From the New York Times:
Published: March 6, 2007
Mr. Obama recalled the opening lines of the Arabic call to prayer, reciting them with a first-rate accent. In a remark that seemed delightfully uncalculated (it’ll give Alabama voters heart attacks), Mr. Obama described the call to prayer as “one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset.”
Thanks for the tip:
Barack Obama’s Word Games
By Frank Salvato, 2/29/2008 8:25:48 AM
Salvato furnishes the text of the Islamic call to prayer in context.
For someone who wasn’t “influenced” by his “brief” stint in the Islamic faith, Mr. Obama certainly has command of a difficult language (words) and fond memories of a prayer that translated literally means,
“Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Hasten to the Prayer, hasten to the Prayer. Hasten to real success, hasten to real success. Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is none worthy of worship but Allah.”
One phrase stands out, above the rest, to one who has read the Qur’an: Hasten to real success what is the meaning of success in the context of Islam? Two ayat leap immediately to mind.
9:111 Verily, Allâh has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be the Paradise. They fight in Allâh’s Cause, so they kill (others) and are killed. It is a promise in truth which is binding on Him in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and the Qur’ân. And who is truer to his covenant than Allâh? Then rejoice in the bargain which you have concluded. That is the supreme success .
Allah made a bargain with the Muslims: they fight in his cause, he rewards them with Paradise instead of the Hellfire for which they were predestined. That bargain; gaining admission to Paradise is success. The adhan tells Muslims to hasten to it; ie. to Jihad by which they earn their bordello tickets.
61:10…13 O You who believe! Shall I guide you to a commerce that will save you from a painful torment. That you believe in Allâh and His Messenger (Muhammad), and that you strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allâh with your wealth and your lives, that will be better for you, if you but know! (If you do so) He will forgive you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow, and pleasant dwelling in Gardens of ‘Adn Eternity ['Adn (Edn) Paradise], that is indeed the great success. And also (He will give you) another (blessing) which you love, help from Allâh (against your enemies) and a near victory. And give glad tidings (O Muhammad) to the believers.
If Obama is not and never has been a Muslim, why has he memorized; why does he recall the Muslim call to prayer?
Mr. Obama described the call to prayer as “one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset.”
What’s pretty about this sound? [Adhan from Mecca,1.3MB Mp3 ] It sounds like the Muaththin’s camel died and he has a toothache.
