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STORY OF AZAN

One day Prophet Muhammad (saw) and the Muslims discussed the matter of calling the people for the congregational prayer at the exact time. Some of the believers suggested the use of something like the bell of the Christians, others suggested the use of a horn like that of the Jews, but Umar(ra) suggested sending someone to announce the prayer. Then Allah's Messenger(saw) appointed Bilal(ra) to call the people to prayer. But it seems through the study of hadith that the method was not satisfactory. Then Prophet Muhammad(saw) agreed to use a Naqoose (a conch), something like the bell of Christians but he was not happy to use it because of its similarity with the Christians.

After Prophet Muhammad(saw) had ordered a bell to be made so that it could be struck to gather the people to prayer; on that same day a companion, Abdullah bin Zaid bin Abd Rabbihi,said, "I was sleeping when I saw a man carrying a naqoose in his hands, and I said, Servant of Allah will you sell this to me?' When he said what I would do with it? I replied, that we would use it to call the people to prayer. He said 'Shall I not guide you to something better than that?' I replied, 'Certainly', so he told me to say :

'Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Ash hadu an la ilaha illal lah, ash hadu an la ilaha illal lah,

Ash hadu an-na Muhammadar resulul-lah, Ash hadu an-na Muhammadar rasulul-lah, hayya 'alas, salah, hayya 'alas salah,

hayya 'alal falah, hayya 'alal-falah Allahu Akbar; Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illal lah.'

After the Azan the stranger kept quiet for a while and then said, When the congregation is ready you should say:-

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Ash hadu an la lilaha illal lah, Ash hadu an-na Muham-madar rasAlul-lah,

hayya 'alas salah, hayya 'alal falah, qad qama tis salah, qad qama tis salah,

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, la ilahillallah.

When I told Allah's Messenger(saw) in the morning what I had seen, he said, "It is a true vision, insha-Allah, so get up along with Bilal, and when you have taught him what you have seen let him use it in making the call to prayer, for he has stronger voice than you have".

So I got up along with Bilal(ra) and began to teach it to him, and he used it in making the call to prayer.

Umar bin al-Khattab heard this when he was in his house, and he came out trailing his cloak and said, 'Messenger of Allah(saw), by Him who has sent you with the truth, I have seen the same kind of thing as has been revealed.' To this Allah's Messenger(saw) replied, 'Praise be to Allah!' (Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Ibn, Tirmizi)

 

 

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