Muezzin

Themuezzin(/m(j)uˈɛzɪn/;^[1]Arabic:مُؤَذِّن) is the person who proclaims the call to the daily prayer (ṣalāt) five times a day (Fajr prayer,Zuhr prayer,Asr prayer,Maghrib prayerandIsha prayer) at amosquefrom theminaret.^[2]^[3]The muezzin plays an important role in ensuring an accurateprayer schedulefor theMuslim community.

Etymology[edit]

The English wordmuezzinis borrowed fromArabic:مُؤَذِّن,muʾadh·dhin[mu.ʔað.ðin],simplifiedmu'azzin,^[4]theactive participleofArabic:أَذَّنَ"to call". Thus, it means "the calling one".

Roles and responsibilities[edit]

The professional muezzin is chosen for his good character, voice and skills to serve at the mosque. Muezzins are typically men.^[5]The muezzin is not considered acleric,but in a position comparable to aChristian verger.He is responsible for keeping the mosque clean, for rolling the carpets, for cleaning the toilets and the place where people wash their hands, face and feet when they perform theWuḍu'(Arabic:wuḍū’وُضُوء,the "purification" of ablution) before offering the prayer.^[6]When calling to prayer, the muezzin faces theqiblah,the direction of theKa'bahinMakkah,while reciting theadhan.^[7]^{[dubious–discuss]}

From the fourteenth century, initially inMamluk Egyptbut then spread into other parts of the Islamic world, major mosques might employ a related officer, themuwaqqit,who determined the prayer times using mathematical astronomy. Unlike the muezzin who were typically chosen for their piety and beautiful voice, the qualification of the muwaqqit required special knowledge in astronomy.^[8]^[9]Historian Sonja Brentjes speculates that the muwaqqit might have evolved from a specialised muezzin,^[10]and that there might not have been a clear delineation between the two offices.^[11]Some celebrated muwaqqits, includingShams al-Din al-Khaliliandibn al-Shatir,were known to have once been muezzins, and many individuals held both offices simultaneously.^[12]Today, with the production of electronic devices and authoritative timetables, a muezzin in a mosque can broadcast the call to prayer by consulting a table or a clock without requiring the specialised skill of amuwaqqit.^[13]

Call of the muezzin[edit]

The call of the muezzin is considered an art form, reflected in the melodious chanting of the adhan. InTurkeythere is an annual competition to find the country's best muezzin.^[14]

Historically, a muezzin would have recited the call to prayer atop theminaretsin order to be heard by those around the mosque. Now, mosques often haveloudspeakers mounted on the top of the minaretand the muezzin will use a microphone, or a recording is played, allowing the call to prayer to be heard at great distances without climbing the minaret.

Origins[edit]

The institution of the muezzin has existed since the time ofMuhammad.The first muezzin was a former slaveBilal ibn Rabah,one of the most trusted and loyalsahabah(companions) of theIslamic prophet Muhammad.He was born inMeccaand is considered to have been the first mu'azzin, chosen by Muhammad himself.^[15]^[16]^[17]^[18]

After minarets became customary at mosques, the office of muezzin in cities was sometimes given to ablindman, who could not see down into the inner courtyards of the citizens' houses and thus could not violate privacy.^[19]

Notable muezzins[edit]

References[edit]

^"muezzin".Dictionary Unabridged(Online). n.d.
^Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi(26 March 2016).The Laws of Islam(PDF).Enlight Press. p. 470.ISBN 978-0994240989.Retrieved8 August2018.
^"Definition of Muezzin".merriam-webster.Retrieved2021-09-13.
^"muezzin".Dictionary.
^Muhammad Usman, Shakir (20 July 2021)."The Idea of Female Muezzins and Imams in Islam a Challenge to the Pakistani Patriarchal Forces".PJSEL.7:9.Retrieved27 June2023.
^"Muezzin | Definition & Facts | Britannica".britannica.Retrieved2023-08-22.
^A Muazzin calling for prayer in Saudi Arabia
^King 1996,p. 286.
^Pedersen 1991,p. 677.
^Brentjes 2008,p. 139.
^Brentjes 2008,p. 141.
^Brentjes 2008,pp. 139–140.
^King 1996,p. 322.
^"Muezzin".Aljazeera. 13 March 2013.Retrieved21 March2015.
^"Slavery in Islam."BBC News. BBC, 2009. Web. 2013.
^Ludwig W. Adamec(2009),Historical Dictionary of Islam,p.68. Scarecrow Press.ISBN 0810861615.
^Robinson, David.Muslim Societies in African History.Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Print.
^Levtzion, Nehemia,and Randall Lee Pouwels.The History of Islam in Africa.South Africa: Ohio UP, 2000. Print.
^Saramago, Jose (1998).The History of the Siege of Lisbon.Harcourt Brace. p. 20.

Bibliography[edit]

Brentjes, Sonja (2008)."Shams al-Din al-Sakhawi onMuwaqqits,Mu'adhdhins,and the Teachers of Various Astronomical Disciplines in Mamluk Cities in the Fifteenth Century ".In Emilia Calvo; Mercè Comes; Roser Puig; Mònica Rius (eds.).A Shared Legacy: Islamic Science East and West.Edicions Universitat Barcelona.ISBN 978-84-475-3285-8.
King, David A. (1996)."On the role of the muezzin and themuwaqqitin medieval Islamic society ".In E. Jamil Ragep; Sally P. Ragep (eds.).Tradition, Transmission, Transformation.E.J. Brill.pp. 285–345.ISBN 90-04-10119-5.
Pedersen, Johannes (1991)."Masdjid: The personnel of the mosque".InBosworth, C. E.;van Donzel, E.&Pellat, Ch.(eds.).The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition.Volume VI: Mahk–Mid.Leiden: E. J. Brill. pp. 674–677.ISBN 978-90-04-08112-3.

External links[edit]

[1] "muezzin".Dictionary Unabridged(Online). n.d.

[Modarresi-2] Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi(26 March 2016).The Laws of Islam(PDF).Enlight Press. p. 470.ISBN 978-0994240989.Retrieved8 August2018.

[3] "Definition of Muezzin".merriam-webster.Retrieved2021-09-13.

[4] "muezzin".Dictionary.

[5] Muhammad Usman, Shakir (20 July 2021)."The Idea of Female Muezzins and Imams in Islam a Challenge to the Pakistani Patriarchal Forces".PJSEL.7:9.Retrieved27 June2023.

[6] "Muezzin | Definition & Facts | Britannica".britannica.Retrieved2023-08-22.

[7] A Muazzin calling for prayer in Saudi Arabia

[FOOTNOTEKing1996286-8] King 1996,p. 286.

[FOOTNOTEPedersen1991677-9] Pedersen 1991,p. 677.

[FOOTNOTEBrentjes2008139-10] Brentjes 2008,p. 139.

[FOOTNOTEBrentjes2008141-11] Brentjes 2008,p. 141.

[FOOTNOTEBrentjes2008139–140-12] Brentjes 2008,pp. 139–140.

[FOOTNOTEKing1996322-13] King 1996,p. 322.

[14] "Muezzin".Aljazeera. 13 March 2013.Retrieved21 March2015.

[bbc.co.uk-15] "Slavery in Islam."BBC News. BBC, 2009. Web. 2013.

[16] Ludwig W. Adamec(2009),Historical Dictionary of Islam,p.68. Scarecrow Press.ISBN 0810861615.

[book-17] Robinson, David.Muslim Societies in African History.Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Print.

[18] Levtzion, Nehemia,and Randall Lee Pouwels.The History of Islam in Africa.South Africa: Ohio UP, 2000. Print.

[19] Saramago, Jose (1998).The History of the Siege of Lisbon.Harcourt Brace. p. 20.

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