The island of Büyükada (Prinkipo), one of the Princes’ Islands near Istanbul, has long been a place of spiritual resonance and acoustic subtlety.

In earlier years, the müezzin of Hamidiye Mosque—built in 1898 during the late Ottoman period—was renowned as one of the rare voices capable of reciting the call to prayer (ezan) in twelve distinct musical modes (makams). His recitations, particularly at dawn (sabah) and night (yatsı), were performed in a heartfelt sûrî mode, filling the island’s quiet air with a profound spiritual beauty. From afar, I would listen in awe to these evocative calls, which blended seamlessly with the natural calm of the island[^1].

Over time, however, the island has changed. New mosques, such as the Çarşı Mosque, have been built, and powerful speaker systems have been installed at Kumsal Mosque. Today, the calls to prayer are broadcast—sometimes live, sometimes pre-recorded—simultaneously from three different mosques. This overlapping of sound often results in a cacophony, disrupting the spiritual clarity once conveyed through a single human voice.

Regrettably, the soulful, melodious ezans of the past are now seldom heard. The early morning and evening calls, which were once delicate and brief, have become prolonged. Occasionally, lengthy duas (supplications) and ilahis (hymns) follow the prayer calls over the loudspeakers. Unexpected selas (funeral or ceremonial announcements) may........

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