ANOMALOUS AZAN

Growing up in Terengganu, I got used to the azan (the call to prayer). One of the illustrious bilal (muezzin) was Tok Bilal Said. I have yet to hear a better azan.

Apparently, the bilals in Istanbul did not fare as well as Tok Bilal Said. The people in Istanbul complained and Istanbul acted.

How I wished the Majlis Ugama Islam in all the states in Malaysia have a similar program. I am sure you all have endured anomalous azans lots of times. The first muezzin was Bilal, a former slave. He had a good and strong voice and I am sure he hit the right notes. Today we have a lot of voluntary bilals in suraus all over the country. Some are good. Most are bad. Some got the melody wrong. Even P.Ramlee, our famous singer could not get the melody right. Some shrieked the azan as if they are trying very hard to purge something out of their system. Some are so tuneless that instead of waking us up, they put us back to sleep.

There are good bilals all over the country. My friend Razak told me about a bilal in Taiping who inspired every muslim who heard him to quickly prepare for prayers. Bilals like him are far and few in between so it is time the bilals are given voice training. Discourage or even ban those with tin ears from grabbing the microphone. Do not let them make Bilal or Tok Bilal Said turn in their grave.

Labels: bilal