Azaan is one of the characteristic and stirringly evocative symbols of Islam. Its meaning is Announcement and in Turkish, it is also called Ezan. Azaan is given by a Muezzin who summons the faithful to prayer.
Muezzin traditionally climbs to the top of a minaret to issue his call. In Islam, there is also a tradition of reciting Azaan into the ear of a newborn to tell it is born in a Muslim family.
The root of the word Azaan is Adhina which means “to Listen, be Informed about, and to Hear”. Another meaning of Azaan is “Ear”. To summon worship all religions have their methods and Muslims use the human voice.
In this blog, we will discuss more facts about the Azaan and its importance in Islam. So let’s begin the discussion.
Importance of Azaan In Islam
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Azaan is important for Muslims as it reminds Muslims to pray 5 times a day. As compared to the starting year, Muezzin does not have to climb the minaret to issue the call. Now, Muezzin goes to the Mosque and issues the call-in speakers so that people can hear it.
Without Azaan it becomes difficult for Muslims to pray at the right time. It is important to remind them to pray at the right time so that they leave their work and come to the mosque for prayer. It also helps Muslims to meet other Muslims and make strong relations.
Listening to Azaan is not the same in other countries as in Mecca. The people who go to Mecca to perform Umrah or Hajj enjoy the amazing experience of listening to Azaan there. If you want to have the same experience then you should book Lottrip’s best and cheap Umrah Packages from Canada.
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History of Azaan
Azaan was first called at Mecca in the presence of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The first Muezzin to call Azaan was Bilal ibn Rabah. He was a freed slave of Abyssinian heritage. Originally, Azaan was a simple “Come to prayer” and Bilal would roam the streets of Mecca to remind people about prayer time.
After the emigration of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and his followers from Mecca to Medina, a companion of the Prophet named Abd Allah ibn Zaid had a vision in which he tried to buy a clapper made of wood to summon people to prayer.
But the person who has the clapper advised Abd Allah ibn Zaid to call out to the people instead and to intone a minimum message. Ibn Zaid went to the Holy Prophet (SAW) to tell his story and he, while approving the story, told him to ask Bilal to perform the task.
The reason was Bilal ibn Rabah has a marvelous voice and was famous for majestically sonorous renditions of the Quran. He continues to stir 1.6 billion Muslims from Morocco to Jakarta 5 times a day.
At that time, he said, “Come to prayer. Rise up to your welfare!”. But in the last hours of darkness just before dawn, the Azaan changed to “ Come to prayer. Rise up for your welfare. For prayer is better than sleep”.
Response to Azaan
In response to this call, people step out of their houses and pray in the mosque. They also pledge to God the only thing needed to become a Muslim. At this time one crosses over from Dar ul Harb (the house of the Pagan) into Dar ul Islam (the house of Islam).
This is a simple exercise and the emphasis is on not making a verbal mistake instead of believing something. Muslims carried the prayer carpet when they travel abroad.
At the prayer times, he will determine the direction of Mecca, roll out the prayer carpet, and say his prayer to Allah. All Muslims are instructed to turn to the Kaaba shrine in Mecca during the time of prayers.
The words of the Azaan simply manifest the basic principles of Islam and its teachings. The basic Azaan can be translated as
“Allah is most great. I attest that there is no god but Allah. I declare that Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah. Come to prayer. Come to Salvation. Allah is most great. There is no God but Allah.”
The first Azaan phrase is proclaimed 4 times, the final phrase one time, and the other phrases 2 times. The worshippers make a set of responses to each phrase and get multiple rewards
Without a specific melody or meter, the sound of Azaan is a function of precise Linguistic features. In the last words in most phrases of the Azaan, long vowels occur and these can often be enhanced melismatically.
Meanwhile, the timbre of Azaan is influenced by the pronunciation of numerous letters in Arabic. The Azaan infuses the complete Muslim culture and remains a highly evocative and pivotal symbol of the Islamic faith.
