Literal meaning is: ‘announcement;’ in Islam, it refers to a specific set of phrases recited at the time of prayer to call the Muslims to perform one of the five daily prayers. It can be recited by the person who is performing one’s prayer individually, or it can be to call others to pray in congregation. The phrases of adhān are:
Allāhu AkbarAn expression meaning ‘God is Greater (than can be described)’. This phrase is so important in Islamic worship that it has a title: takbīr. The takbīr is the opening phrase of the adhān (call to... More x 4
Ashhadu an lā ilāha illā Allāh x 2
Ashhadu anna Muḥammad ar Rasūl Allāh x 2
Ashhadu anna ʿAlī-yan walī Allāh x 2 (this phrase is not obligatory)
Ḥayya ʿalās salāh x 2
Ḥayya ʿalāl falāh x 2
Ḥayya ʿalā khayril ʿamal x 2
Allāhu Akbar x 2
La ilāha illā Allāh x 2
The line ‘Ashhadu anna ʿAlī-yan walī Allāh’ which acknowledges the position of ImāmDirect translation: Leader. In Sunni Islam, Imāms are the leaders of the Muslim community who lead prayers, provide guidance and help run communities. In the Shi’ah faith, the Imāms are the infallible, divinely appointed leaders... More ʿAlī (ʿa)An abbreviation for the Arabic ‘Alayhi salām’ or ‘Alayhā salām’, which translates to: ‘Peace and blessings be upon him/her.’ Follows the name of a maʿsūm (infallible, according to Shi’ah belief) - including all of the... More as Prophet Muḥammad’s (ṣ)An abbreviation for the Arabic ‘Ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa Āle hi wa-sallam’, which translates to: ‘Peace and blessings be upon him and his family - it is written after the name of Prophet Muḥammad (ṣ)... More successor is only recommended to recite.
Certain sects of Sunni Islam have different patterns of recitation.
