Call to Prayer (أَذَّان) Dubai Airport

Landing in Dubai airport this morning it was a nice surprise to hear the call to prayer (أَذَّان). Call it reflective, calming, or a just signal to think beyond tax-free shopping – it was a welcome change.

Dubai airport

“Shop & Relax” whilst this phrase might apply to, indeed have been ‘coined’ for, my daughter, for me it’s an oxymoron (Shop OR Relax would work better for me). Most duty-free areas ‘leave me cold’ they are too noisy, way too bright and full of things I don’t need but should, it appears, feel grateful to be able to purchase tax-free.

Dawn is breaking now slowing bringing its light into the terminal. I always prefer sunrise to sunset, sunrise is a new day, when you can get things done, and perhaps start some changes, so here’s a suggestion …

Every airport should play some ‘local’ faith music, a bit of Latin mass in Italy, Georgian chant in the Balkans, something choral in Germany, Buddhist chants in the orient; and we could all join in with some ‘Sister-Act-type’ evangelical gospel singing in the Caribbean. That would be so much better for us that 20% off some perfume!

Here’s the call to prayer in Arabic (العربية) and with an English translation

الله أكبر ، الله أكبر Allah is Great, Allah is Great
الله أكبر ، الله أكبر Allah is Great, Allah is Great
أشهد أن لا اله الا الله I bear witness that there is no God But Allah
أشهد أن لا اله الا الله I bear witness that there is no God But Allah
أشهد أن محمدا رسول الله I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
أشهد أن محمدا رسول الله I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
حي على الصلاة ، حي على الصلاة Come to the prayer, Come to Prayer
حي على الفلاح ، حي على الفلاح Come to the Success, Come to Success
الله أكبر ، الله أكبر Allah is Great, Allah is Great
لا اله الا الله There is no God But Allah

Or you can hear it for yourself on YouTube, which is the athaan of fajr (dawn) prayer, towards the end they say ‘الصلاة خير من النوم الصوم خير من النوم  ‘Indeed prayer is far better than sleep, prayer is far better than sleep’.