Last night, after dark, I thought I heard a loud radio outside. Then I realized it must be the Muslim call to prayer broadcast from the loudspeakers of the minaret in the city. Just heard it again about 5:30 am.
The adhān (Arabic: أَذَان [ʔaˈðaːn]), (or azan as pronounced in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan,Bangladesh, India, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, ezan in Turkey,Bosnia and Herzegovina), azon in Uzbekistan, and bang in Kurdistan , is the Islamic call toworship, recited by the muezzin at prescribed times of the day. The root of the word isʾadhina أَذِنَ meaning "to listen, to hear, be informed about". Another derivative of this word isʾudhun (أُذُن), meaning "ear".
Adhan is called out by a muezzin from the mosque five times a day, traditionally from theminaret, summoning Muslims for mandatory (fard) worship (salat). A second call, known asiqama, (set up) then summons Muslims to line up for the beginning of the prayers. The main purpose behind the multiple loud pronouncements of adhan 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. In modern times, loudspeakers have been installed on minarets for this purpose.
The adhan sums up the Shahada, the statement of faith: There is no deity but God, andMuhammad is the Messenger of God. This statement of faith, called the Kalimah, is the first of the Five Pillars of Islam.
Nice breakfast at the Doubletree Hotel. It included lots of cheeses and olives. Good coffee. I got in the elevator, which is not air conditioned, closed the door and pressed floor 9. I kept pressing 9 until I thought I would die of the heat. Got out and did the same thing in adjacent elevator. No movement. Got out and went to Front Desk. You must show your room card to the black dot in the elevator to make it move.
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