Definitions and virtues of Azan

Azan is delivered in every mosque, or wherever there is a gathering for congregational prayers five times a day. The call is given out from a minaret of mosques or some raised platform in as loud a voice as possible so that it may reach the ears of the largest number of people. The man giving the call stands with his face to the Qiblah, towards Makka, with both hands raised to the ears. Azan is not only an announcement of the time of prayer but also of the great principles of the faith of Islam and of the significance underlying them. Azan is an announcement made five times daily, from hundreds of thousands of minarets, of the Unity of Almighty Allah and of the Prophet hood of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW), which are the two fundamental principles of Islam. But this announcement goes further and carries also the significance of the Unity of Almighty Allah which is contained in the words Allahu-Akbar meaning therein Almighty Allah is the greatest so that men must bow only before him, while he can rule over all and it is, in one word, the message of Islamic religion, the realisation of the divine truth in man and it is declared with equal force “Come to salat” and the result is announced as well-“Come to success;” Coming to salat is the attainment of success in life, because it is only through which the realisation of the divine truth in man that complete self-development (falah) is attained. What a noble idea! The meaningless ringing of the bell or the blowing of the trumpet has been replaced by an announcement of the principles of Islam and their significance by a declaration made five times daily that any one may attain to success in life through the door of the mosque.
No more effective propaganda can be thought of. No one need remain in doubt as to what Islam is and what its message is. No one needs to read books to get the principles of Islam, no one needs to listen to a philosophical dissertation, no one needs to have a doubt as to the end in view in accepting these principles. To every one’s door this message is carried every morning, every noon, every afternoon, every evening and at the time of going to bed that the Unity of the Almighty Allah and the apostleship of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) are the fundamental principles of Islam, that men must not bow before anything but Allah, that anyone can attain to complete self-development, the ultimate success in life through the realisation of the divine truth in him, which is brought about by salat. Islam declares Allah to be the Greatest and the only One to be worshipped. It is that calling which makes no distinction in its invitation to prayers and throws open the door of the mosque to every son of Adam, irrespective of caste, creed, colour or country.