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By Farahnaz Khan (Indonesia)
An incredible medium for the proclamation of Tawheed (Oneness)
of Almighty Allah and Risaalat (Universal Apostleship)
of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam - SAWS)
constantly echoes around the globe. Amazing though 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
(an Islamic country) right on the eastern side of the
earth's central land mass. Indonesia consists of numerous
small islands, the principle ones amongst them being Java,
Sumatra,Borneo and Saibil, all of which are well known.
It is the largest Islamic country in the world, with 180
million inhabitants. The number of non-Muslims here is
negligible.
As soon as dawn breaks on the eastern side of Saibil,
at approximately 5:30am local time, Fajar Azaan begins.
Thousands of Muazzins (callers to prayer) in eastern Indonesia
commence proclaiming the Tawheed of the Almighty, Omnipotent
and Omniscient Allah and Risaalat of the Prophet Muhammad
(SAWS). The process then continues and advances towards
the Western Islands of Indonesia. The time difference
between the eastern and western islands of Indonesia is
one and a half hours.
Hence, one and a half hours after the Azaan has been completed
in Saibil, it echoes in Jakarta on Java Island. 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
commencement in Jakarta, it reaches Dacca, the capital
city of Bangladesh. No sooner the calling of Azaan
ends in 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 august proclamation.
Srinagar and Sialkot (a city in north Pakistan)
have the same timing for Azaan. The time difference between
Sialkot, Quetta, Karachi and Gowadar city in Baluchistan
(a province of Pakistan) is forty minutes, and within
this time, Fajar Azaan is heard throughout Pakistan. Before
it ends there, however, it has already begun in Afghanistan
and Muscat. The time difference between Muscat and Baghdad(Iraq)
is one hour. Azaan resounds during this one hour. In the
environments of Holy cities of Makkah and Madinah(Saudi
Arabia), Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iran
and Iraq. The time difference between Baghdad and Alexandria
in Egypt is again one hour. Azaan continues to resound
in Iran, Syria, Egypt, Somalia and Sudan during
this hour.
Alexandria and Istanbul are situated on the same geographical
longitude. 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 an hour difference from one another. The process of
calling Azaan thus continues throughout the whole of
Africa. Therefore, the proclamation of the Oneness
of Allah and the Prophethood of Muhammad (SAWS) that had
begun in the eastern islands of Indonesia reaches the
Eastern Shore of the Atlantic Ocean after nine
and a half hours. Prior to the Azaan reaching the shores
of the Atlantic, the process of Zohar Azaan has already
commenced in eastern Indonesia, and before it reaches
Dacca, Asar Azaan has started. This has hardly reached
Jakarta one and half hours later, and then the time of
Maghrib becomes due, and no sooner has Maghrib time reached
Sumatra, then the time for calling Isha Azaan has commenced
in Saibil. When the Muazzins of Indonesia are calling
out Fajar Azaan, the Muazzins in Africa are calling out
the Azaan for Isha. If we were to ponder over this phenomenon
seriously and studiously, we would conclude the amazing
fact that there is not a single moment when thousands
if not hundreds of thousands of Muazzins around the world
are not proclaiming the Oneness of Almighty Allah and
the Apostleship of the noble Prophet (SAWS) on the surface
of this earth. Inshah Allah! This universal and continuous
calling of the Azaan shall not cease until the Day of
the Judgement; we should all make necessary effort and
du'a for the same.
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Allah is the most great. Allah is the most great.
Allah is the most great. Allah is the most great.
I testify that
there is no God except Allah.
I testify that there is no God except Allah.
I testify that
Muhammad is the messenger of Allah
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah
Come to prayer!
Come to prayer!
Come to success (in the life and the hereafter)! Come
to Success!
Allah is most
great. Allah is most great.
There is no God except Allah.
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