Call to Prayer

I thought it would be too cliché to write about the Call to Prayer while in Amman. The Call to Prayer, or Adhan, happens five times each day and is audible from almost any spot while in Amman. I thought it was cliché, then I heard it.

I didn’t notice the Adhan until I moved in with my host family in Shmeisani. There are two mosques within walking distance of our apartment and one is only about a block away.

The Call to Prayer echoes through the house. It is one of the most captivating sounds I have heard. The recording of the call reverberates with some feedback on some of the words. In short bursts, some high notes sometimes carry longer than others. The Allah hu-Akbar is carried very long, with the l pronounced longest.

Aaaalllllllllllahhhh hu-Akkbaar

The call lasts for just around five minutes. And then minutes later, the closing call is made and the Adhan is over. The Call to Prayer calls Muslims to prayer and is a summary of the Shahada (the statement of faith): There is no deity but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.

Each morning I have been woken up by the various pre-dawn calls to prayer. Usually between 5:30 and 6, before I roll over and fall back to sleep for a few more hours.

I am so happy I can hear the call from our house. Hearing reaffirms my belief in why I came to Amman.