Source:
Excerpted from the book Ṣaḥīḥ Ṣalāh an-Nabī ﷺ, published by Maktabah Dār al-Andalus, authored by Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAzīz.
Discussion on Adhān and Iqāmah
❀ Adhān is a symbol of Islam and a distinctive sign of the Muslims.
Sayyidunā Anas رضي الله عنه narrates: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ intended to attack a people, he would not attack until morning. If he heard the adhān, he would stop (realizing that Muslims were present and a surprise attack would harm them). If he did not hear the adhān, he would attack in the morning.
❀ When the time of prayer begins, the adhān should be called.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“When the time for prayer comes, one of you should call the adhān.”
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“When the adhān for prayer is called, Shayṭān flees while passing wind, until he cannot hear the adhān.”
Virtue of the Mu’adhdhin
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِمَّنْ دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ﴾
Translation:
“And who is better in speech than one who calls to Allah?”
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«المؤذنون أطول أعناقا يوم القيامة»
“The callers to prayer will have the longest necks on the Day of Resurrection (meaning they will have the highest rank).”
❀ He ﷺ also said:
“If people knew the reward of calling the adhān and standing in the first row, and they found no way except drawing lots, they would surely draw lots.”
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«المؤذن يغفر له بمد صوته…»
“The mu’adhdhin is forgiven to the extent of his voice, and everything dry or moist that hears him testifies for him, and he receives a reward equal to those who pray with him.”
❀ He ﷺ supplicated:
“The Imām is a guarantor and the mu’adhdhin is trustworthy. O Allah! Guide the Imāms and forgive the mu’adhdhins.”
❀ He ﷺ said:
“Your Lord is pleased with the shepherd who gives the adhān from the top of a mountain and prays. Allah says: Look at My servant; he calls the adhān and prays out of fear of Me. I have forgiven him and admitted him into Paradise.”
Etiquettes of Calling the Adhān
❀ Wuḍū’ is not required for any act except prayer and ṭawāf.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“I have been commanded to perform wuḍū’ for prayer.”
❀ The ḥadīth stipulating wuḍū’ for adhān is weak.
❀ However, it is reported that Sayyidunā Bilāl رضي الله عنه would perform wuḍū’ before calling the adhān.
❀ The adhān should be called while standing.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“O Bilāl! Stand and call the adhān for prayer.”
❀ Facing the Qiblah.
❀ Bilāl رضي الله عنه would place his fingers in his ears while calling the adhān.
❀ He would turn his face to the right when saying ḥayya ʿalaṣ-ṣalāh and to the left when saying ḥayya ʿalal-falāḥ.
❀ The adhān should be called by one who has a pleasant voice.
❀ The adhān should be called loudly.
❀ If there is no loudspeaker, it should be called from an elevated place.
❀ If the mu’adhdhin makes a mistake, it should be corrected.
❀ If the adhān is called at the wrong time, an announcement should be made.
❀ There is scholarly difference regarding taking payment for adhān. Imām ash-Shawkānī reconciled the narrations by stating that taking wages is prohibited when stipulated, but permissible when not stipulated.
Innovated Ṣalāh and Salām before Adhān
Reciting self-invented phrases such as “aṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalayka yā Rasūlallāh” before the adhān is not established from the Prophet ﷺ, the Rightly Guided Caliphs, the Companions, the Tābiʿūn, or the Imāms.
Shaykh Muḥammad ʿAbduh رحمه الله stated that the words of the adhān are fifteen, ending with lā ilāha illallāh, and anything added before or after is an innovation.
Words of the Adhān
❀ The words of the adhān are:
الله أكبر، الله أكبر، الله أكبر، الله أكبر
أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله
أشهد أن محمدًا رسول الله، أشهد أن محمدًا رسول الله
حي على الصلاة، حي على الصلاة
حي على الفلاح، حي على الفلاح
الله أكبر، الله أكبر
لا إله إلا الله
❀ In the adhān of Fajr, after ḥayya ʿalal-falāḥ, the following words are added:
الصلاة خير من النوم، الصلاة خير من النوم
Words of the Iqāmah
الله أكبر، الله أكبر
أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله
أشهد أن محمدًا رسول الله
حي على الصلاة
حي على الفلاح
قد قامت الصلاة، قد قامت الصلاة
الله أكبر، الله أكبر
لا إله إلا الله
❀ Turning the neck right and left during the iqāmah is not established.
Adhān and Iqāmah with Tarjīʿ
❀ Tarjīʿ means reciting the testimony softly first and then loudly. This method is authentically established from the Prophet ﷺ, who personally taught it to Abū Maḥdhūrah رضي الله عنه.
Both forms—with tarjīʿ and without tarjīʿ—are authentic and valid. Denying either is incorrect.
❀ Whichever adhān is called, the corresponding iqāmah should be used.
Adhān and Iqāmah During Travel
❀ Adhān, iqāmah, and congregation are as necessary during travel as they are while resident.
❀ Calling the adhān while riding during travel is permissible.
Adhān and Iqāmah for an Individual
❀ Even a person praying alone should call the adhān and iqāmah.
Responding to the Adhān
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever responds to the adhān sincerely will enter Paradise.”
❀ One should repeat the words of the mu’adhdhin, except for ḥayya ʿalaṣ-ṣalāh and ḥayya ʿalal-falāḥ, for which one should say:
لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله
❀ Kissing the thumbs and touching the eyes is an innovation and has no authentic basis.
Supplication after the Adhān
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«إذا سمعتم المؤذن فقولوا مثل ما يقول…»
After responding to the adhān, send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, then recite the supplication of al-Wasīlah:
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ…
Supplication Between Adhān and Iqāmah
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«لا يرد الدعاء بين الأذان والإقامة»
“The supplication made between the adhān and the iqāmah is not rejected.”
