Jerusalem Old City - Minaret

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• published: 14 Mar 2007
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The Muezzin call from Minaret. The muezzin (in Arabic: مؤذن mu'adhdhin) is a chosen person at the mosque who leads the call (adhan) to Friday service and the five daily prayers (also known as the salat) from one of the mosque's minarets (in most modern mosques, electronic amplification aids the muezzins). The professional muezzin is chosen to serve at the mosque for his good character, voice and skills. When calling to prayer, the muezzin faces the Qiblah (direction of the Ka'bah in Mecca) while he cries out the adhan. During the prayer, the muezzin in some mosques stand on a special platform (called the müezzin mahfili in Turkish), opposite the minbar in the mosque and answer the Imam's sermons. The institution of muezzin has existed since the time of Muhammad. The first muezzin was Bilal ibn Ribah, who walked the streets to call the believers to come to prayer. Although large parts of the custom was undecided by the death of Muhammad: Which way one should choose for the calling, where it should be performed, etc., trumpets, flags and lamps were all elements during the adhan in the place of the muezzin. The first muezzins used the roof of the mosque, or the adjacent streets, to call the followers. It is believed that the institution of the muezzin — the public crier — existed in pre-Islamic Arab culture. The acts of the muezzin are also considered an art form, reflected in the melodious chanting of the adhan.