Authored by: Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amaanpuri (حفظه الله)
Neither in the lives of the Companions, the Followers (Tabi'un), the Followers of the Followers (Taba' Tabi'un), nor among the leading scholars of Islam is there any mention of such a practice. Therefore, it is classified as an innovation (Bid'ah).
"Whenever Adhan is pronounced in a village, Allah protects its inhabitants from His punishment for that day."
(Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani, 1/257)
The chain is severely weak:
➊ Abdur Rahman bin Sa'd bin Ammar is weak.
➋ Bakkar bin Muhammad Al-Qurashi: No biographical details found.
➌ Salih bin Shu'ayb: Reliable authentication is not available.
Note:
This narration refers to the Adhan for obligatory prayers, not an untimed Adhan due to calamities.
"Whenever a people are called to prayer in the morning, they remain in Allah's protection until evening, and if called in the evening, they remain protected until morning."
(Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani, 20/215)
The chain is severely weak:
➊ Aghlab bin Tamim Al-Basri is Munkar al-Hadith and weak.
➌ Hibban bin Aghlab: Imam Abu Hatim (رحمه الله) labeled him "Weak in Hadith."
"When Adam (عليه السلام) descended to India, he felt lonely. Jibreel (عليه السلام) descended and called the Adhan..."
(Hilyat al-Awliya by Abu Nu'aym, 5/107; Tarikh Dimashq by Ibn Asakir, 7/437)
The narration is weak:
➊ Hafiz Ibn Hajar (رحمه الله) said:
"There are several unknown narrators in it."
(Fath al-Bari, 2/79)
➋ Ali bin Bahran bin Yazid Al-Kufi: No authentication found.
This narration does not mention Adhan during an epidemic.
"O son of Abu Talib! I see you sad. Command one of your family to call Adhan in your ear, for it is a remedy for grief."
(Al-Ghara'ib Al-Multaqatah by Ibn Hajar, 8/119; Manaqib Ali by Ibn Al-Jazari, p. 36)
The narration is fabricated:
➊ Abu Abdur Rahman Muhammad bin Husayn Al-Sulami is accused of lying.
➋ Abdullah bin Musa bin Hasan Al-Salami: His narrations are filled with oddities and contradictions.
➍ Hafs bin Ghiyath: A known Mudallis.
Note:
There is no reference to Adhan during an epidemic.
"No people call the Adhan for Fajr except that they are safe from punishment until night, and if they call the Adhan for Maghrib, they are safe until morning."
(Amali Ibn Bishran, No. 408)
The narration is invalid:
➊ If Sulaiman bin Amr refers to Abu Dawud Al-Nakhai, he is unanimously considered a liar.
➋ Abu Sahl: Identity and authentication unknown.
➌ Nasr bin Harith Al-Samit: Weak.
➍ Muhammad bin Hammad bin Ma'ban: Not strong.
Note:
There is no mention of an untimed Adhan.
"No people call Adhan at night except they are protected from punishment until morning, and no people call Adhan during the day except they are protected until evening."
(Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq, No. 1873)
The chain is severely weak:
➊ Muhammad bin Yusuf bin Abdullah bin Salam: Status unknown.
➋ No confirmed hearing between Muhammad bin Yusuf and Abdullah bin Salam (رضي الله عنه).
➌ Abd al-Razzaq bin Hammam: A Mudallis narrating via "an."
"When you see a fire, say Takbir, for Takbir extinguishes it."
(Amal Al-Yawm wal-Laylah by Ibn Al-Sunni, p. 295-298; Al-Du'a by Al-Tabarani, No. 1266)
Fabricated narration:
➊ Qasim bin Abdullah bin Umar: Abandoned.
Note:
The basis for the narration is tied to a liar's narration.
All referenced narrations either concern the regular Adhan for obligatory prayers or are weak, fabricated, or invalid in relation to calling an untimed Adhan due to a calamity.
➤ وما علينا إلا البلاغ
Adhan During Epidemics
There is no evidence of collective Adhan during an epidemic.Neither in the lives of the Companions, the Followers (Tabi'un), the Followers of the Followers (Taba' Tabi'un), nor among the leading scholars of Islam is there any mention of such a practice. Therefore, it is classified as an innovation (Bid'ah).
Analysis of Related Narrations
❀ Narration Attributed to Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (رضي الله عنه)
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) reportedly said:"Whenever Adhan is pronounced in a village, Allah protects its inhabitants from His punishment for that day."
(Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani, 1/257)
The chain is severely weak:
➊ Abdur Rahman bin Sa'd bin Ammar is weak.
- ◈ Imam Al-Bukhari (رحمه الله) stated:
"His Hadith is not authentic."
(Al-Tarikh Al-Kabir, 6/504)
- ◈ Imam Yahya bin Ma'in (رحمه الله) also declared him weak.(Al-Jarh wal-Ta'dil by Ibn Abi Hatim, 5/238, with authentic chain)
- ◈ Hafiz Al-Dhahabi (رحمه الله) listed him as "Munkar al-Hadith" and Hafiz Ibn Hajar (رحمه الله) as "Weak".(Al-Diwan of Weak Narrators, No. 2447; Taqrib al-Tahdhib, No. 3873)
➋ Bakkar bin Muhammad Al-Qurashi: No biographical details found.
➌ Salih bin Shu'ayb: Reliable authentication is not available.
Note:
This narration refers to the Adhan for obligatory prayers, not an untimed Adhan due to calamities.
❀ Narration Attributed to Sayyiduna Miqil bin Yasar (رضي الله عنه)
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) reportedly said:"Whenever a people are called to prayer in the morning, they remain in Allah's protection until evening, and if called in the evening, they remain protected until morning."
(Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani, 20/215)
The chain is severely weak:
➊ Aghlab bin Tamim Al-Basri is Munkar al-Hadith and weak.
- ◈ Imam Al-Bukhari (رحمه الله) said:
"Munkar al-Hadith."
(Al-Tarikh Al-Kabir, 2/70)
- ◈ Imam Yahya bin Ma'in (رحمه الله) said:
"He is nothing."
(Tareekh Ibn Ma'in by Al-Duri, Nos. 4571, 3513)
- ◈ Imam Ibn Hibban (رحمه الله) declared him Munkar al-Hadith.
➌ Hibban bin Aghlab: Imam Abu Hatim (رحمه الله) labeled him "Weak in Hadith."
❀ Narration Attributed to Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه)
It is claimed that:"When Adam (عليه السلام) descended to India, he felt lonely. Jibreel (عليه السلام) descended and called the Adhan..."
(Hilyat al-Awliya by Abu Nu'aym, 5/107; Tarikh Dimashq by Ibn Asakir, 7/437)
The narration is weak:
➊ Hafiz Ibn Hajar (رحمه الله) said:
"There are several unknown narrators in it."
(Fath al-Bari, 2/79)
➋ Ali bin Bahran bin Yazid Al-Kufi: No authentication found.
- ◈ Hafiz Al-Haythami (رحمه الله) said:
"I do not know him."
(Majma' al-Zawa'id, 8/87)
This narration does not mention Adhan during an epidemic.
❀ Narration Attributed to Sayyiduna Ali (رضي الله عنه)
The Prophet (ﷺ) reportedly said:"O son of Abu Talib! I see you sad. Command one of your family to call Adhan in your ear, for it is a remedy for grief."
(Al-Ghara'ib Al-Multaqatah by Ibn Hajar, 8/119; Manaqib Ali by Ibn Al-Jazari, p. 36)
The narration is fabricated:
➊ Abu Abdur Rahman Muhammad bin Husayn Al-Sulami is accused of lying.
➋ Abdullah bin Musa bin Hasan Al-Salami: His narrations are filled with oddities and contradictions.
- ◈ Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi stated:
"His narrations contain strangeness, fabrications, and contradictions."
(Tarikh Baghdad, 11/383)
➍ Hafs bin Ghiyath: A known Mudallis.
Note:
There is no reference to Adhan during an epidemic.
❀ Narration Attributed to Sayyiduna Abu Umamah Al-Bahili (رضي الله عنه)
Reportedly:"No people call the Adhan for Fajr except that they are safe from punishment until night, and if they call the Adhan for Maghrib, they are safe until morning."
(Amali Ibn Bishran, No. 408)
The narration is invalid:
➊ If Sulaiman bin Amr refers to Abu Dawud Al-Nakhai, he is unanimously considered a liar.
➋ Abu Sahl: Identity and authentication unknown.
➌ Nasr bin Harith Al-Samit: Weak.
➍ Muhammad bin Hammad bin Ma'ban: Not strong.
Note:
There is no mention of an untimed Adhan.
❀ Narration Attributed to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam (رضي الله عنه)
Reportedly:"No people call Adhan at night except they are protected from punishment until morning, and no people call Adhan during the day except they are protected until evening."
(Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq, No. 1873)
The chain is severely weak:
➊ Muhammad bin Yusuf bin Abdullah bin Salam: Status unknown.
➋ No confirmed hearing between Muhammad bin Yusuf and Abdullah bin Salam (رضي الله عنه).
➌ Abd al-Razzaq bin Hammam: A Mudallis narrating via "an."
❀ Narration Attributed to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (رضي الله عنه)
The Prophet (ﷺ) reportedly said:"When you see a fire, say Takbir, for Takbir extinguishes it."
(Amal Al-Yawm wal-Laylah by Ibn Al-Sunni, p. 295-298; Al-Du'a by Al-Tabarani, No. 1266)
Fabricated narration:
➊ Qasim bin Abdullah bin Umar: Abandoned.
- ◈ Imam Ahmad (رحمه الله) declared him a liar.
- ◈ Hafiz Ibn Hajar labeled him "abandoned."
Note:
The basis for the narration is tied to a liar's narration.
Conclusion
There is no authentic evidence for giving a collective Adhan during times of epidemics.All referenced narrations either concern the regular Adhan for obligatory prayers or are weak, fabricated, or invalid in relation to calling an untimed Adhan due to a calamity.
➤ وما علينا إلا البلاغ
