Call to prayer (adhan)

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The adhan is the call to prayer, established in the early Medinan community. The first performer was the Prophet’s Ethiopian muezzin Bilal ibn Rabah. Maqamat are used effectively.

Sunna

The Sunni call

The text:

Allahu akbar Allahu akbar
Allahu akbar Allahu akbar
Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah
Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah
Ashhadu anna Muhammad rasul Allah
Ashhadu anna Muhammad rasul Allah
Hayya ‘ala al-salah
Hayya ‘ala al-salah
Hayya ‘ala al-falah
Hayya ‘ala al-falah
al-salatu khayrun min al-nawm+
al-salatu khayrun min al-nawm+
Allahu akbar Allahu akbar
la ilaha illa Allah

The meaning:

God is greater (4x)
I testify that there is no deity but God (2x)
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God (2x)
Come to prayer! (2x)
Come to salvation! (2x)
Prayer is better than sleep. (2x) +
God is greater (2x)
There is no deity but God.


+performed at dawn prayer only

Shi`a

The Shiite call

The Shiites add three more lines:

Ashhadu an Ali wali Allahu (I testify that Ali is close to God) Ashhadu an Ali hujjat Allah (I testify that Ali is proof of God) Hayy `ala khayr al-`amal (come to the best of works)

The call to prayer in Mecca

The call to prayer in Medina, performed by Muhammad Hakiim

Turkish call

The call to prayer, with Islamic images, performed by Kuwaiti Shaykh Mashari Rashid