Addan; the Call to Prayer

Muslims pray five times a day {see blog archive: the 5 pillars of Islam } at dawn, midday, the middle of the afternoon, at sun set and about two hours after sun set.

Each time the faithful are called to prayer by the sound of the Muezzin [mez-zin], a man who recits the call to prayer or the Addan, (also spelt Azan and Athan, but all said in the same way: [add-DH'aan]).

Before electricity the Muezzin would to climb to the top of one of the minerets (the tall structure at the corner of a mosque) and call for prayer. Now a loud speaker ~sometimes a very loud speaker~ carries the message.

The Addan is thought to have started back in the time of the Prophet Mohammed. There are two points of view on this, the Sunni and the Shiite {see future blog: }. Sunnis belive a converted Ethiopian slave, Bilal ibn Rabah, climbed a wall and started to call belivers to prayer, whilst Shias believe the Prophet Mohammed was the person who started the call to prayer.


The Addan
It took me quite some time to work out what was being said in the Addan and, in reality, I had to have some help from a native speaker to hear the words. For this blog I've tried to include both the Arabic and all the relevant translations to make it as simple as possible.

I think it helps to read the words and listen to a recording at the same time suggest you try listening to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAvlimEYEpQ.


ALLAHO AKBAR
(Allah is the greatest/most great)

ALLAHO AKBAR

ALLAHO AKBAR

ALLAHO AKBAR

ASH-HADU AL-LA ILAHA ILLALLAH
(I testify/ bear witness there is no deity but Allah/ there is none worthy of being worshipped except Allah)

ASH-HADU AL-LA ILAHA ILLALLAH

ASH-HADU AN-NA MOHAMMADAR RASULULAH
(I testify/ bear witness Mohammed is the messenger of God)

ASH-HADU AN-NA MOHAMMADAR RASULULAH

HAYYA ALAS SALAH
(Come to prayer/ Make haste towards prayer)

HAYYA ALAS SALAH

HAYYA ALAL FALAH
(Come and gain your goodness/ success/ welfare)

HAYYA ALAL FALAH

ALLAHO AKBAR
(Allah is the greatest/ most great)

ALLAHO AKBAR

LA ILAHA ILLALLAH
(There is no deity but Allah/ there is none worthy of being worshipped except Allah)


Additional Information
1 - In Saudi Arabia all business' close for about 30 minutes for each of the calls to prayer, however this does not happen in the other Gulf states.
2 - As a custom, the Addan is supposed to be the first thing a new born baby hears.