The Call to Prayer

Deuteronomy 6:4-5

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road.”

Shema as core Jewish prayer

Hadith on Bilal's Adhan

“The Prophet appointed Bilal, a freed slave with a beautiful voice, as the muezzin to call the faithful to prayer. From the rooftops, Bilal's voice would ring out five times daily: 'Allahu Akbar! Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah—God is Greatest! I bear witness there is no god but God.'”

Adhan (call to prayer) by Bilal

Luke 1:28

“And the angel said unto her, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. This greeting, known as the Angelus, is recited by Christians thrice daily as a call to prayer and remembrance of the Incarnation.”

Angelus as Christian call to prayer

Manu Smriti 4:92

“The Brahma Muhurta, the hour of Brahma just before dawn, is the most auspicious time for prayer and spiritual practice. At this sacred hour, the faithful rise and call upon the divine, aligning themselves with the cosmic order.”

Brahma Muhurta as sacred hour of prayer

Guru Granth Sahib Japji

“Japji Sahib is the daily prayer recited at dawn by Sikhs. It begins with 'Ik Onkar' (One Supreme Reality) and calls all to remember God, meditate on His name, and live in righteousness. This morning prayer sets the spiritual tone for the day.”

Nitnem (daily prayers) of Sikhism

Dhammapada 21

“The morning hours are precious for the monk who practices mindfulness. As dawn breaks and birds begin to sing, the faithful gather to chant together, reminding one another that vigilance is the path to Nirvana.”

Buddhist morning chant practice