Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
From this narration, it appears that the legislation of the adhan (call to prayer) was established at the suggestion of Umar (radi Allahu anhu), whereas this is not the case. Detailed narrations show that after arriving in Madinah Tayyibah, the Muslims had to pass through the following three stages regarding gathering for prayer:

• They would estimate the time of prayer and gather in the mosque to perform the prayer.
The drawback of this was that some people would arrive early, which would affect their business affairs.
And some people would arrive after the time had passed, causing a delay in the prayer.

• After that, through mutual consultation, it was decided that a person should be appointed who would stand at a high place and announce the time of prayer with the words "As-salatu Jami‘ah" (prayer is being gathered).
This suggestion was from Umar (radi Allahu anhu), as is evident from the aforementioned hadith, and thus this practice began.

• Eventually, Abdullah bin Zayd (radi Allahu anhu) was taught the adhan in a dream by a person, so he related his dream to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). The Prophet said, "This is a true dream." Thus, at his command, when Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) was giving the adhan, Umar (radi Allahu anhu) came out of his house dragging his cloak and presented himself before the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and said:
"I also saw a similar dream."
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Al-Adhan, Hadith: 499)
After this, the practice of giving the adhan began, which continues to this day.

(2)
The details of the dream of Abdullah bin Zayd (radi Allahu anhu) are as follows: he met a (green-clad) man in his dream who was carrying a bell.
I wanted to buy this bell from him, so he asked:
"What will you do with it?" I said:
"We will ring it to call people to prayer." So he said:
"Shall I not tell you a better way than this?" Then he taught him the words of the adhan and iqamah for prayer.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Al-Adhan, Hadith: 499)

(3)
Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) was chosen to give the adhan for the following three reasons:
• The narration clarifies that Abdullah bin Zayd (radi Allahu anhu), who saw the dream, was ill, and Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) was present at that time.
• Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) had a melodious and loud voice.
It is necessary for the one giving the adhan to possess these two qualities.
• In Makkah Mukarramah, Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) endured severe hardships at the hands of the disbelievers of Quraysh for the sake of the word of Tawhid (the declaration of Allah's oneness), so at the time of the ascendancy of Islam, the proclamation of the word of Tawhid was also assigned to him.
And Allah knows best.

(4)
From this, it is understood that the legislation of the adhan took place in Madinah Munawwarah after the Hijrah (migration).

Benefits:

➊ From the hadith of Ibn Umar radi Allahu anhuma, it apparently seems that the adhan began at the suggestion of Umar radi Allahu anhu, but after reviewing all the hadiths, it becomes clear that the process of gathering people for prayer in Madinah went through three stages. For some time, Muslims would estimate the time of prayer and come to the mosque, but the drawback in this was that those who arrived early had to wait for a long time, which caused them loss in their work, and due to those who came late, the prayer would be delayed.

The second stage is the one mentioned in this hadith, where someone suggested ringing a "naqus" (bell) at the time of prayer. This was objected to on the grounds that it was the practice of the Christians. When the trumpet was mentioned, it was rejected as being the way of the Jews. In some hadiths, there is also mention of the suggestion to light a fire, which was rejected by saying that it was the way of the Magians. In some narrations, there is also mention of raising a flag at the time of prayer. [ديكهيے داؤد: 498] This suggestion was also not liked. Finally, at the suggestion of Umar radi Allahu anhu, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam ordered Bilal radi Allahu anhu to announce the prayer, but this announcement was not in the form of the adhan. Rather, in the Mursal narration of Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib rahimahullah in Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd (1/246, 247), it is mentioned that this announcement was made with these words: «الصلاة جامعة .»

The third stage is narrated by Abdullah ibn Zayd ibn Abd Rabbih radi Allahu anhu. He said: When the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam ordered the making of a naqus (bell) so that it could be rung to gather people for prayer, I was asleep when a man passed by me carrying a naqus in his hand. I said: O servant of Allah, will you sell this naqus? He said: What will you do with it? I said: We will call people to prayer with it. He said: Shall I not tell you something better than this? I said: Why not. He said: Say thus:

«الله أَكْبَرُهُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ،

أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ لَا إِلَهَ الا الله،

أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ لَا إِلَهَ الا الله،

أشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ،

أشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ،

حَيَّ عَلَى الصلاة،

حي على الصلاة،

حي على الفلاح،

حي على الفلاح،

اللهُ أَكْبَرُ اللهُ أَكْبَرُ،

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الله»

Then he moved a little away from me and then said: When you establish the prayer, say thus:

«اللهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ،

أَشْهَدُ أَن لَّا إلهَ إِلَّا اللهُ،

أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ،

حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلاةِ،

حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ،

قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ،

قَدْ قامت الصلاة،

الله أكبر الله أكبر،

لا إله إلا الله»

When morning came, I went to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and told him what I had seen. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: «إِنَّهَا لَرُؤْيَا حَقُّ إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ، فَقُمْ مَعَ بِلَالٍ فَأَلْقِ عَلَيْهِ مَا رَأَيْتَ، فَلْيُؤَذ ن بِهِ، فَإِنَّهُ أَنْدَى صَوْنَا مِنْكَ .»

"Indeed, this is a true dream, insha Allah, so stand with Bilal and tell him what you have seen, and he should call the adhan with these words, for he has a more pleasant and louder voice than you."

So I stood with Bilal radi Allahu anhu and began telling him, and he started calling the adhan in this way. Umar ibn al-Khattab radi Allahu anhu heard it while he was in his house, so he came out dragging his cloak and saying: O Messenger of Allah! By the One Who sent you with the truth! I have seen the same as he has seen. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: «فَلِلَّهِ الحَمدُ» "All praise is due to Allah." [ابو دائود: 499، وقال الألباني: حسن صحيح] This hadith is authentic, but Imam Bukhari rahimahullah did not mention it because it did not meet his conditions. This hadith also proves that the decision to announce the prayer was made at the suggestion of Umar radi Allahu anhu, but the adhan itself had not yet begun, because the beginning of the adhan was after this, through the dream of Abdullah ibn Zayd radi Allahu anhu, which the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam confirmed with divine revelation, and Allah the Exalted also mentioned it in the Noble Qur'an. Umar radi Allahu anhu, after hearing the adhan from Bilal radi Allahu anhu, mentioned that he too had seen such a dream.

➋ Bilal radi Allahu anhu was chosen because of his pleasant and loud voice; both qualities are included in the meaning of «اندي». From this, it is understood that the muezzin should be pleasant-voiced and loud-voiced. When the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came to Makkah, the boys of Makkah imitated the adhan, so the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "I have heard among them a pleasant-voiced boy, call them." Then he listened to each of them call the adhan one by one, and finally taught Abu Mahdhurah radi Allahu anhu the adhan himself and appointed him as the muezzin. His adhan consisted of nineteen (19) phrases and the iqamah of seventeen (17) phrases.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
Adhan:
To inform,
To give notification.
Yatahiyyanoon:
To estimate the time.
(2)
Salat (Prayer):
(1)
According to most scholars (whether experts in Arabic language or jurists),
its meaning is supplication (du'a),
because prayer consists of supplication.
(2)
After the testimony of faith (kalimah shahadah), prayer holds the second rank in the religion,
as if it is second in order within the religion.
For this reason, it is called "salat," just as in horse racing, the horse that comes in second place is called "musalli."
(3)
It is derived from "salwayn":
These are the two bones (in the hips)
that move during bowing (ruku') and prostration (sujud).
(4)
Salat:
Its meaning is mercy,
because it is a cause for Allah's mercy,
its original meaning is "turning towards something with full attention,"
because a person's entire attention is directed towards Allah, the Exalted.
(3)
Naqus:
The Christians would announce prayer
by striking a small piece of wood on a large piece of wood.
(4)
Qarn:
A horn,
which the Jews used to blow.
Benefits and Issues:
In this hadith, only the initial form of the adhan is mentioned, that by the suggestion of Umar radi Allahu anhu, the words "al-salatu jami'ah" were used to notify for prayer. Later, Abdullah bin Zayd bin Abd Rabbih radi Allahu anhu was taught the current adhan in a dream. Umar radi Allahu anhu also saw a similar dream, and it was presented to the service of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Bilal radi Allahu anhu had a loud voice, so he was appointed as the mu'adhdhin. Some individuals, relying on weak narrations, have claimed that the words of the adhan were made to be heard to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam by taking him to the heavens, or that the adhan was revealed to him on the night of Mi'raj, and he taught the adhan to Bilal radi Allahu anhu. However, the question arises that the incident of Mi'raj had already occurred in Makkah Mukarramah. If at that time the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had taught the adhan to Bilal radi Allahu anhu, then why was there a need for mutual consultation after the migration? And why was the announcement made in the initial form by the suggestion of Umar radi Allahu anhu?

1:
This discussion took place in Madinah with the noble Companions in the first year after the Hijrah. In it, some people suggested ringing a bell for the prayer, others proposed lighting a fire on a high place, and some advised using a horn (bugle). During this, Umar's suggestion came that someone should be appointed to call for the prayer; thus, this opinion was liked by the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and he instructed Bilal to loudly proclaim ((as-salatu jami‘ah)). After this, Abdullah ibn Zayd radi Allahu anhu learned the words of the adhan in a dream from someone and went to narrate his dream. It was after this that the current adhan was established.

2:
See (Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith 604 and Sahih Muslim Hadith 837)

627. Commentary:

➊ One reason for rejecting the first two suggestions was that they involved imitation of non-Muslims, whereas imitating non-Muslims in religious matters is not permissible; rather, even in worldly matters, distinction from them is desirable.

➋ The naqus was a piece of wood which, when struck against another piece of wood, would produce a sound; later, wood was struck against iron or brass.

➌ The qarn is an instrument shaped like a horn, which, when blown into from one end, produces a sound from the other. The modern siren also produces a sound similar to the qarn, and likewise, the current form of the naqus is the bell. Therefore, Muslims should avoid using bells or sirens on the occasion of their acts of worship.

➍ The instruction to Bilal radi Allahu anhu to make the announcement pertains to the period before the legislation of the adhan. He would call out in the streets «الصلاةُ جامِعةٌ» “The prayer is ready.” Later, Abdullah bin Zayd and some other Companions were shown the adhan in a dream, after which Bilal radi Allahu anhu was appointed to call the adhan. This was a later development. If this announcement is taken to mean the adhan, then this narration would be considered abridged, with a significant portion omitted prior to this, but this is a far-fetched interpretation; the first explanation is correct.

➎ In some narrations, the suggestion of fire is also mentioned, but this too was rejected because it is a religious symbol of the Magians (Zoroastrians). Moreover, fire is not always visible, nor is it possible to light it during rain and the like.

➏ Important matters should be decided through mutual consultation. There are countless benefits to this, and it is necessary for the one giving counsel to do so sincerely and correctly.

➐ It is legislated to give the adhan while standing.