The call to prayer (adhan)
Islamic Studies · Key Stage 1 · The School
A call, five times a day
The adhan is the call to prayer. It is said five times a day. It follows set times. These times follow the sun. It tells Muslims to stop and pray. In many places, it can be heard far and wide.
What it says
The adhan begins with Allahu akbar. This is said more than once. It means "Allah is greatest". It says there is no god but Allah. It says Muhammad ﷺ is His messenger. Then it calls people to prayer. It calls them to success too.
Who calls it
The person who calls the adhan has a name. He is called a muezzin. Long ago, he stood on the minaret. His voice carried across the city. Now, speakers often carry his voice. It reaches much further than before.
The first muezzin
The first muezzin was named Bilal. He had a beautiful voice. It was strong and clear. The Prophet ﷺ chose him for this role. Many others wanted this role too. It was seen as a great honour. Bilal kept the role for many years.
One call, everywhere
Somewhere in the world, the adhan is being called right now. It might be in Indonesia. It might be in Nigeria. The main words are the same everywhere. A few lines differ: Sunni Muslims add a line at dawn, and Shia Muslims add some other words. The languages around it can differ. Muslims everywhere understand it at once.