Accepting disappointment

Accepting disappointment

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1994 4-5 April-May 19-20 Accepting disappointment (454)

Although from the very beginning, Muslims were required to offer prayers, the stipulation of five times a day was made for the first time during Mi’raj (the Night Journey of the Holy Prophet,) and it was only after the Muslims’ Emigration to Medina that they started saying their prayers regularly, five times a day. At the outset, the practice had been for Muslims to make their own way to the mosque when the time for prayers drew near. But, eventually, there had to be some means of announcing the prayer so that the act of worship might assume a regular, established form. The Prophet consulted with the people on this matter. Some suggested that a horn should be blown, while others said that a fire should be lit on high ground. Several other suggestions of this nature were made, none of which met with the Prophet’s approval.

Shortly after this, the words of the Adhan, or call to prayer, were inspired in one Abdullah ibn Zayd, one of the Prophet’s companions. In a dream, he saw a man clad in green with whom he was discussing the Call to Prayer. The man told him that the best method would be for them to recite the invocations of the Call to Prayer, beginning with “Allahu Akbar” and ending with “There is no God save Allah,” and he thereupon recited them all for the benefit of the Prophet’s companion. This is the same Call to Prayer that is still issued in a loud voice at the time of prayer.

Abdullah came to the Prophet and related what he had seen. The Prophet assured him that what he had seen in his dream was true, and immediately gave his approval to the Call to Prayer taking this form. Naturally, Abdullah ibn Zayd would have liked to have been appointed himself to issue the Call to Prayer. But the Prophet appointed Bilal as the Muazzin, or “Crier,” explaining to ‘Abdullah that the reason for this was that, of the two, Bilal had the louder voice. Abdullah was quite entitled to think that since he had received the good news of the Call to Prayer, it was, therefore, his right to be the one to deliver the Call. But the purpose of the Call to Prayer was not to reward anyone but announce the time for prayer, hence the appointment of someone with a loud voice. This decision was a disappointment to ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd, but he accepted it. Indeed, the key to success in life is just such acceptance. A community whose members are willing to relinquish their own claims in favour of one who is more deserving, is sure to go far on the road to progress.