Adhan

Adhan (Arabic: أذان) is the call made to notify Muslims that a prayer time has entered. It consists of Arabic phrases recited in a loud voice, typically from a mosque. The person who recites the adhan is called a muezzin (in Somali often rendered as "macadin" or "bilaal").

The adhan is recited five times daily, before each of the five obligatory prayers. Prayer times are calculated according to the sun's position: fajr (before sunrise), dhuhr (when the sun passes its zenith), asr (afternoon), maghrib (sunset), and isha (night). Consequently, the times of adhan vary by location and season.

Text of the adhan

The adhan consists of repeated phrases. It opens with "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest), followed by the shahada (testimony of faith): the declaration that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is His messenger. This is followed by "Hayya 'alas-salah" (come to prayer) and "Hayya 'alal-falah" (come to success), and concludes with "Allahu akbar" and "La ilaha illallah" (there is no god but God). The fajr adhan includes the additional phrase "As-salatu khayrun minan-nawm" (prayer is better than sleep).

The iqamah

When the congregational prayer is about to begin, a second call known as the iqamah is recited. The iqamah uses phrases similar to those of the adhan but is shorter, with the addition of "Qad qamatis-salah" (the prayer has been established). Whereas the adhan announces that prayer time has come, the iqamah announces that the rows have been formed and the prayer is about to start.

History

According to Islamic historians, the adhan was established in the early years of Medina after Muslims debated how to call people to prayer. Proposals involving a bugle, a horn, and a fire beacon were rejected. Bilal ibn Rabah, a freed slave, is credited as the first muezzin. The name "Bilal" remains widely used in Somalia and the Horn of Africa to denote the person who recites the adhan.

Manner of recitation and practice

The adhan is recited in a melodious voice without music. Much of the world now uses microphones and loudspeakers mounted on mosques, replacing the earlier practice of the muezzin reciting from the minaret. Some countries have state regulations governing sound levels or times, which occasionally generates public debate. Listeners typically repeat each phrase after hearing it, and then recite the prayer that follows the adhan.