❖ The Origin of Adhan in Madinah
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Madinah, a pressing question arose:
How should people be informed of the time for prayer?
Some Companions suggested lighting a fire on a high place or ringing a bell—as practiced by Jews and Christians.
But these methods were rejected due to imitation of non-Muslim religious practices.
The Prophet ﷺ then instructed Bilal رضي الله عنه to:
➤ Say each phrase of the Adhan twice, and
➤ Say each phrase of the Iqamah once, except “قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ“, which should be said twice.
(Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Adhan, Chapter: The Beginning of the Adhan, Hadith 606)
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Salah, Chapter: Command to Double the Adhan and Make the Iqamah Odd, Hadith 873)
❖ Even-Phrased Adhan and Odd-Phrased Iqamah
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Zayd رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet ﷺ initially considered using a bell (naqus) to gather people for prayer. But then he saw a dream in which an angel taught him the words of the Adhan.
Words of Adhan (as taught in the dream):
اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ (×4)
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ (×2)
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللّٰه (×2)
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ (×2)
حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ (×2)
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ (×2)
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ (×1)
Meaning:
Allah is the Greatest… I bear witness there is no deity but Allah… Muhammad is His Messenger… Come to prayer… Come to success… Allah is the Greatest… There is no god but Allah.
❖ Words of Iqamah:
اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ (×2)
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ (×1)
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللّٰه (×1)
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ (×1)
حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ (×1)
قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ (×2)
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ (×2)
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ (×1)
❖ The Confirmation by Sayyiduna ‘Umar رضي الله عنه
After Bilal رضي الله عنه gave the Adhan with these words, Sayyiduna ‘Umar رضي الله عنه came to the Prophet ﷺ and said:
“By the One who sent you with truth, I saw the same dream!”
Upon hearing this, the Prophet ﷺ praised Allah.
(Abu Dawud, Kitab al-Salah, Hadith 499; Ibn Majah, Hadith 707; Ibn Hibban, Hadith 782; authenticated by Tirmidhi and Nawawi)
❖ Word Count in Adhan and Iqamah
Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما said:
“In the time of the Prophet ﷺ, the words of the Adhan were said twice, and the words of the Iqamah once, except for ‘قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ‘ which was repeated twice.”
(Abu Dawud, Kitab al-Salah, Hadith 510; Al-Nasa’i, Hadith 966; Al-Darimi 1/172; Al-Hakim 1/291–292 – authenticated by Al-Dhahabi and Nawawi)
❖ The Practice of Tarji‘ (Repeating the Shahadah Softly and Loudly)
In Adhan, when the phrases:
➤ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ and
➤ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللّٰه
are first recited in a low voice and then repeated aloud, this practice is called “Tarji‘”.
❖ Full Adhan and Iqamah As Taught by the Prophet ﷺ to Abu Mahdhurah رضي الله عنه
Sayyiduna Abu Mahdhurah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ taught him an Adhan consisting of 19 words and an Iqamah of 17 words:
Adhan (19 Words):
اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ (×4)
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ (×2, low voice)
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللّٰه (×2, low voice)
[Then again, repeat both phrases loudly]
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ (×2, loud)
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللّٰه (×2, loud)
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ (×2)
حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ (×2)
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ (×2)
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ (×1)
Iqamah (17 Words):
اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ (×2)
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ (×2)
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللّٰه (×2)
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ (×2)
حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ (×2)
قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ (×2)
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ (×2)
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ (×1)
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Salah, Hadith 873; Abu Dawud, Kitab al-Salah, Hadith 502)
✔ Both forms—Adhan with and without Tarji‘—are established from the Sunnah.
✔ Accepting all authentic modes is a sign of complete submission to the Sunnah.
