The call to prayer (adhan) is one of the most easily recognized signs of a majority- Muslim society. Traditionally performed by a muezzin from the minaret of a mosque, the call alerts nearby Muslims that the time for one of the fi ve daily prayers has arrived. In the contemporary world, it may be broadcast over the radio or television. Entrepreneurs havedesigned an “adhan alarm clock” that emits the call at the proper times; one can download computer programs to do the same thing. Prayer is a vital part of Muslims’ worship practices; the ritual salat, obligatory fi ve times daily, constitutes the second of Islam’s fi ve pillars. The Qur’an refers often to “those who keep the prayer” as worthy of reward. Salat occurs daily at dawn, midday, afternoon, sunset, and evening. After an ablution to establish ritual purity, the worshiper declares his or her intention to perform the specifi c prayer at hand. Muhammad reportedly said that “Acts are judged according to their intentions,” and a formal declaration of intention (niyyah) is a required component of prayer. Each prayer comprises required and supererogatory portions and each portion consists of two, three, or four cycles (raka‘at). Each cycle of prayer consists of a series of fi xed movements (standing, bowing, prostrating, kneeling) and recitations from the Qur’an and of other formulae. The short fi rst chapter of the Qur’an, al-Fatihah, is always recited as part of each cycle; its verses are thus known as the “seven oft- repeated.” (Source: Islam, Key Concepts, Oliver Leamann)
Masjid the Place for Supplication to Allah
