Its Time to Pray

In this blog, I realize I do not have enough writing about one of the most important components driving the country of Morocco: religion. I write mostly about my own connection with my own religion of Christianity, but it important to incorporate new religious principles and beliefs of Morocco into this blog. While I have many open and honest discussions with students and friends, I do not write about it enough therefore this will change going forward=)

In the Muslim religion, the required time of prayers is 5 times per day at dawn, midday, late afternoon, sunset, and nightfall. The prayer is called the adnan or call to prayer.While it is preferable to pray in a mosque, a Muslim can pray wherever they are and stop what they are doing for a few minutes. In my work, they used to have a designated prayer room for staff.

On the streets, you will see people pull out their mat and pray on the sidewalk. I even saw a guy pray in the back of a truck. Even if I am in session with a student, they will ask to take a break to pray. The prayer is one of the most important pillars for Islam many do say and it is beautiful to witness their committment to five times per day. It could be two times or three times, but it is five times and they do it with not one complaint, but

Living next to a mosque, I hear this call to prayer each day five times per day. It keeps me on track and I try to be mindful of it when I can, which means to stop take a deep breath and be spiritually present. The sound of this call to prayer I just love. Each mosque may have a different sound and some of them can be a bit obnoxious, but mine I like. It reminds me of where I am living and gives me the local feel I wanted.

Here is the Adnan Translated:

God is Great.
God is Great.
God is Great.
God is Great.
I testify that there is none worthy of worship except God.
I testify that there is none worthy of worship except God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
Come to prayer!
Come to prayer!
Come to success!
Come to success!
God is Great!
God is Great!
There is none worthy of worship except God.