The Prophet’s teaching that “Whoever calls the adhan (call to prayer) for seven years, desiring only reward from Allah, will be granted deliverance from Hell” proclaims the greatness of the adhan.
Along with announcing the time for prayer, the adhan also symbolizes the spirit of Islam.
For the five daily prayers, it is a sunnah (recommended practice) for men to call the adhan and the iqamah (the immediate call to establish prayer).
Since it is prohibited for women to raise their voice in a manner audible to outsiders, it is not sunnah for women to call the adhan. For them, only the iqamah is sunnah.
The adhan and iqamah are distinct features of the community of Muhammad ﷺ. Although previous communities also had acts of worship and means of announcing them, those were of different forms.
Even for an individual man praying alone, it is sunnah to call both the adhan and the iqamah for obligatory prayers.
When praying in congregation, it is sufficient if one person gives the adhan and iqamah on behalf of the group.
For the congregational Friday prayer, it is sunnah to give two adhans.
The person calling the adhan must be a Muslim, sane, and discerning. It is sunnah for the mu’adhdhin (the one who calls the adhan) to be in a state of purity, to stand while calling, and to face the Qiblah.
It is obligatory to pronounce the words of the adhan in the correct order and to recite them without unnecessary interruptions.
Those who hear the adhan should repeat its words after the caller, and upon hearing the phrases “Hayya ’ala-s-salah” and “Hayya ’ala-l-falah,” they should respond with “La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah” (“There is no might nor power except with Allah”).
It is sunnah to send blessings (salawat) upon the Prophet ﷺ before and after responding to the adhan.
The adhan is also a remedy against many forms of satanic disturbances.
Immediately after birth, the adhan should be called into the newborn’s right ear and the iqamah into the left ear, so that the first sound the child hears upon entering the world is the name of Allah.
It is not necessary that a man calls this adhan; a woman may do so as well.
The Words of the Adhan
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ، أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ، حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ
(While saying this, the face should be turned to the right side.)
حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ، حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ
(While saying this, the face should be turned to the left side.)
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ
The Words of the Iqamah
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ
حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ
قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ، قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ
During the adhan for the Fajr (dawn) prayer, after the call “Hayya ’ala-l-falah,” one should additionally say:
“As-salatu khayrun min an-nawm” (“Prayer is better than sleep”).
The listener should respond by saying: “Sadaqta wa barirta” (“You have spoken the truth and fulfilled the trust”).
When hearing the adhan, one must cease all other conversations and actions — even recitation of the Qur’an or remembrance (dhikr) must be paused.
If multiple adhans are heard, one must respond to all of them.
After hearing the adhan, one should recite the following supplication:
اللّهُمَّ رَبَّ هٰذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ، آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ، وَارْزُقْنَا شَفَاعَتَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، إِنَّكَ لَا تُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ.
Translation of the Supplication:
“O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and of the prayer to be established, grant Muhammad the intercession (al-Wasilah) and superiority (al-Fadilah) and raise him to the praised station (al-Maqam al-Mahmud) which You have promised him. And grant us his intercession on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, You do not break Your promise.”
