❀ Sunnah Method of Adhān and Iqāmah in the Light of Authentic Aḥādīth ❀
Compiled by: Muḥammad Nadīm Ẓahīr
✿ Sunnah Method of Adhān
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded Bilāl (رضي الله عنه) to call the adhān with words repeated twice each, except in the iqāmah.
Evidence:
عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: أُمِرَ بِلاَلٌ أَنْ يَشْفَعَ الأَذَانَ، وَأَنْ يُوتِرَ الإِقَامَةَ، إِلَّا الإِقَامَةَ
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 605)
Practical Format of Adhān:
- اللهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ → twice
- أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ → twice
- أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ → twice
- حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ → twice
- حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ → twice
- اللهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ
- لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ
In Fajr adhān, after حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ, the mu’adhdhin adds:
الصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنْ النَّوْمِ (twice).
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
✿ Sunnah Response to Adhān
- Listeners repeat the same words as the mu’adhdhin.
- Except when he says حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ or حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ, then one should reply:
لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
✿ Sunnah Supplications After Adhān
① Sending ṣalāt upon the Prophet ﷺ
Evidence:
(Sunan al-Nasāʾī, 679 – ḥadīth ṣaḥīḥ)
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“When you hear the mu’adhdhin, repeat what he says, then send ṣalāt upon me. Whoever sends one ṣalāt upon me, Allah sends ten mercies upon him.”
② The Shahādah Duʿā:
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولًا، وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا
Whoever says this after hearing the adhān, his sins are forgiven.
(Sunan al-Nasāʾī, 680 – ḥadīth ṣaḥīḥ)
③ The Duʿā of Wasīlah:
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ، آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ، وَابْعَثْهُ الْمَقَامَ الْمَحْمُودَ الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever says this, my intercession will become binding for him on the Day of Judgment.”
(Sunan al-Nasāʾī, 681 – ḥadīth ṣaḥīḥ)
✿ Sunnah Method of Iqāmah
Iqāmah is similar to adhān, but its words are said once each (singular), except “Qad qāmatiṣ-ṣalāh” which is repeated.
Format of Iqāmah:
- اللهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ → once
- أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ → once
- أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ → once
- حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ → once
- حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ → once
- قَدْ قَامَتْ الصَّلَاةُ → twice
- اللهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ
- لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ
Evidence:
عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ: أُمِرَ بِلاَلٌ أَنْ يَشْفَعَ الأَذَانَ وَأَنْ يُوتِرَ الإِقَامَةَ
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 607)
Also:
كَانَ الْأَذَانُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى وَالْإِقَامَةُ مَرَّةً مَرَّةً
(Sunan al-Nasāʾī, 669 – ḥadīth ṣaḥīḥ)
✅ Conclusion
◈ The Sunnah adhān is with double phrases, while iqāmah is with single phrases.
◈ Respond to the adhān with the same words, except ḥayʿala phrases, where لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ is recited.
◈ After adhān, recite ṣalāt on the Prophet ﷺ, the shahādah duʿā, and the duʿā of wasīlah.
◈ This ensures practicing the complete Sunnah of adhān and iqāmah.
