PROPHET'S MOSQUE CONTINUES 1,400-YEAR TRADITION OF CALL TO PRAYER

MADINAH, March 23 (Bernama-SPA) -- For over 14 centuries, the resonant call to prayer, or adhan, has echoed from the sacred grounds of the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah -- a tradition that holds deep spiritual significance for Muslims worldwide, including many from Malaysia who visit the holy city each year.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the adhan was first established by Bilal bin Rabah, Islam’s first muezzin, during the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Initially, Muslims gathered for prayers without a formal call. The introduction of the adhan came following visions experienced by companions Abdullah bin Zayd Al-Khazraji and Umar bin Al-Khattab.

Upon confirming their accounts, the Prophet instructed Bilal -- known for his melodious voice -- to deliver the call to prayer.

This practice has continued uninterrupted to the present day.

Currently, 20 muezzins take turns to deliver the adhan and iqamah, and echo the imam’s invocations, with their voices broadcast through a sophisticated sound system across the mosque.

The adhan of Madinah is renowned for its distinctive cadence and spiritual resonance, bringing a profound sense of tranquility to worshippers.

Historically, as researcher Dr Fouad Al-Maghamsi explained, the adhan was broadcast sequentially from five minarets: the main minaret next to the Green Dome, followed by Bab Al-Salam, Bab Al-Rahmah (or Ar-Rahmaniyah), Shakiliyah, and Sulaymaniyah.

This approach was designed to maximise the reach of the call before the invention of loudspeakers.

In the early 1400s Hijrah, this system shifted to a unified broadcast.

A single muezzin now delivers the adhan via a central loudspeaker located in an elevated, open-air space overlooking Al-Rawdah Al-Sharifah and the mihrab, about five metres from the Holy Minbar.

The Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque oversees the preparation and testing of the loudspeakers before every prayer.

The adhan is transmitted clearly and reverently using high–fidelity audio systems, maintaining the sanctity of this enduring Islamic tradition.

-- BERNAMA-SPA