Anna Kipervaser, On Look Films, LLC: Voices and Faces of the Adhan: Cairo

The World Oral Literature Project is pleased to host the audio/visual recordings of Anna Kipervaser. This collection is part of an ongoing project, affliated with On Look Films LLC, started in January 2007. Details of the full collection can be browsed on DSpace@Cambridge by clicking here.

The material in this collection includes video and audio recordings of six muezzins reciting the adhan (Muslim call to prayer), with supporting photographs of muezzins and their respective mosques as well as audio recordings from 10 locations in Cairo representing the city-wide adhans (over 30,000 muezzins reciting each of the five times per day) as heard from each area/neighbourhood, with supporting photographs of the locations and what is seen from said location.

Collection Details:

Collection: Voices and Faces of the Adhan: Cairo
Collector: Anna Kipervaser
Date(s): 2007 - Ongoing
Language(s): Arabic


1. City Wide Adhan as heard from near Masgid Sheikh Abdullah on 08-23-2009 at 3:34pm: ‘Asr Adhan
Five times a day in the 83 square mile city of Cairo, over 30,000 muezzins call out the adhan, or call to prayer, calling believers to come and to pray. This ‘Asr (afternoon) adhan was recorded near the Sheikh Abdullah Mosque in the neighbourhood of Gamaliya in Islamic Cairo. The recording captures the voices of the muezzins of Cairo, all of whose calls begin a few seconds apart from one another. The muezzins calling from far away mosques and mosques closest to location can be heard: please control the volume accordingly.
[Archive] [Listen to audio]


2. City Wide Adhan as heard from Shera Falaky on 01-15-2010 at 5:21am: Fajr Adhan
Five times a day in the 83 square mile city of Cairo, over 30,000 muezzins call out the adhan, or call to prayer, calling believers to come and to pray. This Fajr (dawn) adhan was recorded on Falaky Street in the neighbourhood of Sayeda Zeinab, two blocks from the Saad Zaghloul metra stop. The recording captures the voices of the muezzins of Cairo, all of whose calls begin a few seconds apart from one another. The muezzins calling from far away mosques and mosques closest to location can be heard: please control the volume accordingly.
[Archive] [Listen to audio]


3. City Wide Adhan as heard from the Cities of the Dead on 01-16-2010 at 5:17pm: Maghrib Adhan
Five times a day in the 83 square mile city of Cairo, over 30,000 muezzins call out the adhan, or call to prayer, calling believers to come and to pray. This Maghrib (sunset) adhan was recorded in the Cities of the Dead (miles long cemetaries), in the neighbourhood of Sayeda Aisha. The recording captures the voices of the muezzins of Cairo, all of whose calls begin a few seconds apart from one another. The muezzins calling from far away mosques and mosques closest to location can be heard: please control the volume accordingly.
[Archive] [Listen to audio]


4. City Wide Adhan as heard from Road 9 in Ma’adi on 01-19-2010 at 3:00pm: ‘Asr Adhan
Five times a day in the 83 square mile city of Cairo, over 30,000 muezzins call out the adhan, or call to prayer, calling believers to come and to pray. This ‘Asr (afternoon) adhan was recorded on a rooftop on Road 9 in the neighbourhood of Ma’adi. The recording captures the voices of the muezzins of Cairo, all of whose calls begin a few seconds apart from one another. The muezzins calling from far away mosques and mosques closest to location can be heard: please control the volume accordingly.
[Archive] [Listen to audio]


5. City Wide Adhan as heard from the top of Cairo Tower on 01-25-2010 at 3:06pm: Asr Adhan
Five times a day in the 83 square mile city of Cairo, over 30,000 muezzins call out the adhan, or call to prayer, calling believers to come and to pray. This ‘Asr (afternoon) adhan was recorded at the top of the Cairo Tower – the tallest point in Egypt at 187 m (614 ft) - in the neighbourhood of Zamalek. The recording captures the voices of the muezzins of Cairo as they echo below, all of whose calls begin a few seconds apart from one another. The muezzins calling from far away mosques and mosques closest to location can be heard: please control the volume accordingly.
[Archive] [Listen to audio]


6. City Wide Adhan as heard from the Qasr el-Nil Bridge on 01-25-2010 at 5:23pm: Maghrib Adhan
Five times a day in the 83 square mile city of Cairo, over 30,000 muezzins call out the adhan, or call to prayer, calling believers to come and to pray. This Maghrib (sunset) adhan was recorded on the Qasr el-Nil Bridge, which spans the Nile River in central Cairo. It connects downtown Cairo to Gezira Island and the Zamalek district. The recording captures the voices of the muezzins of Cairo, all of whose calls begin a few seconds apart from one another. The muezzins calling from far away mosques and mosques closest to location can be heard: please control the volume accordingly.
[Archive] [Listen to audio]


7. City Wide Adhan as heard from Al-Azhar Park on 01-26-2010 at 12:05pm: Dhurh Adhan
Five times a day in the 83 square mile city of Cairo, over 30,000 muezzins call out the adhan, or call to prayer, calling believers to come and to pray. This Dhurh (mid-day) adhan was recorded at Al-Azhar Park in the neighbourhood of Islamic Cairo. The length of the recording is almost 8 minutes, because the muezzins all begin a few seconds apart. The muezzins calling from far away mosques and mosques closest to the park can be heard: please control the volume accordingly.
[Archive] [Listen to audio]


8. City Wide Adhan as heard from between Masgid Sultan Hassan and Masgid Al-Rifaai on 01-27-2010 at 12:07pm: Dhurh Adhan
Five times a day in the 83 square mile city of Cairo, over 30,000 muezzins call out the adhan, or call to prayer, calling believers to come and to pray. This Dhurh (mid-day) adhan was recorded in the neighbourhood of Sayeda Aisha between two of the biggest and most famous mosques in Cairo. The recording captures the voices of the muezzins of the neighbourhood and beyond, all of whose calls begin a few seconds apart. The muezzins calling from far away mosques and mosques closest to location can be heard: please control the volume accordingly.
[Archive] [Listen to audio]


9. City Wide Adhan as heard from near Masgid Serri Ghatmash on 01-27- 2010 at 6:48pm: ‘Isha Adhan
Five times a day in the 83 square mile city of Cairo, over 30,000 muezzins call out the adhan, or call to prayer, calling believers to come and to pray. This ‘Isha (night) adhan was recorded near the Serri Ghatmash Mosque in the neighbourhood of Sayeda Zeinab. The recording captures the voices of the muezzins of Cairo, all of whose calls begin a few seconds apart from one another. The muezzins calling from far away mosques and mosques closest to location can be heard: please control the volume accordingly.
[Archive] [Listen to audio]


10. City Wide Adhan as heard from near Masgid Sheikh Abdullah on 02-07-2010 at 5:36pm: Maghrib Adhan
Five times a day in the 83 square mile city of Cairo, over 30,000 muezzins call out the adhan, or call to prayer, calling believers to come and to pray. This Maghrib (sunset) adhan was recorded near the Sheikh Abdullah Mosque in the neighbourhood of Gamaliya in Islamic Cairo. The recording captures the voices of the muezzins of Cairo, all of whose calls begin a few seconds apart from one another. The muezzins calling from far away mosques and mosques closest to location can be heard: please control the volume accordingly.
[Archive] [Listen to audio]


11. City Wide Adhan as heard from near Masgid Sheikh Abdullah on 02-07-2010 at 6:57pm: ‘Isha Adhan
Five times a day in the 83 square mile city of Cairo, over 30,000 muezzins call out the adhan, or call to prayer, calling believers to come and to pray. This ‘Isha (night) adhan was recorded near the Sheikh Abdullah Mosque in the neighbourhood of Gamaliya in Islamic Cairo. The recording captures the voices of the muezzins of Cairo, all of whose calls begin a few seconds apart from one another. The muezzins calling from far away mosques and mosques closest to location can be heard: please control the volume accordingly.
[Archive] [Listen to audio]


12. City Wide Adhan as heard from near Masgid Sheikh Abdullah on 02-08-2010 at 5:13am: ‘Fajr Adhan
Five times a day in the 83 square mile city of Cairo, over 30,000 muezzins call out the adhan, or call to prayer, calling believers to come and to pray. This Fajr (dawn) adhan was recorded near the Sheikh Abdullah Mosque in the neighbourhood of Gamaliya in Islamic Cairo. The recording captures the voices of the muezzins of Cairo, all of whose calls begin a few seconds apart from one another. The muezzins calling from far away mosques and mosques closest to location can be heard: please control the volume accordingly.
[Archive] [Listen to audio]


13. City Wide Adhan as heard from near Masgid el-Muayyad Sheikh on 08-08-2010 at 4:36pm: ‘Asr Adhan
Five times a day in the 83 square mile city of Cairo, over 30,000 muezzins call out the adhan, or call to prayer, calling believers to come and to pray. This ‘Asr (afternoon) adhan was recorded near el-Muayyad Sheikh Mosque in the el-Hussein neighbourhood in Islamic Cairo. The recording captures the voices of the muezzins of Cairo, all of whose calls begin a few seconds apart from one another. The muezzins calling from far away mosques and mosques closest to location can be heard: please control the volume accordingly.
[Archive] [Listen to audio]


14. City Wide Adhan as heard from near Masgid Sheikh Abdullah on 08-08-2010 at 1:02pm: Dhurh Adhan
Five times a day in the 83 square mile city of Cairo, over 30,000 muezzins call out the adhan, or call to prayer, calling believers to come and to pray. This Dhurh (mid-day) adhan was recorded near the Sheikh Abdullah Mosque in the neighbourhood of Gamaliya in Islamic Cairo. The recording captures the voices of the muezzins of Cairo, all of whose calls begin a few seconds apart from one another. The muezzins calling from far away mosques and mosques closest to location can be heard: please control the volume accordingly.
[Archive] [Listen to audio]


15. City Wide Adhan as heard from near Masgid Sheikh Abdullah on 08-14-2010 at 3:44am: ‘Fajr Adhan
Five times a day in the 83 square mile city of Cairo, over 30,000 muezzins call out the adhan, or call to prayer, calling believers to come and to pray. This Fajr (dawn) adhan was recorded near the Sheikh Abdullah Mosque in the neighbourhood of Gamaliya in Islamic Cairo. The recording captures the voices of the muezzins of Cairo, all of whose calls begin a few seconds apart from one another. The muezzins calling from far away mosques and mosques closest to location can be heard: please control the volume accordingly.
[Archive] [Listen to audio]


16. City Wide Adhan as heard from near Masgid Sheikh Abdullah on 08-20-2010 at 7:54pm: ‘Isha Adhan
Five times a day in the 83 square mile city of Cairo, over 30,000 muezzins call out the adhan, or call to prayer, calling believers to come and to pray. This ‘Isha (night) adhan was recorded near the Sheikh Abdullah Mosque in the neighbourhood of Gamaliya in Islamic Cairo. The recording captures the voices of the muezzins of Cairo, all of whose calls begin a few seconds apart from one another. The muezzins calling from far away mosques and mosques closest to location can be heard: please control the volume accordingly.
[Archive] [Listen to audio]


17. Omar Makram Mosque: Sheikh Ahmed: Adhan Recitation
Sheikh Ahmed has been a volunteer muezzin at Masgid Omar Makram for 12 years. Here he recites the adhan in one of his many versions; he is also a Quran teacher – Sheikh Makra’a.
[Archive] [Watch video]


18. Masgid Sultan Qansuh Al Ghury: Sheikh Antar: Asr Adhan
Sheikh Antar recites ‘Asr adhan at 4:38pm on August 10, 2010 at the Sultan Qansuh Al Ghury Mosque in El-Hussein (Islamic Cairo), calling the faithful to come and to pray. Sheikh Antar has recited the adhan here for five years, as a volunteer.
[Archive] [Watch video]


19. Masgid Sheikh Abdullah: Sheikh Mohamed: Adhan Recitation
Sheikh Mohamed demonstrates the adhan on February 7, 2010 at Sheikh Abdullah al Misbah'ah al-Husseini Mosque in Gamaliya. He has been a muezzin here for 20 years.
[Archive] [Watch video]


20. Masgid Sultan Abu el-Eala: Sheikh Shaaban: Asr Adhan
Sheikh Said demonstrates the ‘Asr adhan at 3:36pm on August 15, 2010 at Sultan Abu el-Eala Mosque in Boulaq Abu el-Eala. He has been a muezzin here for almost one year; he and his whole family moved here from his village for this job.
[Archive] [Watch video]


21. Masgid Mahmoudeya: Sheikh Hamed: Fajr Adhan
Sheikh Hamed recites the Fajr adhan at 3:53am on August 19, 2010 at Mahmoudeya Mosque in Sayeda Aisha, calling the faithful to come and to pray. He has been a muezzin here for 20 years.
[Archive] [Watch video]


22. Masgid Sultan Hassan: Sheikh Said: Adhan Recitation
Sheikh Said demonstrates the adhan on February 1, 2010 at the great Sultan Hassan Mosque in Sayeda Aisha. He has been a muezzin here for eight years.
[Archive] [Watch video]