AZAN- THE CALL TO PRAYERS

(a) Azan
Azan is the call for prayer within its appointed time with certain prescribed words. Such prayer call is Sunnat at the advent of the time of each congregational prayer. While the Prophet was at Mecca, there was no Azan because the enemies did not allow the Muslims to meet together and pray. The thought of Azan arose in the Holy Prophet’s mind when he migrated to Medina. Councils were held regarding the formulations of the proper prayer call. Some suggested that there should be the blowing of horns, or the ringing of bells, of chimes, or the lighting of fire in a lofty place. At last the suggestion of Hazart Omar (R.) was accepted. It is now the modern Azan, the call to prayer and the true national anthem of Islam. Hazrat Bilal, the Negro Muslim, held the honoured position of being the first Muazzin in Islam.

(b) The Delivery of Azan
The call is given out by a man standing in a lofty or a prominent place in as loud a voice as possible. He stands facing the Holy Kaba with his both hands raised to the ears and calling out with a melodious and loud voice the following sentences (in order), each sentence being repeated twice.
1. Allah Akbar. ---. Allah is the Greatest. (Repeat four times.)
2. Ashhado an la ilaha illa-’l-Lah.---. I bear witness that nothing deserves to be worshipped but Allah. (Repeated twice.)
3. Ashhado anna Muhammada ’r—Rasula ’l Lah.--. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah.
4. Hayya ’ala ’ s-Sala.--. Come to pry. (Repeated twice, turning to the right side.)
5. Hayya ala ’l-Falah.--. Come to success. (Repeated twice, turning to the right side.)
6. Allaho Akbar.--. Allah is the Greatest. (Repeated twice)
7. La ilaha illa ’ l-Lah.--. There is no God but Allah. (Once.)
The following sentence is added in the call to morning prayer after No.
5:-As-Salato Khayru ’m-mina ’n-Naum.—Pryer is better than sleep. (Repeated twice.)

When the call is finished all make invocations in the following words
Allah Humma Rbba Hazihi’d Dawati’t Tammati was Salatil Qa’imati a’ta Muhammedani’l wasilati wa’l Fazilati Wad Dara’ja ta’l Rafi yata wa’b’as ho Maqamma’m Mahmuda ni’llazi wa’atahu war’zook na Shafa at’taho yoummul Qiyama in naka la T o’gh laful Miyaad.
Translation.-- O Allah! the Lord of this perfect call and the everlasting prayer, grant to Muhammad nearness and excellence and raise him to the position of glory which thou hast promised him as mediator on the Day of Judgment.

(c) Significant of Azan
Azan in Islam has a great significance. It is not the mere ringing of the bell or the meaningless blowing of horns. This is an appeal from an individual soul to the soul of humanity to turn to Allah, to follow the lead of Mohammed as His Messenger, and to come to partake of the spiritual feast for the progress and the nourishment of the soul. The call of the Muezzin is appealing in a great degree than the ringing of the deepest toned bell or the most costly and elaborate system of chimes. From thousand and thousands of minarets in the world come out spontaneously in loud and sweet melodious voices in the mornings and evenings, at the declining of the sun and when the sun is in the mid-west and in the grim silence of night, the message of Islam, the message of the World Prophet: “Allah is the Greatest, Mohammed is His Messenger, come to pray, come to success, there is no Deity but Allah, prayer is better than sleep.” What more a grand message to the world can there be? This is the message of Islam to the people of the world. To respond to it on the part of the hearer is wajeb (binding). Who is the accursed on who can remain silent from responding to the mighty message of Islam, the message that Allah is the Greatest? Who is the most unfortunate man who does not respond to the incitation for the food to his soul? Who is there to deny that prayer is not the means of success? No book needed to be read to know the message of Islam. No search is required for the true religion of mankind. Islam declares Allah to be the Greatest and the only One to be worshipped. It is that calling which makes no distinction in its invitation to prayers and throws open the door of the mosque to every son of Adam, irrespective of caste, creed, colour or country.

(d) Excellence of Azan
The declaration of this message of Islam to mankind is general, and the incitation to join the divine service brings no less religious merit as is generally supposed. The Muezzin will have great rewards on the Resurrection Day, so much so that all the hearers of the invitation will intercede for him on that day. If the Muezzin truly believes in what he recites he will undoubtedly enter Junnath. Any Muezzin, calling for prayer for seven years out of sincere faith will be free from the fire of Hell. Besides prayer time Azan should be proclaimed in the right ear of the newly born child which is Sunnat.

(e) Aqamat
The Aqamat is the signal that the prayer is ready and has just begun, and that everybody present should disengage his mind from the outside world and engage in the remembrance of Almighty. It is necessary in the congregational prayer, and it is pronounced in a soft but audible voice. It is just like Azan with the difference, that after No. 5, in Azan the following:-
Qad qamati ‘s-Sala.
(Prayer is ready) is recited twice. With this recitation the prayer truly begins with the hands raised up to the ears.

Some rules of Azan
At the time of the Holy Prophet (p.b.o.h.) there were two Azans in the dawn --- one for Tahajjad prayer and for Sehr (Tiffin before dawn) in the month of Ramzan, and another for the early morning prayer. In the former there was the cry of “eat and drink,” while in the latter every word on Azan was uttered. The former is therefore no Azan in the true sense of the Term. In journey, Azan shall be proclaimed when there are two or more persons. There shall be only one Azan at each time of prayer. The Muezzin must be responded to at the time when the Azan is in progress, by repeating the words of the Azan after him. After the words “Hayya’ Alas Sala” and “Hayya Alal Falah” the response should be
Wala haw la wala kowatillah Billah“There is no power, no strength but from Allah the most High.”




		AZAN- The call to prayers (a) Azan Azan is the call for prayer within its appointed time with certain prescribed words. Such prayer call is Sunnat at the advent of the time of each congregational prayer. While the Prophet was at Mecca, there was no Azan because the enemies did not allow the Muslims to meet together and pray. The thought of Azan arose in the Holy Prophet’s mind when he migrated to Medina. Councils were held regarding the formulations of the proper prayer call. Some suggested that there should be the blowing of horns, or the ringing of bells, of chimes, or the lighting of fire in a lofty place. At last the suggestion of Hazart Omar (R.) was accepted. It is now the modern Azan, the call to prayer and the true national anthem of Islam. Hazrat Bilal, the Negro Muslim, held the honoured position of being the first Muazzin in Islam. (b) The Delivery of Azan The call is given out by a man standing in a lofty or a prominent place in as loud a voice as possible. He stands facing the Holy Kaba with his both hands raised to the ears and calling out with a melodious and loud voice the following sentences (in order), each sentence being repeated twice. 1. Allah Akbar. ---. Allah is the Greatest. (Repeat four times.) 2. Ashhado an la ilaha illa-’l-Lah.---. I bear witness that nothing deserves to be worshipped but Allah. (Repeated twice.) 3. Ashhado anna Muhammada ’r—Rasula ’l Lah.--. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah. 4. Hayya ’ala ’ s-Sala.--. Come to pry. (Repeated twice, turning to the right side.) 5. Hayya ala ’l-Falah.--. Come to success. (Repeated twice, turning to the right side.) 6. Allaho Akbar.--. Allah is the Greatest. (Repeated twice) 7. La ilaha illa ’ l-Lah.--. There is no God but Allah. (Once.) The following sentence is added in the call to morning prayer after No. 5:-As-Salato Khayru ’m-mina ’n-Naum.—Pryer is better than sleep. (Repeated twice.) When the call is finished all make invocations in the following words Allah Humma Rbba Hazihi’d Dawati’t Tammati was Salatil Qa’imati a’ta Muhammedani’l wasilati wa’l Fazilati Wad Dara’ja ta’l Rafi yata wa’b’as ho Maqamma’m Mahmuda ni’llazi wa’atahu war’zook na Shafa at’taho yoummul Qiyama in naka la T o’gh laful Miyaad. Translation.-- O Allah! the Lord of this perfect call and the everlasting prayer, grant to Muhammad nearness and excellence and raise him to the position of glory which thou hast promised him as mediator on the Day of Judgment. (c) Significant of Azan Azan in Islam has a great significance. It is not the mere ringing of the bell or the meaningless blowing of horns. This is an appeal from an individual soul to the soul of humanity to turn to Allah, to follow the lead of Mohammed as His Messenger, and to come to partake of the spiritual feast for the progress and the nourishment of the soul. The call of the Muezzin is appealing in a great degree than the ringing of the deepest toned bell or the most costly and elaborate system of chimes. From thousand and thousands of minarets in the world come out spontaneously in loud and sweet melodious voices in the mornings and evenings, at the declining of the sun and when the sun is in the mid-west and in the grim silence of night, the message of Islam, the message of the World Prophet: “Allah is the Greatest, Mohammed is His Messenger, come to pray, come to success, there is no Deity but Allah, prayer is better than sleep.” What more a grand message to the world can there be? This is the message of Islam to the people of the world. To respond to it on the part of the hearer is wajeb (binding). Who is the accursed on who can remain silent from responding to the mighty message of Islam, the message that Allah is the Greatest? Who is the most unfortunate man who does not respond to the incitation for the food to his soul? Who is there to deny that prayer is not the means of success? No book needed to be read to know the message of Islam. No search is required for the true religion of mankind. Islam declares Allah to be the Greatest and the only One to be worshipped. It is that calling which makes no distinction in its invitation to prayers and throws open the door of the mosque to every son of Adam, irrespective of caste, creed, colour or country. (d) Excellence of Azan The declaration of this message of Islam to mankind is general, and the incitation to join the divine service brings no less religious merit as is generally supposed. The Muezzin will have great rewards on the Resurrection Day, so much so that all the hearers of the invitation will intercede for him on that day. If the Muezzin truly believes in what he recites he will undoubtedly enter Junnath. Any Muezzin, calling for prayer for seven years out of sincere faith will be free from the fire of Hell. Besides prayer time Azan should be proclaimed in the right ear of the newly born child which is Sunnat. (e) Aqamat The Aqamat is the signal that the prayer is ready and has just begun, and that everybody present should disengage his mind from the outside world and engage in the remembrance of Almighty. It is necessary in the congregational prayer, and it is pronounced in a soft but audible voice. It is just like Azan with the difference, that after No. 5, in Azan the following:- Qad qamati ‘s-Sala. (Prayer is ready) is recited twice. With this recitation the prayer truly begins with the hands raised up to the ears. Some rules of Azan At the time of the Holy Prophet (p.b.o.h.) there were two Azans in the dawn --- one for Tahajjad prayer and for Sehr (Tiffin before dawn) in the month of Ramzan, and another for the early morning prayer. In the former there was the cry of “eat and drink,” while in the latter every word on Azan was uttered. The former is therefore no Azan in the true sense of the Term. In journey, Azan shall be proclaimed when there are two or more persons. There shall be only one Azan at each time of prayer. The Muezzin must be responded to at the time when the Azan is in progress, by repeating the words of the Azan after him. After the words “Hayya’ Alas Sala” and “Hayya Alal Falah” the response should be Wala haw la wala kowatillah Billah“There is no power, no strength but from Allah the most High.”

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