Rahim Moazenzadeh Ardabili
{{For|Salim Moazenzadeh Ardebili, the Iranian maddah and muezzin from Ardabil|Salim Moazenzadeh Ardabili}}{{short description|Iranian muezzin (1925-2005)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Rahim Moazenzadeh Ardebili
| image = Rahim_moazenzadeh.jpg
| caption = Moazenzadeh in 2005
| native_name = {{lang|fa|رحیم مؤذن‌زاده اردبیلی}}
| birth_date = September 23, 1925
| death_date = May 26, 2005 (aged 79)
| death_place = Madain Hospital, Tehran, Iran
| resting_place = Ibn Babawayh Cemetery
| nationality = Iranian
| occupation = Muezzin in the style of Iranian music
| parents = Abdolkarim Moazenzadeh Ardebili (father)
Hanieh Mehrajie (mother)
| relatives = Salim Moazenzadeh Ardabili (brother)
}}
Rahim Moazenzadeh Ardabili ({{langx|fa| رحیم مؤذن‌زاده اردبیلی}}; September 23, 1925 – May 25, 2005) was an Iranian muezzin. He is known as the "Bilal of Iran."{{Cite web |date=2022-07-06 |title=Broadcasting of a documentary on the life of the "Bilal of Iran" on Radio Farhang |url=https://www.imna.ir/news/586353/%D9%BE%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%AF%DA%AF%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%88-%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%87%D9%86%DA%AF |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=ایمنا |language=fa}}{{Cite web |title=پخش مستند زندگی « بلال ایران» از رادیو فرهنگ |url=http://www.radiofarhang.ir/NewsDetails/?m=202020&n=1055808 |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=fa |language=fa}}{{Cite web |last=بسیج |first=خبرگزاری |date=March 6, 2018 |title=یادی از «بلال» ایران مرحوم رحیم موذن زاده اردبیلی |url=https://basijnews.ir/fa/news/9021489/%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%AD%D9%88%D9%85-%D8%B1%D8%AD%DB%8C%D9%85-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B0%D9%86-%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A8%DB%8C%D9%84%DB%8C |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=fa |language=fa}}{{Cite web |date=2005-11-06 |title=Seyyed Rahim Moazzen-Zadeh |url=http://www.iran-daily.com/1384/2295/html/panorama.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071205053015/http://iran-daily.com/1384/2295/html/panorama.htm |archive-date=2007-12-05 |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=Iran Daily Newspaper}}
File:Grave of Rahim Moazzen Zadeh Ardabili 2.JPG]]
Moazenzadeh was born in Ardabil province to a religious Azeri-Iranian family.{{Cite web |title=درباره رحیم مؤذن‌زاده اردبیلی |url=https://www.irna.ir/news/83799486/%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%B1%D8%AD%DB%8C%D9%85-%D9%85%D8%A4%D8%B0%D9%86-%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A8%DB%8C%D9%84%DB%8C |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=www.irna.ir}} His father Abdul Karim Moazzen Zadeh Ardabili was the first Muezzin to call the adhan, or call to prayer, on Iranian television.{{Cite web |title=اصفهان سبز - اطلاع رسانی و اخبار |url=https://esfahansabz.ir/read.php?id=11463 |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=esfahansabz.ir |language=fa}} His voice was broadcast by radio from 1943–1947, and he carried out the morning program of radio at the Imamzadeh Mosque in Tehran, until 1947 when he died.{{Cite web |title=وفاة الرادود الحسيني والمؤذن الايراني الكبير سليم مؤذن زادة |url=https://www.alkawthartv.ir/news/63556 |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=Al Kawthar TV - قناة الکوثر |language=ar}} Rahim continued to issue the call to prayer after him.{{Cite web |date=June 25, 2020 |title=About Rahim MoAzenzadeh Ardebili |url=https://www.irna.ir/news/83799486/%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%B1%D8%AD%DB%8C%D9%85-%D9%85%D8%A4%D8%B0%D9%86-%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A8%DB%8C%D9%84%DB%8C |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=www.irna.ir}}
His adhan is recited in the dastgah of Bayat-e Turk, a musical scale in Azerbaijani traditional music. It can still be heard on Iranian radio and is regularly played on television.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/arts/story/2005/05/050526_mj-dm-moazzen-zadeh.shtml|title=Moazzen-Zadeh Ardabili and soul-of-souls Azan|publisher=BBC|language=Persian|accessdate=2007-12-07}} Moazenzadeh has stated:{{Cite web |title=مؤذن زاده اردبيلی و اذان روح الارواح |url=https://www.bbc.com/persian/arts/story/2005/05/printable/050526_mj-dm-moazzen-zadeh |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=BBC Persian}}
{{Quotation|"Since recording this piece, I have always carried a sense of spiritual pride with me throughout the years. If this spiritual wealth is the only thing that remains, it will be enough for me."||}}
Moazenzadeh died in Tehran at the age of 80.{{Cite web |last=Mohammadpour |first=Dariush |date=26 May 2005 |title=Moazenzadeh Ardabili and the call to prayer for the souls |url=https://www.bbc.com/persian/arts/story/2005/05/050526_mj-dm-moazzen-zadeh |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=BBC Persian}}
Legacy
Moazenzadeh's adhan, recorded in 1955 while fasting,{{Cite web |date=2019-05-29 |title=The first recorded call to prayer in Iranian history + works by distinguished muezzins |url=https://www.ilna.ir/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%87%D9%86%DA%AF-%D9%87%D9%86%D8%B1-6/768006-%D9%86%D8%AE%D8%B3%D8%AA%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%B0%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AB%D8%A8%D8%AA-%D8%B4%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%AE-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A2%D8%AB%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B0%D9%86-%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%A8-%D8%B3%D8%A8%DA%A9 |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=خبرگزاری ایلنا |language=fa}} has been officially registered as an item in Iran's national List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is the first adhan to be included in the registry, according to Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization.{{Cite web |date=2007-06-02 |title=اذان مرحوم "موذن زاده اردبیلی"، در فهرست ميراث معنوي کشور به ثبت رسید |url=https://www.ibna.ir/news/4247/%D8%A7%D8%B0%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%AD%D9%88%D9%85-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B0%D9%86-%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A8%DB%8C%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%81%D9%87%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AB-%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%86%D9%88%D9%8A-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D9%87 |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=ایبنا |language=fa}}{{Cite web |title=Magiran {{!}} روزنامه جام جم (1387/09/02): اذان «موذن زاده» ثبت ملی شد |url=https://www.magiran.com/article/1750368 |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=www.magiran.com}} It was also added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2012.{{Cite web |title=42 اثر ثبت شده ایران در فهرست ملی حافظه جهانی: از سرود‌های انقلابی تا اسناد شهدای دفاع مقدس - تسنیم |url=https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1393/04/29/436568/42-%D8%A7%D8%AB%D8%B1-%D8%AB%D8%A8%D8%AA-%D8%B4%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%81%D9%87%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D9%85%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B8%D9%87-%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B3%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AF-%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%82%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%A8%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%AF%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B9-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%B3 |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=خبرگزاری تسنیم {{!}} Tasnim |language=fa}}{{Cite web |date=2020-10-18 |title=اذان رحیم موذن زاده اردبیلی - جزئیات محتوا - سازمان اسناد و کتابخانه ملی ایران |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018115404/http://www.nlai.ir/detail-page/-/asset_publisher/1XAU1TD4jK8G/content/--6561 |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=web.archive.org}}
{{Quotation|"We are Iranians, and our adhan must come from within us. Nowadays, there are muezzins who imitate Saudi styles, which is not appropriate—we must be creative ourselves. It has been 50 years, and no one has been able to recite an adhan over mine—not even my brother Salim, with his powerful and beautiful voice. This is God's will, the same God who says: ‘If you are united in calling upon Me, I will place love for you in the hearts of all.’"|Rahim Moazenzadeh Ardabili|}}
Iranian singer and ostad Mohammad-Reza Shajarian says about Moazenzadeh's Adhan:[https://www.magiran.com/article/2019371 |Shajarian and Adhan Moazenzadeh
{{Quotation|"This call to prayer has two remarkable qualities. The late Moazenzadeh recited it in the Bayat-e Tork musical mode, a traditional melody known for conveying messages of hope, awakening, and spiritual awareness. His choice was deeply meaningful, as it gives a sense of promise and reassurance to listeners at any time. Additionally, there is a profound sincerity in this azan—and as someone who has worked in music for many years, I have been hearing and living with this call to prayer for 60 years."||}}Shahram Nazeri, another ostad and Iranian classical musician, says:{{Cite web |title=موسیقی را قربانی سیاسی کاری نکنید در گفت‌و‌گو با شهرام ناظری |url=http://www.cgie.org.ir/fa/news/155825/%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%82%DB%8C-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B3%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D9%86%DA%A9%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%DA%AF%D9%81%D8%AA%E2%80%8C%D9%88%E2%80%8C%DA%AF%D9%88-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B8%D8%B1%DB%8C |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20210619002212/https://www.cgie.org.ir/fa/news/155825/%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%82%DB%8C-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B3%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D9%86%DA%A9%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%DA%AF%D9%81%D8%AA%E2%80%8C%D9%88%E2%80%8C%DA%AF%D9%88-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B8%D8%B1%DB%8C |archive-date=2021-06-19 |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=www.cgie.org.ir |language=fa}}
{{Quotation|"The voice of Ostad Moazenzadeh Ardebili possesses a distinctly heroic and legendary quality. His greatest strength lies in his deep understanding and mastery of the style and expression of Iranian vocal music, to the extent that even his call to prayer (Adhān) is performed in an Iranian melodic style rather than an Arabic one."|||source=}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moazenzadeh Ardabili, Rahim}}
Category:Performers of Islamic music