THE ISSUE OF CHANTING THE ADHAN IN LANGUAGES

by FDOM EZAN’IN · Cited by 3 — adhan being chanted in Turkish, and the reactions of the Turkish people to it. Key Words : The adhan, the prayer. non-Arabic adhan, views of Islamic sects,
19 pages

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THE ISSUE OF CHANTING THE ADHAN IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ARABIC AND RELATED SOCIAL REACTIONS AGAINST IT IN TURKEY Associate Prof. Hidayet AYDAR* Lec. Mehmet ATALAY** EZAN’IN FARKLI DÝLLERDE OKUNMASI MESELESÝ VE BUNA KARÞI TÜRKÝYE’DE GÖSTERÝLEN TOPLUMSAL REAKSÝYONLAR ÖZET Ezan, islam dininin en temel þiarlarýndan biridir. Her gün beþ defa bütün ÝsÝam aleminde minarelerden okunmaktadýr. Bununla, müslüman halka namaz ibadetinin vaktinin geldiði haber verilmektedir. Bu çalýþmada, Ýslamda çok önemli bir yere sahip olan ezanýn meþruiyeti ve Arapça lafýzlarýnýn dýþýndaki bir dille okunup okunamayacaðý, mezhep alimlerinin görüþleri çerçevesinde iþlenmektedir, Bu arada, bilhassa Türkiye’de ezanýn Türkçe okunmasý yönünde meydana gelen geliþmeler ve toplumun, ezanýn Türkçeleþtirilmesi yönündeki geliþmeler karþýsýndaki tutumu ve gösterdiði tepkilerde ele alýnmaktadýr. Anahtar Kelimeler : Ezan, namaz, diðer dillerde ezan, mezheplerin görüþleri, Türkçe ezan, tepkiler. ABSTRACT The adhan is one of the distinguishing characters of Islam. It is chanted five times a day in Muslim countries out of minarets. The adhan is simply supposed to inform people that it is time for prayer. In this work, it is examined whether the adhan, which is of great importance in Islam, could be chanted in a language other than its Arabic utterances and the Islamic legitimacy of it in the light of Islamic scholars of different Islamic sects. Also, the article probes into the issue of the adhan being chanted in Turkish, and the reactions of the Turkish people to it. Key Words : The adhan, the prayer. non-Arabic adhan, views of Islamic sects, Turkish adhan, the reactions. * Associate Professor in the Faculty of Divinity at Istanbul University. * * Lecturer in the Faculty of Divinity at Istanbul University. Ýstanbul Üniversitesi Ýlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Sayý; 13, Yýl: 2006

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46 Assoc. Prof. Hidayet A YD AR – Lee. Mehmet AT ALAY Introduction People who live in Muslim countries hear a spiritual sound rising out of minarets five times a day. This sound, in Islamic literature, is called “the adhan” (al-adhan). It is to inform Muslims about the time of prayer. The linguistic root of the word “adhari” (a-dh-n) is used one hundred and two times in the Holy Quran with different versions and of different meanings.1 It is mentioned as meaning ‘to announce, to inform’ in three Quranic verses.2 The word ‘adhan’ mentioned in the Quran as meaning ‘to announce, to inform’ has later become the proper noun of the phenomenon of calling lo prayer, while the word muadhdhin mentioned in the Quran as meaning announcer, informer (and caller, proclaimer) has become the proper noun of the person who calls or chants adhan. However, the Quran does not mention the word adhan as meaning to inform the time of prayer. Instead, it does mention the word nida as meaning to call to prayer: “When you called to prayer, they took it as amusement and play”3 The commentators of the Quran tell us that the specific intention inherent in this calling is the adhan.” In addition, al-Bukhari (d. 256/870), the great scholar of Islamic tradition put the two Quranic verses mentioned above at the beginning of Kitab al-adhan (The Book of al-adhan), one of the main sections of his great book called al-Sahih.5 What he had in mind was to give the reader the information that these above-mentioned verses were closely related to adhan and, the adhan as an Islamic institution, if we may say, began actually with the first one of them.6 The word adhan was used both with its specific meaning and its general ones in a number of Quranic verses. Sec: Muhammad Fuâd Abd a]-Bâqî, al-Mýt’jam al-Mufahras li Alfâý a!-Qtýr’âýý al-Kaýîm, al-Maktabah al-Islamiyyah: Ýstanbul 1982, pp. 25-26. 2 Surah al-Tavvbah, 9/3; Þuralý Yûsuf (Josef), 12/70; Surah al-A’râl”, 7/44. 3 Surah al-Mâida. 5/58. See also surah al-Jum’a, 62/9. 4 See: Abûbckir Ahmad b, Ali al-Râzi ai-Jassâs, Ahkâm al-Qýtr’ân, Dür al-Kilâb al-Arabî; Bairût, w.dalc, 11/446; Abu al-Kâsýýn Jârullâh Mahmûd b. Omar al-Zamahsherî, Tafsîr al-Kashshûf cm Haqäiq Gavâmid al-Tanzti wa Uyûn ai-Aqcmnl fi wnjiih al-Te’wîl, Dar al-Kutub al-llmiyyah; Bairût 1415/1995, 1/637; al-Fahr al-RâZÎ, al-Tafsîr al-Kabîr (Mafâlîlý al-Ðayb), Dâr Ihyâ al-Týýrfýth al-Arabî; BairCýt, w.datc, XII/33; Abu Abd Allâh Muhammad b. Ahmad al-Qurtubi, al-Jämi’ li Ahkâm al-Qiir’cm. Dâr Ihyâ al-Turâlh al-Arabî; Bairût 1405/1985, VI/224. 5 See: Abu Abd Allâh Muhammad b. Abî al-Hasaýý Ýsmail al-Bukhârî, Sahih ai-Bukhâri, Çaðrý yay.; Ýstanbul 1401/1981, Kitâb al-Adhân, 1. 6 Badr al-Dîn Abfý Muhammad Mahmud al-Aynî. Umdeh al-Qârî Sharh al-Sahîh al-Bukhârî, Dâr Ihyâ al-Turäth al-Arabî, w.date, V/102. Istanbul Üniversitesi ilahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Sayý: 13, Yýl: 2006

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THE ISSUE OF CHANTÝNG THE ADHAN IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN 47 The Adhan as a general word mainly means to inform, to announce, to invite, and to pronounce.7 It is an infinitive, which was substituted for the word i’dhcin which is in the grammatical pattern of if at 2 – The Adhan as a Religious Term Regarding its specifically religious meaning the adhan is an invitation whose special utterances are determined by means of the basic Islamic texts.9 Announcing that the time has come for prayer as a binding Islamic duty10, the adhan, is simply an invitation to prayer.” 3 – The Utterances of the Adhan and Their Importance The adhan consists of these utterances confirmed and approved by the prophet Muhammad: “Allah akbar (four times); Ashadu an la ilaha ilia Allah (twice); Ashadu anna Muhammad Rasul Allah (twice); Hayya ala al-salah (twice); Hayya ala al-falah (twice); la ilaha ilia Allah (once).” There is an agreement among the Islamic scholars regarding these utterances. Along with the fact that the adhan is consisted of these utterances, it includes very important Islamic principles. Some Islamic scholars state that 7 Sec: al-Râgib al-Ýsfahaný, al-Mufradât fi Garib al-Qurân, Kahraman Yay., Ýstanbul Ý986, 15; Ab al-Facll Jamâi al-Din Muhammad Ibn Manzûr, Lisân al-Arab, Dâr Sâdýr; Batrût 1414/1994, XII1/9, matter of (a-dh-n); Muhammad Abd al-Raûf al-Munâvî, al-Taârîf, (edil. by M.R.al-Dâya), Dâr al-Fikr; Bairûl 1410, 46; Ab al-Baqâ Ayyûb b. Mûsâ al-Husaynî, al-Kulliyât Mýt’jam fî al-Mustalahât wa al-Fuûk al-Lugawiyya, (edit. A.Darwîsh-M.al-Misrî), Muesseseh ai-Risâ!a; Bairût 1412/1992, 72; Ashraf Udra, al-Adhân fi al-Islâm, Trablus Lubnân 1414-1415/1994,13-16. 8 Ibn Manzûr, XI11/9. 9 See: al-Munâvî, 46; Ab al-Baqâ, 72; Muhammad b. Ali b. Muhammad esh-Shawkâni, Nayl al-Awtâr, Dâr al-Jayl; Bairûl 1973, II/9; AbduiTahman Çetin, “Ezan”, Türkiye Diyanet Vakfý Ýslam Ansiklopedisi (DÝA), Ýstanbul 1995, XII/36. 10 Udra, 16. ” See: Majd al-Dîn Muhammad b. Ya’qûb al-Fîrûzâbâdi, al-Qâmûs al-Mtthîf, (edit. M.A.ai-Mar’ashlî), Dâr Ýhya al-Turath al-Arabî – Muesseseh al-Târih al-Arabî; Bairût 1417/1997, 11/1545. 13 For more information see Abû Bekir Muhammad b. Ahmed al-Sarakhsî, Kitâb al-Mabsût, Çaðrý yay., Ýstanbul 1403/1982, 1/128-129; Ab al-Walîd Muhammad Ibn Rushd, Bidâyah al-Mujtahid wa Nihâyah al-Mýýqtasid, Malbaah Ahmad Kâmil, Dâr al-KhÝlâfah al-AlÝyya 1333, 1/82-83. Ýstanbul Üniversitesi Ýlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Sayý: ¡3, Yýl: 2006

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48 Assoc. Prof. Hidayet AYDAR – Lee. Mehmet ATALAY although the adhan has a few utterances, it contains some of the precepts specifically related to Islamic belief system.13 As a matter of fact, the adhan begins by announcing that Allah is the greatest, which is in a sense to accept Allah’s existence and to say that Allah has all the transcendent qualities. Afterwards, the basic principle of Islam and other celestial religions as well, that there is no god but Allah is pronounced. Then, that prophet Muhammad is the messenger of Allah is stated, which is the second basic principle of Islam. Having announced and declared these basic principles, there is the invitation to the prayer called in Islamic terminology al-saiah as the first one of the basic prayers of Islam, and people are reminded of the fact that al-salah, is a means of salvation in the world and the afterlife as well. This invitation covers an emphasis both on the principle of worshipping Allah and the necessity of the belief in the afterlife. Finally, the adhan comes to an end by stating the greatness of Allah and that there is no god but Him. In this way, people who hear the adhan are reminded of the most basic principles of Islam five times a day. 4 – The Islamic Legitimacy of the Adhan The adhan was declared by the prophet Muhammad as a religious duty in the first year of Hijra in Madina. The prophet Muhammad used to pray in. Mekka without adhan (and qamah).14 To invite Muslims to prayer in Madina, the prophet Muhammad felt a need of a sign or symbol peculiar to them.’5 For this reason, from time to time he used to gather his friends (al-ashab) and consult them about the case. Nevertheless, there did not appear any symbol for a long time. After having been informed about a dream that Abd Allah b. Zayd had seen, the prophet Muhammad came to a decision regarding what to do to announce the time of prayer, which was to espouse the exact words of Abd Allah b. Zayd saw in his dream, one of the Prophet’s friends who participated in the gatherings regarding what to do to inform people about the time of prayer and was also enthusiastic about the case.16 According to Islamic sources, Abd Allah said these words: “Around the time the prophet Muhammad with no See: Ahmad b. Alî Ibn Hajar al-Asqalânî, Fath al-Bârî bi Sharh Sahth al-Bukhârt, (edit, A.F.Abd al Bâqî-M.al-Hatîb), Dâr al-Rayyân, aI-Qâhira 1407/1986, 11/92; ai-Aynî, V/102; al-Shawkânî, 11/9. See: Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bârî, U/93; Udra, 19. Udra, 25-26. al-Sarakhsî, 1/127; Muhammad b. Abd Allâh ibn Sayyid al-Nâs, al-Sîrah al-Nabawiyyah al-Mýýsammâ Uyûn al-Asar fi Ftýnûn al-Magâzî wa al-Shamâil wa al-Siyar, Maktabah al-Qudsî, al-Qâhira 1406/1986,1/269. Ýstanbul Üniversitesi Ýlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Sayý: 13, Yýl: 2006

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THE ISSUE OF CHANTING THE ADHAN IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN . 49 sympathy agreed to ring a bell (a gong) in order to invite people for Friday prayer, I saw a dream. In my dream, there was a man with a bell in his hand. I said to him: Would you sell that bell to me? He said: ‘What are you going to do with it?’ I said: We are going to use it to call people to prayer. He said: ‘Would you want to know something better than this?’ I said: Yes. Then he told me to say: Allah akbar, Allah akbarand thaught me the adhan we are familiar with now. When it was morning, I immediately came to the Prophet and told him about my dream. He said: ‘It is no doubt a true dream. Go to Bilal and teach him what you know so that he chants the adhan accordingly. For his voice is stronger than yours.’ So, I did teach Bilal what I learned in my dream and he chanted an adhan according to what I said. As soon as Omar heard of these words at home, he immediately came to the Prophet without ever tidying up his clothes and dragging them on the ground. After a while, Omar said to the Prophet: ‘I swear to Allah who sent you as a true messenger I saw the same dream.’ Then, the Prophet said: ‘al-hamd li Allah (Praise or thanks be to Allah)!'”17 The legitimacy of the adhan, as we have mentioned above, is primarily established by al-sunnah and, according to most of the Islamic scholars, it is based on the dream some of the ashab had seen. In addition, it is also stated that the legitimacy of the adhan is based on the Quranic verse meaning “When you called to prayer, they took it as amusement and play”18 Indeed, the commentators of the Quran state that the adhan has not simply gained Islamic legitimacy by means of the dreams some of the ashab had seen, but by means of this above mentioned Quranic verse as well.19 17 Abû Muhammad Abd ai-Malik Ibn Hiþâm, al-Sîrah al-Nabawiyyah Ii Ibn Hishâm, (Edit. M. aI-Sîqâ-Ý.al-Abyârî-A.Shalabî), Dâr Ihyä al-Turâs ai-Arabî, Bairûl 1985, 11/508-509; Ahmad b. Hanbai, Musnedu Ahmad b. Hanbal, Çaðrý yay., Ýstanbul 1402/1982, IV/42-43; Abû Muhammad Abd Allah al-Dâramî, Sünen al-Dâramî, Çaðrý yay., Ýstanbul 1401/1981, Kitâb al-Salâh, 3; Abû Isâ Muhammad ai-Tirmidhî, Sünen al-Tirmidhî, Çaðrý yay., Ýstanbul 1401/1981, Kitâb al-Salâh, 139; Abû Abd Allâh Muhammad b. Yezîd ibn Mâja, Sünemi ibn Mâja, Çaðrý yay., Ýstanbul 1401/1981, Kitâb al-Adhan, 1; Ibn Seyyid al-NSs, 1/269-270; Udra, 26-27; Abû Khatim Usâma b. Abd Allâh al-Kûsî, Kitâb al-Adhân, Muesseseh Qurtubä li al-Nashr wa al-Tawzî’, 1408/1987, 19. For the other relevant hadtths sec: el-Kûsi, 12-36. 18 Surah al-Mâidah, 5/58. 19 See: al-Jassäs, 11/446; Abû al-Baqâ. 72; al-Zamahsharî, 1/637; al-Râzî, XII/33; Abû al-Barakât Abd Allah b. Ahmad al-Nasafî, Tefsir al-Nasafî, Dâr al-Kitâb al-Arabî, Bairût 1402/1982, 1/290; ibn Hajar, Fethu’l-Bârî, U/93; al-Aynî, V/102. Ýstanbul Üniversitesi Ýlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Sayý: 13, Yýl: 2006

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50 Assoc. Prof. Hidayet AYDAR – Lee. Mehmet ATALAY II – Chanting the Adhan in Languages Other than Arabic 1 – The State of the Adhan Being Chanted in Languages Other than Arabic As we have already stated, the adhan in Arabic was established and given legitimacy as an Islamic institution and, from the time of the prophet Muhammad, has been chanted likewise. Yet, Islamic scholars discussed whether it is religiously permitted (ajaza) to chant adhan in a non-Arabic language, for example, in Persian. What is essential in this case, according to some Hanafi 20 scholars, is that one knows that what is chanted is the adhan. Indeed, according to a narration from Abu Hanifa, he said these words: “If one chants the adhan and people know that it is the adhan, then, it is religiously permitted (yajuz); if they do not, then, it is not permitted. For the aim of the adhan is simply to inform the time of prayer; if people cannot decide whether it is the adhan or not, then, the aim would be absent; therefore, it would not be religiously permitted.”21 Al-Zaylai, one of the eminent Hanafi scholars, also focuses on the point of knowing whether it is the adhan. However, most of the Hanafi scholars espouse the idea that it is not religiously permitted to chant the adhan in Persian or in any language other than Arabic. According to them, even if people hearing the adhan know that it is the adhan, it would not be religiously proper to chant it in a non-Arabic language; which is the main approach of the Hanafi sect.23 See: al-Sarakhsî, 1/37; Burhan al-Din Abû al-Hasan al-Margînânî, al-Hidâyah Sharhu Bidâyah al-Mubtadî, (maa al-Binâyah), (Edit: By A.S.Shabân), Dâr al-Kutub al-IlmÝyyah, Bairût 1420/1999, 11/180; Fahr al-Din Osmân b. Ali al-Zaylaî al-Hanafî, Tabytn at-Iîaqâiq Sharlut Kam. al-Daqâiq {wa bi hâmîshÝhi Hashiya al-Shaîabî), al-Maktabah al-Islâmiyyah, Diyarbakir, w. date, I/l 10; Zayn al-Dîn b. Ibrâhîm al-Ma’rûf bi Ýbn Nujaym al-Misrî al-Hanafî, al-Bahr aI-Râiq Sharlut Kaný al-Dagâig fi Ftýrû ai-Hanafiyyah, (Mit. Zakariyyâ Umayrat), Dâr al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Bairût 1418/1997, 1/535. Sec: Akmal al-Din Muhammad b. Mahmûd al-Bâbardî, Sharh al-Inâyah ala al-HÝdâyalý, Dâru Ihyâ al-Turâth al-Arabî, Bairût, w. date, 1/249; Jalâl ai-Dîn al-Khawârizmî al-Kariânî, al-KÝfâyah ala al-Hidâyah, Dâru Ýhya al-Turâth al-Arabî. Bairût, w. date. 1/249; Ibn Âbidîn, Ýbn Âbidîn Radd-al-Mýýkhtâr ala al-Dýtrr al-Mukhfâr Hâshiyalý Ibn Âbidîn, (Edit. A.T. Halabî), Dâr al-Ma’rifah. Bairût 1420/2000, U/226. See: al-Zaylaî, l/l 10. Also see. Ibn Nujaym, 1/535. See: Alâ al-Dîn al-Kâsânî, Kitâb Badâi’i ai.-Sanâi’ ft Tertîb al-Þarâi’, Dâr al-KÝtâb al-Arabî, Bairût 1402/1982, 1/113; Alâ al-Dîn Muhammad b. Alî al-Haskafi, Tamvîr ai-Absâr ii al-Shaykh Shams al-Dîn at-Timurfûshî wa Sharhuhu Alayhi, (Edit. A.T, Halabî), Dâr al-Ma’rifah, Bairût 1420/2000, 11/225; al-Shaykh Nizâm al-Dîn and a group of Indian scholars, at-Fa(âwâ al-IIÝndiyyah al-Ma’rûfah bi al-Fatâ\vâ al-Âlemgîriyyah Jt Madhhab al-imâm al¬A’zam Abî IIanî falý en-Nu’mân, (Edit. A.H.Abd al-Rahmân), Dâr al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Bairût Ýstanbul Üniversitesi ilahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Sayý: 13, Yýl: 2006

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52 Assoc. Prof. Hidayet AYDAR – Lee. Mehmet ATALAY It is because the adhan in Arabic is the original and the exact version of it conveyed to us, Muslims.28 So far, we have presented the approaches of different Islamic sects concerning the adhan being chanted in a non-Arabic language. To keep it short, it must be stated that, except for Abu Hanifa and some Hanafi scholars, all Islamic scholars do not see it religiously proper to chant the adhan in a non-Arabic language. Nevertheless, throughout the history of Islam there have been some attempts as to chant the adhan in non-Arabic languages, which we will be focusing on henceforward. 2 – Narratives About Adhan Being Chanted in non-Arabic Languages a – Narrative Concerning Adhan Being Chanted in Persian Language It is narrated that Qutayba b. Muslim (d. A.H 96/C.E 715), who conquered Bukhara and surrounding areas along with the ones close to the Chinese border, built a mosque in A.H. 94/C.E 712 for the people of Bukhara to pray. According to the historian al-Narshakhi, since the people of Bukhara did not know Arabic, they prayed in this mosque in Old Persian instead of Arabic.29 According to a Turkish historian, Tahir Balcioglu, who cited al-Narshakhi on this case, the adhan was even chanted in Persian in Bukhara of that era.30 However, since we did not come across such information in al-Narshakhi’s book Tarikhu Bukhara, we only take it into account with a precautionary measure. See: Abd Allah b, Hamîd b. Salüm al-SâlÝmî, Maârij al-Âmâl alâ Madârij al-Kamâl bi Nazmi Mýýkhtasar al-Khisâl, Saltanah Umman Wizärah aî-Turâth al-Kawmî aÝ-Thaqâfî, 1404/1984, VI1/Ý91-192. See: Abu Bakr Muhammad b. Ja’tar al-Narshakhî, Târikim Bukhara, (Translated into Arabic with supplements: Amin Abd al-Majid Badawi – Nasr Allah Mubeshshir al-Tirâz), Dâr al-Maârif (Egypt), w. date, 74. Also see Arminius Vambery, Tarîkim Bukhara Miinclhu Aqdam al-Usfir Halta al-Asr al-Hâdir, (Trans by. Ahmad Muhammad al-Sârâtî, hilroducted by: Yahya al-Hashâb), Jâmiah al-Qähirali, w.date, 67-68; K.V. Zettcrstccn – Ibrahim Kafasoglu, “Kutcybc”, Ýslam Ansiklopedisi, Ýstanbul 1977, VI/1051-1053; Muhammad Ahmad Muhammad, Bukhârâfî Sadr al-Ýslâm, ai-Qâhirah, 1312/1992, 88-89, 97. See: Tahir Harimi Balcioglu, Türk Tarihinde Mezhep Cereyanlarý, Kanaat KÝtabevi, Ýstanbul 1940, 118. Also see: Besim Atalay, Türk Dili ile Ýbadet, Ýstanbul, w. date, 84-85. Ýstanbul Üniversitesi Ýlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Sayý: 13, Yýl: 2006

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THE ISSUE OF CHANTING THE ADHAN IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN 53 b – Narrative Concerning the Adhan Being Chanted in Berber Language The well-known Muslim poet and thinker, Muhammad Iqbal (d. 1946), who also took into account the developments in Turkey concerning Islamic prayer performed in mother language in Turkey, talks about the same endeavor held in Andalusia. According to the account he gave, Muhammad b. Tumart of Berberi origin, who established the state of Muwahhidin in Andalusia, had the Holy Quran translated into Berber language and had the adhan chanted in Berber language on behalf of the illiterate Berberi people.31 However, iqbal does not cite a source for this information. Moreover, it might be worth mentioning that, looking up into sources talking about the history of the state called al-Muwahhidin and the life of Ibn Tumart (d. 524/1129) who established that state, we did not come across any information that goes along with Iqbal’s account. c – Chanting Adhan in Turkish As we did not find any information to strengthen the narratives concerning the adhan being chanted in Persian or Berber, we do not precisely know whether it was chanted in these languages. Yet we do have lots of information and documents concerning the adhan being chanted in Turkish; therefore, we can easily state that the adhan was chanted in Turkish for a considerable period of time (18 years). Now we will investigate into the debates concerning the adhan being chanted in Turkish and, if we may say, a short history of it in Turkey. However, before we go on, Turkish people throughout ages, after having embraced Islam, paid delicate attention to the adhan, which is the most explicit sign of Islam, and its being chanted gracefully. To this purpose, they built big minarets, and assigned people with strong voices and profound knowledge in music as muadhdhin. Moreover, they built private institutions for the education of prospective muadhdhins and kept being really fussy about choosing them.32 Thanks to this endeavor, the adhan has been gracefully chanted in Turkish countries or the ones under Turkish authority for centuries. However, under the effect on nationalist movements beginning through the end of the nineteenth Sir Mohammad Iqbal, The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, Oxford University Pres. London 1934, p, 153. See: Sa’d Abd Almajid, “al-Adh&n ft Turkiya.. Maddris wa Maqdmat”, URL: http://www.islamonlinc.net/Arabic/arts/2Q03/06/article04.shtml (17/06/2003) Ýstanbul Üniversitesi Ýlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Sayý: J3, Yýl: 2006

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54 Assoc. Prof. Hidayet AYDAR – Lee. Mehmet ATA LAY century the adhan was to go through a journey in Turkey, which probably never had to face in any other country. Through the end of the Ottoman Empire, especially at the end of the nineteenth century, there were some ideas on the Ottoman intellectual grounds regarding prayers being performed in Turkish. This period of time is that in which the movements of Renaissance and Reformation in the West gained strength and completely settled down. In other words, the West went through radical changes on religion along with other subjects; moreover, the Bible was translated into European languages and, in some European countries, Christians who were not Catholics began to use their native languages instead of Latin when praying. Besides, nationalism arose in the Ottoman Empire just like it did in the whole European continent as opposed to the idea of religious unity that started to lose its ambiance and power. Around this time, some of the Turkish nationalist thinkers considered all these developments and gave life to the idea that Turkish people, just like Westerners, should perform their prayers in their mother tongue. This idea, however, did not receive public consent and thus was not put into performance mainly because the Ottoman Sultan of the time and the Sheikh al-Islam, the chief religious official in the Ottoman State, were not sympathetic to it. One might even contend that the Ottoman people of the time were not ready for such an idea as this at all.33 Yet this silence did not last long. Shortly after this silence, the desire to perform prayers in Turkish, started to be expressed orally and gained enthusiastic support. Nevertheless, the idea was still mostly about the translation of the Quran into Turkish and performing the daily Islamic prayers in Turkish. The adhan was not of widespread mention quite yet. The first openly stated idea concerning adhan being chanted in Turkish was brought about by Ziya Gokalp (d. 1924),34 one of the primary Turkish nationalists of the time who had a strong impact on the founder of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. In one of his poems called “Vatan” (Motherland), Gokalp talked about a dream country, every realm of which the Turkish language is in use including adhan, and clearly stated that it is the country of Turks: A country, in the mosque of which adhan is chanted in Turkish, The peasant understands the meaning of begging in his prayer, See: Osman Nuri Ergin, Týirk Maarif Tarihi, Ýstanbul 1977, V/1923. See: Goltbard Jaeschkc, Yeni Türkiye’de Ýslamlýk, (Trans. By.. H. Ors), Ankara 1972, 422¬423; Lotlýmp Stoddard, ilâdýr al-Alatn al-lsICýýnÝ, (Translaled into Arabic by.: Haccfýc Nuvayhid, supplements: el-Emîr Þckîb Arslâu), Maktabah wa Matbaalu tsâ Albânî ai-Malabî wa Shurakâhu, al-Qâîvirah 1353,1/21 i. Ýstanbul Üniversitesi Ýlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Sayý: 13, Yýl: 2006

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THE TSSUE OF CHANTING THE ADHAN IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN . 55 A country in the school of which, Quran is read in Turkish, Everybody, young and elderly, gets to know the command of Allah, You, young Turkish boy, this is the place you call motherland.35 Gokalp’s desire and dream concerning prayers being performed in Turkish including adhan was very well understood by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk as well as other prominent figures living in that era, yet was not instantly put into action since the proper conditions were not ripe enough to allow such an action as the one related to adhan. In fact, the Ottoman State was still alive. What seems to be the case is that Mustafa Kemal must have kept that idea in mind to implement later. As a matter of fact, as we will take up henceforward, Ataturk would try to give life to Gokalp’s idea when the proper conditions as having the administrative power were suitable. As is known, Mustafa Kemal announced the Turkish Republic on October 29 in 1923. He speeded up the implementations of the revolutionary activities after the declaration of the new state, to which he gave a start even before the declaration. In an atmosphere like this, there were also some ideas concerning the full revival of the Turkish language, that is, cleaning off the so-called foreign elements that were the words of Arabic and Persian origin from the Turkish language. Taking courage from this atmosphere, some intellectuals brought about the relatively old subject as using Turkish language in prayers. Also, the fact that Mustafa Kemal Ataturk had given a discourse (al-khutbah) in a Friday prayer in the most historical mosque of Balikesir, an Anatolian city near Istanbul, and expressed thoughts on using Turkish in prayers, was of considerable importance to be mentioned. At those times, as a matter of fact, the Turkish Parliament itself made attempts to provide people with an all better basis in understanding the essential religious texts in Turkish. To this purpose, the Parliament came to a conclusion that Quran and Sahih al-Bukhari, the most basic texts of Sunni Islam, had to be translated into Turkish with commentary notes and explanations completely in Turkish by eminent Turkish scholars. The Parliament chose three figures; for the translation of the Quran, Mehmet Akif Ersoy (d. 1936), a renowned poet with a religiously educational backround; for the commentary notes and explanations on the Quran (al-tafsir), Muhammed Hamdi Yazir (d. 1942), scholar of Islamic studies; and for the translation of Sahih al-Bukhari with commentary explanations, Ahmed Nairn Efendi (d. 1934), also a scholar of Islamic studies. While these three important figures of ZiyaGökalp, Yeni Haya!, Istanbul 1976, 11. Istanbul Üniversitesi Ýlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Sayý: 13, Yýl: 2006

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