Bilal Siddiqui's Blog

In week one of lecture, we learned about the fundamental beliefs of Islam as well as the sacred call to prayer: the adhan. The adhan has been an integral part of Islamic tradition from its inception. The one who is in charge of leading the adhan, the muezzin, has always been highly respected within the Muslim community. In addition, often times one of the first things that a newborn Muslim baby hears is the adhan so that he/she becomes accustomed to the word of God. The aspect I found most unique about the adhan is the fact that although it never changes form and meaning (the same Arabic phrases are said in every adhan around the world), it is different from region to region. Muslims all around the world have their own unique approach to the adhan and freely play with the accent, tones, and pauses used in their recitation. Therefore, the adhan is both universal and unique in this regard. For my work, I made an audio compilation of adhans recited from around the world in a continuous recitation. Rather than listen to different adhans individually, I feel it is easier to appreciate the diversity by listening to a compilation of many different adhans at once.  The order of countries where the adhan is recited in the audio compilation is Al Aqsa (Jerusalem), Syria, Medina, Mecca, Bosnia, Jordan, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey, respectively. It is immediately apparent that there is no one standard for reciting the adhan, but that it too becomes a form of cultural expression and identity. It is important to note that these adhans are primarily Sunni adhans, representing the most common sect of Islam.  The Shi’i adhan, unlike the Sunni adhan, usually includes two extra phrases: Ashhadu anna ‘Aliyyan waliullah (I bear witness that ‘Ali is the viceregent of God) and Hayya ‘ala khayr al-‘amal (Come to the best of deeds) in order to express the sect’s veneration for its favored Imam.

Compilation of Adhans