FLA: Islamic call to prayer played from clock tower

Library broadcast part of Islamic Awareness Month

(Islamic Awareness Month will always be September, as far as I am concerned.)

By: Farah Dosani // Contributing News Writer
Issue date: 3/27/08

Muslims students at the University of Miami have organized for the Islamic call to prayer, broadcasted each Friday afternoon this month from Richter Library's clock tower in commemoration of Islamic Awareness Month.

The call to prayer, or Adhan, is spoken in Arabic and is meant to resonate throughout the area. "It serves as constant reminder of when we have to pray, because prayer itself is a reminder of our religion and how we practice it," said Selima Jumarali, the vice president of the organization. According to the teachings of Islam, Muslims are to pray five times a day. In Muslim-majority countries, the call is usually performed live by an individual and is heard before every prayer.

Friday afternoon was chosen as the time to play the call because "it revolves around the day of congregational prayer," Jumarali said. Like Saturday for Jews or Sunday for Christians, Friday "holds strong significance for Muslims," she said.

Outside the library last Friday, students listened during the three-minute recording.

Kaleena Salgueiro said that although she could not understand the words in Arabic, the call was "pretty" and "very melodic." She said it reminded her of chanting in a monastery. Razan Alif, who is Muslim, was also sitting outside and heard the prayer call. "You always hear church bells ringing, but you never feel the existence of the Muslim community on campus," she said. When asked whether they thought the Friday prayer call should be continued even after the month, many replied "why not?" Regardless, Jumarali expressed her gratitude toward the administrators for allowing this expression to be displayed.

"It brings true variety to the university and open appreciation to diversity, especially in these times when people have misunderstandings of Muslims and who we are," she said.

Farah Dosani may be contacted at f.dosani1@umiami.edu.

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