The Sunnah Method of Adhan and Iqamah
① The command to say the words of Adhan twice was given by the Prophet ﷺ to Bilal رضي الله عنه
Evidence
عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ: «أُمِرَ بِلاَلٌ أَنْ يَشْفَعَ الأَذَانَ، وَأَنْ يُوتِرَ الإِقَامَةَ، إِلَّا الإِقَامَةَ»
Translation
Anas رضي الله عنه said that Bilal رضي الله عنه was commanded to say the words of Adhan twice.
For example
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 the Fajr Adhan, after حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ, الصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنْ النَّوْمِ is said twice.
Note
Those who hear the Adhan should respond with the same words that the Mu’adhdhin is saying,
but when the Mu’adhdhin says حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ and حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ, the listener should say لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ.
Sunnah Supplications After Adhan
① Reciting Durood Sharif is Sunnah
Evidence
عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ الْمُؤَذِّنَ فَقُولُوا مِثْلَ مَا يَقُولُ وَصَلُّوا عَلَيَّ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَيَّ صَلَاةً صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ عَشْرًا
Translation
Narrated by Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr رضي الله عنهما, he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم say: “When you hear the Mu’adhin’s call, say exactly as he says, then send blessings upon me. Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allah will send mercy upon him ten times.”
② Reciting this supplication is also Sunnah
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولًا وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا
Whoever recites this supplication after the Adhan, Allah will forgive all his minor sins.
Evidence
سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ مَنْ قَالَ حِينَ يَسْمَعُ الْمُؤَذِّنَ وَأَنَا أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولًا وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا غُفِرَ لَهُ ذَنْبُهُ
Translation
It is narrated from Hazrat Saad bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever hears the Mu’adhin’s call to prayer and says: [أشھد ان لا الہ الا اللہ…… وبمحمد رسولا] ‘I also testify that there is no deity except Allah, He is alone, He has no partner, and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His servant and Messenger. I like Allah as my Lord, Islam as my religion, and Muhammad (peace be upon him) as my Messenger.’ Then his sins will be forgiven.
③ It is also Sunnah to recite this supplication
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ وَابْعَثْهُ الْمَقَامَ الْمَحْمُودَ الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ
Whoever recites this supplication after the call to prayer, the intercession of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) will become obligatory for him.
Evidence
Narrated from Hazrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever, after hearing the Adhan, says: [اللھم! رب ھذہ الدعوۃ……… وابعثہ مقاما محمودا الذی وعدتہ] ‘O Allah! Lord of this perfect call and established prayer! Grant Muhammad (peace be upon him) the position of intercession and excellence, and raise him to the praised station which You have promised him.’ My intercession will be guaranteed for him on the Day of Resurrection.”
Iqamah
The Sunnah way of saying the Iqamah is that the words which are repeated twice in the Adhan should be said once each.
For example
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
اللهُ أَكْبَرُ اللهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ» once
Evidence
عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ: «أُمِرَ بِلاَلٌ أَنْ يَشْفَعَ الأَذَانَ، وَأَنْ يُوتِرَ الإِقَامَةَ»
Translation
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) was instructed to say the words of the Adhan twice, and in the Takbir these words once.
عَنْ أَبِي الْمُثَنَّى مُؤَذِّنِ مَسْجِدِ الْجَامِعِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ عَنْ الْأَذَانِ فَقَالَ كَانَ الْأَذَانُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى وَالْإِقَامَةُ مَرَّةً مَرَّةً
Translation
The muezzin of the Grand Mosque, Abu Mas’ni, said: I asked Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) about the Adhan, and he said: During the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the Adhan consisted of two phrases, and the Iqamah was one phrase.
