Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … The summary of the supplications (adhkar) to be recited at the time of the adhan is as follows; their reward and merit have already been mentioned in the aforementioned ahadith:

1. To repeat the words of the adhan with the mu’adhdhin (caller to prayer) with sincerity of heart, and to say "La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah" in response to "Hayya ‘ala as-salah" and "Hayya ‘ala al-falah." It is also correct to say "Ana (and I too)" in response to "Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah" and "Ashhadu anna Muhammadur Rasulullah." (Muslim)

2. After the adhan, to send blessings (salat) upon the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

3. Then to recite this supplication: ((Allahumma Rabba hadhihi’d-da‘wati’t-tammah wa’s-salati’l-qa’imah, ati Muhammadan il-wasilata wa’l-fadilah, wab‘ath-hu maqaman mahmudan alladhi wa‘adtah.)) It is also correct to add "Innaka la tukhlifu’l-mi‘ad" at the end of this supplication.

4. ((Wa ana ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah wahdahu la sharika lahu wa anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluhu, radina billahi rabban wa bi Muhammadin rasulan wa bil-islami dinan.)) When should this supplication be recited? This has already been discussed in this chapter.

Note: … Should the words of the iqamah also be repeated? Some scholars have deduced from the following narration and similar narrations that the iqamah should also be repeated: It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ((Idha sami‘tum an-nida’a faqulu mithla ma yaqulu’l-mu’adhdhin.)) That is: When you hear the call, say as the mu’adhdhin says. (Sahih Bukhari: 611, Sahih Muslim: 383)

Argument: … Since the word "nida" (call) is general, and it applies to both adhan and iqamah, therefore the words of the iqamah should also be repeated. However, this argument is questionable, because in many narrations on this subject, only the adhan has been discussed and the command is given to repeat its words, so here too the word "nida" should be understood as referring to the adhan. The wording "mu’adhdhin" in this hadith also indicates that by "nida" here, the adhan is meant. Otherwise, wherever the words "nida" and "mu’adhdhin" are used, both adhan and iqamah would be meant, for example: It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir radi Allahu anhu that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ((Man qala hina yasma‘u an-nida’: Allahumma Rabba hadhihi’d-da‘wati’t-tammah … … hallat lahu shafa‘ati yawma’l-qiyamah.)) (Sahih Bukhari: 614)

Our opinion is that there is no clear evidence proving the repetition of the words of the iqamah, therefore this should not be insisted upon. The following hadith on this subject is explicit, but its chain of narration is weak:

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Umamah or another companion that when Bilal radi Allahu anhu began to say the iqamah, and when he said "Qad qamati’s-salah," the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Aqamaha Allah wa adamaha" (May Allah establish and perpetuate it), and for the other words he responded in the same way as has been mentioned in the hadith of Sayyiduna ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu regarding the adhan. (Abu Dawud: 528)

This hadith is weak for three reasons:
1. Muhammad ibn Thabit al-‘Abdi is weak.
2. "Rajul min ahl ash-Sham" is ambiguous, i.e., unknown.
3. Shahr ibn Hawshab is criticized (mutakallam fihi).