AZAAN-THE
SOUND THAT ECHOES AROUND THE GLOBE
-------------------------------------------------------
Azaan: An incredible medium for the proclamation of Tawhid
of Almighty Allah and Risaalat of Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu
Alayhi Wasallam, the sound of which 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 country in the world, with 180 million inhabitants.
The number of non-Muslims here is tiny.
As
soon as dawn breaks on the eastern side of Saibil, at approximately
5:30 am local time, Fajr Azaan begins. Thousands of Muezzins
in eastern Indonesia commence proclaiming the Tawhid (oneness)
of the Almighty, Omnipotent and Omniscient Allah and Risaalat
(Universal Apostleship) of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu
Alayhi Wasallam. 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, Kota, Karachi and Gowadar
(a city in Baluchistan, a province of Pakistan) is forty
minutes, and within this time, Fajr 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 is one hour. Azaan resounds during this
one hour in the environments of Hijaaz-e-Muqaddas (Holy
cities of Makkah and Madeenah), 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. 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 a 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
Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam 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, ASR Azaan has started. This
has hardly reached Jakarta one and half hours later, then
the time of Maghrib becomes due, and no sooner has Maghrib
time reached Sumatra, then the time for calling Esha Azaan
has commenced in Saibil!
When
the Muezzins of Indonesia are calling out Fajr Azaan, the
Muezzins in Africa are calling out the Azaan for Esha. 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 few thousands if not hundreds of thousands of
Muezzins around the world are not proclaiming the Oneness
of Almighty Allah and the Apostleship of the noble Prophet
Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam on the surface of this earth!
Insha
Allah! This universal and continuous calling of the Azaan
shall not cease until the Day of the Judgement, we should
all make necessary effort & Dua for the same.