Abdul Sami of Quetta who remains a muezzin after defeating cancer

‘Azaan and Muezzin’ is Independent Urdu’s new series for Ramadan, featuring muezzins of selected mosques from across Pakistan and their journey of giving and learning the azaan. This is the third episode of this series.

Abdul Sami, Muezzin of Jamia Arabia and Central Tajweed Al-Qur’an, Quetta, faced cancer in 2019, but after defeating it, he still gives the Adhan.

Jamia Arabia Mosque and Madrasa located on Akhtar Muhammad Road, Quetta, is an ancient religious institution of the city, which has been established since 1960.

Abdul Sami has been serving as a muezzin in this mosque for many years.

He was fond of calling adhan from his childhood. Abdul Sami told Independent Urdu: ‘Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has described many virtues of muezzins. I was also interested in reading about Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Makhdoom and Hazrat Bilal (the first muezzins) giving adhan.

According to Abdul Sami: ‘Since childhood, I had only one desire to become a muezzin in a mosque, because the words of Allah are said through the call to prayer, so Alhamdulillah, Allah made me a muezzin.’

Regarding the training and learning of adhan, he said that ‘I had a passion for giving adhan and becoming a muezzin since childhood. Whenever Qari Siddiq al-Manshawi and the muezzins of Haramin Sharafeen called for adhan, they gave me ease and guidance in learning adhan.

‘My effort would be to follow the same way the Egyptian reciter Siddique Al-Mashavi used to pronounce the pronunciation, I would also follow him in the same attractive way. Apart from this, during my student days, I had some teachers who used to be the muezzins of that time, from them I also learned how to call the call to prayer and they guided me in learning the call to prayer.

Abdul Sami says that this tone and style of calling the call to prayer is his own. Despite repeated efforts, I did not find the style of my teachers and muezzins of Haramin Sharifin.

Regarding the memorable call to prayer of his life, Abdul Sami says that in 2019 I was diagnosed with cancer. I developed a rash on my tongue which later became cancerous. During the trial of his treatment, I was told that he will be treated but I will not be able to give adhan again. I went to a doctor in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for treatment. There was a mosque on the mountains near Shangla. There I was asked to give the Azaan for the last time. However, I called Maghrib adhan there. After which I was treated and I am still giving adhan today.’

About his wish, he told Independent Urdu: ‘My worldly wish is that Allah Almighty blesses me with the privilege of calling the Adhan in the Haram Sharifeen and the last wish is that Allah joins me in the ranks of muezzins.’

First episode: Noorul Islam Journey from Swabi to Faisal Masjid

Second episode: Expert in Hijazi and Egyptian dialects of Badshahi Masjid Lahore Anisur Rehman

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