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All about Adhān

The adhān (Arabic: أَذَان‎ Azan/Ezan [ʔæˈðæːn]) is the Islamic call to prayer, recited by the muezzin. The root of the word is ʼḏn أَذَن meaning “to permit”, and another derivative of this word is uḏun, meaning “ear”.

Adhan is called out by the muezzin in the mosque, sometimes from a minaret, five times a day summoning Muslims for mandatory (fard) prayers (salah). There is a second call known as iqama (set up) that summons Muslims to line up for the beginning of the prayers. The main purpose behind the loud pronouncement of adhan five times a day in every mosque is to make available to everyone an easily intelligible summary of Islamic belief. It is intended to bring to the mind of every believer and non-believer the substance of Islamic beliefs, or its spiritual ideology. Loudspeakers are sometimes installed on minarets for the purpose.

The adhan sums up the teachings of Islam: there is no deity but The God; Muhammad is God’s Messenger; salvation is found through obedience to the Will of God, of which prayer is an important expression.

According to Shi’a scholars, Ashhadu ana Alian waliullah (“I testify that Ali is the vicegerent of The God “) is not a part of adhan and iqamah but it is recommended (Mustahabb) to say that twice after third part of the adhan which is “Ash-hadu anna Muhammadar-rasūl ullāh”.Fatimid/Ismaili/Dawoodi Bohra believe to include and recite this at same place ,twice in main adhan,but not in Iqamah.

Fatimid/Ismaili/Dawoodi Bohra also recite”mohammadun -va- ali-un khayr-ul- basar va itarat-o- homa khayr-ul-itar “( mohammad and Ali are best gentleman and have best manners) twice after 6th part “Hayya ‘ala-khayril-amal”.At the end of Azaan ,they recite ‘Lā ilāha illallāh’ twice( but once in Iqamah). This tradition is contd. from their 1st Dai Zoib (1132CE) after 21st Imam Tayyeb and claim this is true Fatimid tradition.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhan

See also: Idul Fitri, Hamper Hari Raya, Hari Raya Hampers