAbd-al-Hamid Siddiqui is a Sunni Islamic scholar who translated the Sahih Muslim into English. This translation became well known and is a part of the USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts.-Works:...
External links
- Azan / Adhan MP3 Downloads
- Azan / Adhan MP3 Downloads
- Meaning of the Adhan
- Online Adhan Web Page : http://www.adhanonline.com (Eng)