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Azaan (Call for
Prayers): The Amazing Phenomenon
Amazing as it sounds, but fortunately
for the Muslims of the world, it is an established
fact. Have a look at a map of the world and you will
find Indonesia on the eastern side of the
earth. The major cities of Indonesia are
Java, Sumatra, Borneo and Saibil. As soon
as dawn breaks on the eastern side of Saibil,
at approximately 5:30 am local time, Fajar Azaan
begins. Thousands of Muazzins in Indonesia begin
reciting the Azaan.
The
process advances towards West Indonesia. One
and a half hours after the Azaan has been completed
in Saibil, it echoes in Jakarta.
Sumatra then follows suit and before this
auspicious process of calling Azaan ends in
Indonesia, it has already begun in Malaysia.
Burma
is next in line, and within an hour of its
beginning in Jakarta, it reaches Dacca,
the capital city of Bangladesh. After
Bangladesh, it has already prevailed in western
India, from Calcutta to Srinagar.
It then advances towards Bombay and the
environment of entire India resounds with this
proclamation. Srinagar and Sialkot (a
city in north Pakistan) have the same timing
for Azaan. The time difference between Sialkot,
Quetta, and Karachi is forty minutes, and
within this time, Fajar Azaan is heard
throughout Pakistan. Before it ends there, it
has already begun in Afghanistan and
Muscat. The time difference between Muscat
and Baghdad is one hour. Azaan resounds
during this one hour in the environments of
Hijaaz-e-Muqaddas (Holy cities of Makkah and Madinah),
Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq.
The time
difference between Baghdad and Alexandria
in Egypt is again one hour. Azaan
continues to resound in Syria, Egypt, Somalia
and Sudan during this hour. The time
difference between eastern and western Turkey
is one and a half hours, and during this time it is
echoed with the call to prayer.
Alexandria and Tripoli (capital of
Libya) are located at one hour's difference. The
process of calling Azaan thus continues throughout
the whole of Africa. Therefore, the
proclamation of the Tawheed and Risaalat that had
begun in Indonesia reaches the Eastern
Shore of the Atlantic Ocean after nine and half
hours. Prior to the Azaan reaching the shores of the
Atlantic, the process of Zohar Azaan has
already started in east Indonesia, and before
it reaches Dacca, Asar Azaan has
started. This has hardly reached Jakarta one
and half hours later, the time of Maghrib
becomes due, and no sooner has Maghrib time
reached Sumatra, the time for calling Isha
Azaan has commenced in Saibil! When the
Muazzins of Indonesia are calling out Fajar Azaan,
the African Muazzins are calling the Azaan
for Isha.
If we were to ponder over this phenomenon
thoughtfully, we would conclude the amazing fact
that there is not even a single moment when hundreds
of thousands of Muazzins around the world are not
reciting the Azaan on the surface of this earth.
Even as you read this material right now, you can be
sure there are atleast thousands of people who are
hearing and reciting the Azaan!!!
"Invite all to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and
beautiful preaching;
And consult with them in ways that are best and
most gracious."
(Al Qur'an, 16:125)
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