● Adhan and Iqamah
◈ Virtue of Adhan:
❀ Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَ مَنْ اَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِّمَّنْ دَعَاۤ اِلَى اللّٰهِ وَ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَّ قَالَ اِنَّنِیْ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِیْنَ﴾
“Who can be better in speech than the one who calls people to Allah.”
“The commentators say that the primary reference of this verse is the Prophets, then the scholars, then the Mujahideen (those who strive in the cause of Allah), then the ones who give the Adhan, and then those who sincerely call to the Quran and Sunnah.”
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
﴿المؤذنون أطول أعناقا يوم القيامة .﴾
“On the Day of Resurrection, the necks of those who give the Adhan will be elongated (meaning they will be the highest in rank because they exalt the name of Allah).”
❀ And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“The one who gives the Adhan loudly is forgiven, and whatever moist or dry thing hears his voice will testify for him (on the Day of Judgment), and he will receive the reward equal to those people who come to prayer after hearing his Adhan.”
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“The Imam is responsible and accountable, and the Mu’adhdhin is trustworthy and reliable. O Allah! Guide the Imams and forgive the Mu’adhdhins.”
Allama Albani (RA) declared it “Sahih.”
Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir (RA) narrates that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say:
Your Lord is pleased with the shepherd of the goats who calls the Adhan on the mountaintop and prays. So Allah Almighty says:
“Look at this servant of mine, he is calling the Adhan out of fear of Me and praying. I have forgiven him and admitted him into Paradise.”
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (RA) that he said, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“If people knew the goodness and blessings in the Adhan and the first row, then they would not get the Adhan and the first row except by drawing lots. And if they knew the goodness and blessings in performing the Isha and Fajr prayers in congregation, they would attend both prayers even if they had to crawl.”
◈ Words of the Adhan, Background, and Method:
Abdullah bin Zaid (RA) narrated that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to make a bell so that it could be rung to gather people for prayer, I saw in a dream that a man was passing by me carrying a bell. I said to him:
O servant of Allah! Do you want to sell the bell? He asked:
What will you do with it? I said:
We will call people to prayer with it. He said:
Shall I not teach you a method that is better than this? I said:
Why not! So he said, say:
اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ .
اللهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ .
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الله ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إلهَ إِلَّا الله .
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللَّهِ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللهِ .
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَوةِ ، حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَوةِ .
حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ ، حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ .
اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ .
لا إلهَ إِلَّا الله .
Allama Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) graded it as “Hasan Sahih”.
“Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad (ﷺ) is the true Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad (ﷺ) is the true Messenger of Allah. Come to prayer, come to prayer. Come to success, come to success. Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.”
Then he stepped back a little from me and said that when you say the Iqamah for prayer, say it like this:
﴿الله أكبر الله أكبر ، أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله ، أشهد أن محمدا رسول الله، حي على الصلاة، حي على الفلاح ، قد قامت الصلاة ، قد قامت الصلاة ، الله أكبر الله أكبر ، لا إله إلا الله .﴾
When morning came, I presented myself before the noble presence of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and narrated to him what I had seen. He ﷺ said:
“Undoubtedly ان شاء اللہ this is a true dream. Stand with Bilal and keep telling him what you saw so that he may call the Adhan with the same words because his voice is louder than yours.”
So I stood with Bilal and kept telling him, and he would call the Adhan. Abdullah bin Zaid (RA) says that Umar bin Khattab (RA) heard this call in his house, so he also came dragging his cloak and said:
O Messenger of Allah! By the One Who sent you with the truth, I have seen exactly what they saw. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
﴿فَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ .﴾
◈ The Legitimacy of Saying “As-Salatu Khayrun Min An-Nawm” in the Fajr Adhan:
In the Fajr Adhan, after ﴿حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاح﴾, say these words twice:
﴿الصَّلوةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ ، الصَّلوةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ .﴾
“Prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep.”
Syed Naans bin Malik رضي الله عنه says that the Sunnah is that in the Fajr Adhan, after the mu’adhdhin says ﴿حی عَلَى الْفَلاح﴾, he should say ﴿الصَّلوةُ خَيْرٌ مِّنَ النَّوْمِ﴾.
Ibn Khuzaymah has declared it “Sahih” (authentic).
Na’im bin Khumrah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet ﷺ’s mu’adhdhin, while giving the Fajr Adhan, said:
﴿الصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِّنَ النَّوْمِ﴾
In the hadith of Abu Mahdhurah رضي الله عنه it is mentioned: So if it is the Fajr Adhan, then say:
﴿الصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ﴾
Muhaddith Al-Albani has declared it “Sahih”.
Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنه says that in the first Fajr Adhan, after ﴿حَيَّ عَلَی الْفَلاح﴾, ﴿الصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ﴾ was said twice.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar has graded its chain as “Hasan” (good).
↰ Benefits:
➊ In this hadith, the first Adhan refers to the Fajr Adhan and it is called “al-awwal” (the first) in contrast to the Iqamah, because the Iqamah is also called Adhan.
➋ It is a great mistake to say that ﴿الصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ﴾ words were invented by Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab (RA).
◈ The words of Iqamah:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ.
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الله .
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللَّهِ .
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَوةِ .
حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ .
قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلوةُ ، قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلوة .
اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ.
لا إله إلا الله .
Allama Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) graded it as “Hasan Sahih”.
↰ Note:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (RA) that he said:
During the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the words of Adhan were said twice each, and the words of Takbeer were said once each, except that the one who said the Iqamah would say ﴿قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلوةُ﴾ twice.
Dhahabi and Allama Albani graded it as “Sahih”.
◈ Double Adhan:
In the double “Tarjee’ah” Adhan, the words containing the Shahadatain are first said in a low voice and then repeated aloud, meaning the Mu’adhdhin first says softly:
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الله (twice)
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ (twice)
and then the second time says loudly:
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الله (twice)
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا ر سُولُ اللَّهِ (twice)
The remaining words are the same as in the regular Adhan.
◈ Double Iqamah:
The following words are in the double Iqamah:
اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الله ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إلهَ إِلَّا الله
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللَّهِ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَوةِ ، حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَوةِ
حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ ، حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ
قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلوةَ ، قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلوةَ
اللهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
لا إلهَ إِلَّا الله
Sayyiduna Abu Mahdhurah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught him nineteen words of Adhan and seventeen words of Iqamah.
◈ Responding to the Adhan:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
When the Mu’adhdhin says:
اللهُ أَكْبَرُ اللهُ أَكْبَرُ .
Then you also say:
الله اكبر ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ .
Then when the Mu’adhdhin says:
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَّا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الله .
You also say:
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إلهَ إِلَّا الله .
Then when the Mu’adhdhin says:
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ.
You also say:
أشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ.
Then when the Mu’adhdhin says:
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَوةِ.
You say:
لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله.
Allama Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) declared it “Sahih” (authentic).
Then when the Mu’adhdhin says:
حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ .
You say:
لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله
Then when the Mu’adhdhin says:
الله اكبر الله أكبر.
You say:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ.
Then when the Mu’adhdhin says:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ .
You say:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الله .
“The person who sincerely responds to the words of the Mu’adhin will enter Paradise.”
Sayyiduna Saad bin Abi Waqqas (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
Whoever recites this supplication after the Mu’adhin pronounces the Shahadah, all his sins will be forgiven:
﴿وأنا أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له ، وأن محمدا عبده ورسوله ، رضيت بالله ربا و بمحمد رسولا وبالإسلام دينا .﴾
Ibn Khuzaymah has declared it “Sahih.”
And I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, He is Alone, He has no partner, and indeed Muhammad (ﷺ) is His servant and Messenger. I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, Muhammad (ﷺ) as His Messenger, and Islam as my religion.
◈ Supplications after the Adhan:
❀ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“When you hear the Mu’adhin’s call to prayer, say what he says, then send blessings upon me. Whoever sends blessings upon me, Allah will send ten mercies upon him. Then ask Allah for a position of intercession for me, for whoever asks for my intercession, my intercession becomes permissible for him.”
◈ Words of the Sunnah Durood Shareef:
اللهم صل على محمد و على آل محمد كما صليت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم إنك حميد مجيد.
اللهم بارك على محمد و على آل محمد كما باركت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم إنك حميد مجيد .
“O Allah! Send mercy upon Muhammad (ﷺ) and the family of Muhammad (ﷺ) as You sent mercy upon Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and the family of Ibrahim (peace be upon him). Indeed, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah! Send blessings upon Muhammad (ﷺ) and the family of Muhammad (ﷺ) as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and the family of Ibrahim (peace be upon him). Indeed, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.”
Then recite this Du’a of Wasilah:
﴿اللهم رب هذه الدعوة التامة والصلاة القائمة آت محمدا ن الوسيلة والفضيلة وابعثه مقاما محمودان الذى وعدته .﴾
O Allah! The Lord of this perfect invitation and the prayer that will remain established until the Day of Judgment! Grant Muhammad a position of intercession and honor, and raise him to the praised station which You have promised him.
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Whoever hears the Mu’adhdhin’s call to prayer and recites this supplication:
أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له ، وأن محمدا عبده ورسوله ، رضيت بالله ربا وبمحمد رسولا و بالإسلام دينا .
then his sins will be forgiven.
“I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, He has no partner, and indeed Muhammad (ﷺ) is His servant and Messenger. I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, Muhammad ﷺ as His Messenger, and Islam as my religion.”
◈ Important Issues and Etiquettes of Adhan and Iqamah:
➊ It is disliked for the Mu’adhdhin to turn his neck from side to side while saying حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلاةِ and حَيَّ عَلَى الفلاح.
➋ It is recommended to place fingers in the ears while giving the Adhan.
Ibn Khuzaymah and Allama Albani have declared it “Sahih” (authentic).
➌ Giving the Adhan while standing is Sunnah. There is also consensus among scholars on this.
➍ It is recommended to face the Qiblah while giving the Adhan. Imam Ibn al-Mundhir states:
“There is consensus among scholars that giving the Adhan while facing the Qiblah is Sunnah.”
➎ Make as many supplications as possible between the Adhan and Iqamah, because the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“The supplication made between the Adhan and Iqamah will not be rejected.”
Ibn Khuzaymah and Allama Albani have declared it “Sahih” (authentic).
➏ After the call to prayer (Adhan) has been made, it is not permissible to leave the mosque without a valid Shariah excuse.
➐ If there is a valid Shariah excuse, then one can leave the mosque even after the Adhan and Iqamah.
➑ In response to the Adhan, the same words that the Mu’adhdhin (caller) is saying should be repeated, except for حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ and حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلاح. When the Mu’adhdhin says these words, the listener should say لا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللهِ.
➒ In response to أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ, the same words should be repeated. It is an innovation (Bid’ah) for those hearing these words of the Adhan to kiss their thumbs.
➓ In response to الصَّلوةُ خَيْرٌ مِّنَ النَّوْمِ, the same words should be said.
❀ Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
Saying صَدَقْتَ وَبَرَرْتَ is not established, so these words have no origin.
⓫ In the Iqamah, in response to قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلوٰةُ
