From top left: Abdulrahman Abdul Elah Khashoggi, Kamil Saleh Al-Najdi, Essam Hussain Bukhari, Omar Yousif Kamal, Iyad Ahmad Shokri, Ashraf Muhammad Al-Afifi, Faisal Al-Nu’man, Sami Muhammad Dayooli, Muhammad Majid Al-Hakeem, Saud Abdulaziz Bukhari, Abdulmajeed Slamah Al-Suraihi and Omar Nabeel Sunbul



Saudi Gazette report

The adhan or call to prayer in the Prophet’s Mosque has always been known for its unique melody and is closely linked to the method in which adhan is raised all over the world. Among the most prominent characteristics and attributes of Madinah adhan, which provides the listener with a sense of spirituality and tranquility, is the pitch and rhythm in which muezzins effortlessly raise the call to prayer, Makkah Daily reported.



The first adhan in the Prophet’s Mosque was raised by Bilal Bin Rabah, a freed slave. One of the current muezzins of the Prophet’s Mosque, Sheikh Isam Bukhari, is considered a living mentor and foremost expert on this type of adhan.



A researcher of adhan, Mohammad Baksh, said the most distinguishing feature of Madinah adhan from that of Makkah is its sonorous tone.



Baksh explained that there are different melodies for Madinah adhan, which are used in calls for different prayers.



“Many muezzins have inherited the Madinah adhan from their fathers, who used to accompany them to the mosque ever since they were children to learn the adhan, and many have raised the adhan since the age of 15,” he said while naming families in Madinah whose members are known for their resonant voices, such as the Bukhari, Al-Hakeem, Al-Nu’man, Al-Najdi, Aldjouli, Al-Khashoggi and Al-Afifi families.



“While the role of some families has declined from the past, a number of young muezzins have emerged, such as Abdulmajeed Al-Suraihi, Omar Sunbul and Ashraf Al-Afifi who have adopted the same old school of adhan,” he said.



Baksh pointed out that the adhan in the Prophet’s Mosque used to be raised from five minarets until 1980 when the adhan was entrusted to one muezzin only. Due to the large number of available muezzins, each muezzin’s turn to raise the adhan in the Prophet’s Mosque comes only once in approximately every two weeks.



“The sheikh of muezzins, Abdulrahman Khashoggi, used to schedule the shifts of muezzins in such a way that three muezzins were always at hand during the prayers,” Baksh said.



The adhan used to be raised according to a sundial in the Prophet’s Mosque, which is not used anymore due to the availability of modern scientific means to recognize the times of adhans, he added.