Echoes of Faith: The Timeless Call to Prayer at the Prophet’s Mosque

MADINAH, March 24 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) — For more than 14 centuries, the call to prayer — the adhan — has echoed from the sacred grounds of the Prophet's Mosque, a tradition first established by Bilal bin Rabah, the first muezzin of Islam. This enduring practice remains a central feature of worship in Madinah, connecting generations of believers to the heart of their faith.

The adhan's inception marked a defining moment in Islamic history. Before its establishment, Muslims gathered for prayer without a structured call. The need for an organized call to prayer was confirmed through visions experienced by companions Abdullah bin Zayd al-Khazraji and Umar bin al-Khattab. Following these revelations, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) instructed Bilal bin Rabah, known for his powerful and melodious voice, to deliver the adhan — a tradition that continues uninterrupted to this day.

Currently, 20 muezzins rotate responsibilities at the Prophet’s Mosque, delivering both the adhan and the iqamah, and echoing the imam’s invocations. Their voices are carried through a sophisticated sound system, preserving the adhan’s spiritual resonance across the mosque and beyond.

As noted by researcher Dr. Fouad Al-Maghamsi, the adhan was historically broadcast sequentially from five minarets in the city: the main minaret near the Green Dome, followed by Bab Al-Salam, Bab Al-Rahmah, Shakiliyah, and Sulaymaniyah. This sequential system ensured that, even before the advent of loudspeakers, the call to prayer reached every corner of Madinah.

In the early 1400 AH, the system transitioned to a unified broadcast. Now, a single muezzin delivers the adhan from an elevated, open-air location overlooking Al-Rawdah Al-Sharifa and the mihrab, just meters from the Holy Minbar. The Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque oversees the meticulous preparation and testing of the sound system before each prayer, ensuring that the call to prayer continues to resonate with clarity and reverence — an unbroken link to the earliest days of Islam.