Hello, and welcome back to Nations 4 Jesus. Today I want to help us better understand Islam—not because we agree with it, but because understanding Muslim culture and practices helps us pray more effectively and interact more compassionately with Muslims. The more we know about them, the less strange they seem, and the more God can work on our hearts to care deeply and pray fervently for them.
Today, I want to talk about something you've probably heard if you've ever visited a Muslim country—the call to prayer, and the men who give it, called the muezzin.
[The call to prayer - what happens daily]
Across the entire Islamic world, men called the muezzin call the faithful to prayer five times per day. At dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset and at nightfall.
On Fridays, all male Muslims are supposed to attend the noon prayers, which are usually accompanied by a message given by the Imam.
[How it works - the voice from the minaret]
In most places, the call to prayer is broadcast by loudspeakers located on a minaret—that tall tower attached to the mosque. Sometimes recordings are used, but most people prefer a live voice. There's something more authentic, more compelling about a human voice calling you to prayer.
Some muezzin have become very famous for the dignity, professionalism, and beautiful vocal and musical quality of their calls to prayer. There's actually competition among them! A documentary film called "Muezzin" was released about individual expression and competition between muezzin in Turkey. One muezzin says in the film, "The more people I can attract to the mosque with my voice, the more successful I am."
It's fascinating—they see themselves as performers in a way, but also as spiritual leaders. Their voice is what draws people to worship.
[In non-Muslim countries]
In Western and non-Islamic countries, muezzin often cannot make the call to prayer publicly except on the radio or in the courtyards of local mosques because of laws restricting loud and intrusive noises. Some communities have debated whether to allow it. Switzerland actually held a national referendum in 2009 about minarets, with the country voting to ban construction of new minarets.
In Africa, there's an interesting dynamic—Christian preachers sometimes give the muezzin competition early in the morning, using their own loudspeakers to preach while the Islamic call to prayer is being given! Can you imagine waking up to competing religious messages over loudspeakers? It's spiritual warfare in audio form.
[What they actually say]
So what do the muezzin say? Let me share the actual words that are repeated day after day across the Muslim world. Shiite Muslims use slightly different phrases for some lines, but this is the standard Sunni call to prayer. I’m not going to try to pronounce the Arabic words so this is what they are saying in English:
— Allah is the greatest — I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah — I bear witness that Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah — Make haste towards worship — Come to the true success — Prayer is better than sleep — Allah is the greatest — There is no deity except Allah
[Our response - love and prayer]
Now, whatever our reaction to the call to prayer—whether we find it beautiful or unsettling, intriguing or intrusive—God calls us to love the muezzin. These are real men, with families and dreams and spiritual hunger. They're seeking God, even if they're seeking Him in the wrong place. And our calling is to pray for them.
Think about it: These men are dedicating their lives to calling people to prayer five times a day. They're taking their spiritual role seriously. What if that same dedication, that same devotion, that same beautiful voice was calling people to Jesus instead of to a mosque? What if these men encountered the living Christ and became evangelists for the true Gospel?
[How to pray - specific requests]
So let me give you some specific ways to pray for the muezzin around the world.
First, pray for the hundreds of thousands of muezzin worldwide. Pray that many of them will encounter the living God through Jesus, the Messiah. Imagine if even a small percentage of them came to Christ—the impact would be massive! They already have platforms, they already have influence, they already have the respect of their communities.
Second, pray for humility. Sometimes muezzin become very centered on their role in society. As with any public figures—like pastors and politicians—some muezzin are tempted to place their own honor and prestige very high on their list of priorities. Pray that all muezzin would be brought to humility before God and truly confounded by His majesty, so that when they say "God is great," they're referring to the one true God, not their own reputation.
Third, pray for the Muslims who hear the call to prayer. Five times a day, millions of Muslims are reminded to pray. They're spiritually hungry, seeking connection with God. Pray that as they respond to the call to prayer, God would reveal Himself to them as He truly is—as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
[Understanding breeds compassion]
You know, when I first heard the call to prayer in Istanbul, Turkey, it was strange. But the more I learned about it, the more I saw it differently. These aren't just strange foreign sounds—they're the cries of people seeking God. They're looking in the wrong direction, following a false prophet, but they're seeking.
And Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. That includes the muezzin climbing the minaret five times a day. That includes the millions responding to the call. They need the Gospel, and understanding their practices helps us pray more effectively for them.
[Closing challenge and prayer]
So here's my challenge: The next time you hear about the call to prayer, or if you're ever in a Muslim country and you hear it echoing across the city, don't just think it's strange. Pray. Pray for the man giving that call. Pray for the people responding to it. Pray that God would draw them to Himself through Jesus Christ.
Let me pray:
Thank you for joining me. I hope it helps you understand and pray for Muslims better. We'll continue this series on understanding Islam in future episodes.
Until next time, remember—keep your eyes on the nations, and pray for those who are seeking God!
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