Hearing God's Voice
People argue about whether it is possible for humans to hear God's voice. The debates usually end absurd with ambiguous conclusion. Each party would take into account his own thought and allow the opposing to draw divergent assumption. It is because the truth conveyed cannot be proven, except a mere information without an actual object.
The hot discussions regarding religion is not always concluded in one direction, however, the contradiction has become common. Since it is not able to be proven through empirical data, both rely on vague information about the object discussed. They speak about the unseen.
Nevertheless, considering about hearing God's voice cannot be verified, unless by logic, as He does not make sound to hear as His creatures emitting sound.
In fact, humans need to hear God's voice, thus it is perplexing to say He does not speak with voices. To fully understand His teachings, commands, and prohibitions without His enunciation requires logic.
God speaks, howbeit, His voice is unreal. The real man speaking is the Prophet. Meanwhile, He is unseen, therefore His voice is nonexistent. It is manifested in every human being, the believer. Nonetheless, he is unreal, the mouth of the believer's body is the real, exemplified by the sound of the call to prayer.
The muadzin, calling to prayer, is fulfilling the command of the faith or believer in him. The believer is the incarnation of the apostle, His voice is the voice of God as well. It is concluded the voice of muadzin is the voice of God, actually.
By the logic, the call to prayer is precisely the voice of God through the mouth of muadzin. Hence, every time the call sounded is when the voice of God heard. We are called five times in a day and night through the prayers and it must be fulfilled immediately since it is the call of God (check the Qur'an, surah al anfal verse 20).
"O believers! Obey Allah and His Messenger and do not turn away from him while you hear ˹his call"
Obeying His call to prayer should be done straight away, as if we ignore it repeatedly, ----logically, when it comes the time for us to be called, it might be no call for us. It is because, we disregard the call in life. Whereas, how heavenly it is when the end of our life is called by God gracefully. (check Surah Al Fajr verse 27) "Allah will say to the righteous,˺ “O tranquil soul!"
However, when we take no notice of call to prayer, especially, to pray together in the mosque, ------rationally, we would not be called anymore. It could be, He would not call us again and delegate the angel of death to take us instead. (check Surah As Sajdah verse 11) "Say, 'The angel of death who is responsible for taking your life will kill you, and then you will be returned to your Lord".
The life taken by the angel of death, naturally, might be immensely painful as He uses the fixed procedure and unaffectionate way.
Finally, the voice of God is heard every day, since He is unseen, it is presented in His messenger, however, He is unreal as well, the reality is the mouth of the believer or muadzin. By this logical sequence, attaining the call of muadzin denotes the obedience on the call of God. When the call to prayer is sounded, it should be responded by attending to the source of voice to pray in congregation. Wallahu a'lam.
Written by: Prof. Dr. H. Imam Suprayogo - (Expert Council of Thursina International Islamic Boarding School)