Adhan

The adhān is the call to the prayers for the Muslims, recited by the muezzin usually from the minarets of a mosque. The main purpose behind the loud pronouncement of Adhan five times a day is to remind the believers to discard all worldly activities at prayer time and assemble for the mandatory (fard) prayers.

The words of the adhan have remained unchanged since 622AD, when the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) asked a freed slave and a trusted companion, Bilal ibn Rubah to give the first call to prayer. The adhan is announced in every mosque of the world five times a day irrespective of its geographical or regional location.

There is not even a single moment in time when hundreds of thousands of Muazzins around the world are not reciting the adhan  on the surface of this earth.

Adhan: The call to prayer in Islam

Reflections: Adhan

Biography: Bilal al-Habashi, the first muezzin of Islam

Adhan: What the call to prayers means

Manners of proclaiming and listening to the Adhan

• The muezzin should be an adult Muslim male, with a clear loud voice.
• He should perform ablution before proclaiming the adhan.
• He should preferably stand on a raised platform with his face towards Qibla.
• He should insert the tip of his fore-finger in his ears and then recite adhan for all to hear.

• On hearing the adhan, one should abandon every work even recitation of the Holy Qur'an, if reciting at the moment.
• Respect the adhan by stopping conversation and all worldly activities.
• One should stay focused on the adhan.
• One should repeat the words of adhan after the muezzin. Except when he says, "Come to the prayers. Come to success," one should say, "There is no power or might save with (except) Allah."
• After adhan one should invoke blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)
•  Then one should read the dua' wasilah.
•  One should make dua between adhan and iqamah. It is stated in a hadith that the supplication made between the adhan and the iqamah is not rejected.