Adhan Notes

Musical Soundscape of the Islamic Call to Prayer  Objectives To understand the social signifcance o adhan To examine the socio-religious socio-religio us importance in the musical processes o adhan recitation To explore the intersection o social structure & musical/peormance structure To look at one approach in the study o music & culture • •

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History of adhan (azan) Legislated in the frst year ater Prophet Muhammed and his ollowers migrated to Medina in 6!" #elated to $!%dullah $!%dullah i%n!%d #a%%ih in his dreams' pro%a%ly %etween 6(-)*+!" Prophet Muhammed instructed $!%dullah $!%dullah i%n!%d #a%%ih to ,go to ilal. and ,tell him to make the call to prayer' prayer' or he has the %est  oice among you. ,ilal. %ecame the title o the person who recites the a0an 1now also known as the mue00in or muadhdhin2 •

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Functions  Conte!ts 3 times a day to mark prayer times 4ele%rations o special eents such as %irths' moing to a new home 5namiliar territories • • •

"e!t of the azan  !llahu !k%ar !llahu !k%ar  !llahu !k%ar !llahu !k%ar

7od is the greatest 7od is the greatest 7od is the greatest 7od is the greatest

 !shhadu alla ilaha illal-lah  !shhadu alla ilaha illal-lah

8 testiy that there is no 7od %ut !llah 8 testiy that there is no 7od %ut !llah

8 testiy that Mohammed is the  !shhadu anna Muhammad ar-#asool-lal-lah messenger o !llah  !shhadu anna Muhammad ar-#asool-lal-lah 8 testiy that Mohammed is the messenger o !llah ayya $alas-salah ayya $alas-salah 4ome to prayers 4ome to prayers ayya $alal-alah ayya $alal-alah 4ome to success 4ome to success  !llahu !k%ar !llahu !k%ar La ilaha illal-lah 7od is the greatest 7od is the greatest There is no 7od %ut !llah

Purpose of the azan ,The adhan is a call to inorm others in specifc words that the time or a prayer has %egun9 8t is a call to the congregation' and is an expression o the 8slamic practices9 8t is o%ligatory or highly preerred:although it has  ery ew words' ;it< coers all essentials o the aith9 8t %egins %y proclaiming the greatness o !llah' pointing to its existence and perection9 8t mentions is oneness and the denial o polytheism' and it coners the messengership o Muhammad' upon whom %e peace9 8t calls to specifc acts o o%edience ater testiying to Muhammads messengership' and it calls to a prosperity which is eerlasting' point to the return to !llah9 Then in a manner o emphasis' it repeats some o what was already mentioned. #ecitin$  %istenin$ #eciter stands and ace direction o the #eciter places fnger in %oth ears Listener responds to the call Listener prepares or prayer •

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 Azan and  Jawab 7od is the greatest 7od is the greatest 7od is the greatest 7od is the greatest

7od is the greatest 7od is the greatest 7od is the greatest 7od is the greatest

8 testiy that there is no 7od %ut !llah 8 testiy that there is no 7od %ut !llah

8 testiy that there is no 7od %ut !llah 8 testiy that there is no 7od %ut !llah

8 testiy 8 testiy that Mohammed is the messenger o !llah that Mohammed is the messenger o !llah 8 testiy that Mohammed is the messenger o !llah 8 testiy that Mohammed is the messenger o !llah 4ome to prayers 4ome to prayers 8 hae no strength except with the o !llah 4ome to success 8 hae no strength except with the 4ome to success o !llah 7od is the greatest 7od is the greatest There is no 7od %ut !llah 8 hae no strength except with the o !llah 8 hae no strength except with the o !llah

help help

help help

7od is the greatest 7od is the greatest There is no 7od %ut !llah

Characteristics of azan recitation =ery call must %e recited di>erently 4an %e recited in monotone =mploys !ra%ic musical modes Macro-structure o Textual grouping o Modal characteristics Micro-structure Melodic shape o ?arrow am%itus 1pitch interals2 o @pening anacrusis o Atock motis o #ecitation as a #ecreatie Process asic identity o a0an must %e maintained #ecreatie processes Pitch leel o @rnamention 1akin to 8slamic art orms in general2 o o Modulation 1use o di>erent modes2 • • • •

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Concludin$ thou$hts& ow do musical processes in the a0an portray 8slamic aluesB o Aound Atructure #ecreatie process o 4oncept The challenge o attaining 0aud 1inner eeling2 ehaior o •

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