What the ‘Athaan’ actually means

WITH reference to an article “Call-to-prayer is just noise which violates our rights” published on IOL on May20.

I would like to bring to your attention that the writer of this article, CL Lombard, Somerset West, has made a false statement saying that, “shouting out a religious prayer over the airwaves is calling us disbelievers and infidels because we do not hurry to salvation”.

There is not a single word or phrase in the Call-to-prayer (Athaan) where this is stated.

The Athaan is proclaimed in the Arabic language by all mosques around the world using the same words and meaning as said here in Cape Town and throughout South Africa, and serves as a reminder for Muslims to attend the prayer and is not intended to offend anyone.

The Muslim Call-to-prayer is not calling anyone a disbeliever or infidel.

I feel that Lombard has been negligent in his research into the meaning of the Athaan, especially when the meaning could have easily been obtained online or any mosque could have been approached to explain it.

I thus fear his article may stir hatred or division in our peaceful community by providing a false interpretation of the meaning of the Athaan, especially to those people who do not understand Arabic and may become offended.

I include here both the Arabic transliteration and English translation: the source of the translation provided can be found at https://www.learnreligions.com/what-do-the-words-of-the-adhanmean-in-english-2003812.

Z ABDEROEF | Highlands Estate