The Book of the Adhan (The Call to Prayer)

Nafi' narrated that 'Abdullah bin 'Umar used to say: "When the Muslims arrived in Al-Madinah they used to gather and try to figure out the time for prayer, and no one gave the call to prayer. One day they spoke about that; some of them said: 'Let us use a bell like the Christians do;' others said, 'No, a horn like the Jews have.' 'Umar, may ,Allah be pleased with him, said: 'Why don't you send a man to announce the time of prayer?' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'O Bilal, get up and give the call to prayer.'"

It was narrated that Anas said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded Bilal to say the phrases of the Adhan twice and the phrases of the Iqamah once."

It was narrated that Ibn 'Umar said: "At the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) the phrases of the Adhan were said twice and the phrases of the Iqamah were said once, except that you should I say: 'Qad Qamatis-Salah, Qad Qamatis-Salah (prayer is about to begin, prayer is about to begin).'"

It was narrated from Abu Mahdhurah that the Prophet (ﷺ) sat him down and taught him the Adhan letter by letter. (One of the narrators) Ibrahim said, "It is like this Adhan of ours". I said[1]: "Recite it to me." He said, "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest), Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah (I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah) - twice. Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah (I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah) - twice. Then he said in a lower voice which those around him could here: Ashhadu an la ilaha ill-Allah (I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah) - twice. Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah (I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah) - twice, Hayya'ala as-salah (come to prayer) - twice, Hayya alal-falah (come to prosperity) - twice, Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar la ilaha illallah (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, there is none worthy of worship except Allah).[1] Bishir bin Mu'adh who heard it from Ibrahim, and from whom An-Nasa'i is reporting it, is the one who is asking for the Adhan to be recited to him.

It was narrated from Abu Mahdhurah that the Messenger of Allah taught him the Adhan with nineteen phrases and the Iqiimah with seventeen phrases, then Abu Mahdhurah counted them as nineteen and seventeen.

It was narrated that Abu Mahdhura said: "The Messenger of Allah taught me the Adhan and said: 'Allahu Akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar; Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah, Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah; Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah, Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah (Allah is the Greatest,Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest; I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger Allah,I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger Allah)'. Then he repeated it and said: 'Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah, Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah; Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah, Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah; Hayya 'alas-salah, Hayya 'ala-salah; Hayya 'alal-falah Hayya 'alal-falah; Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar; La ilaha ill-Allah (I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; Come to prayer, come to prayer; come to prosperity, come to prosperity; Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest; there is none worthy of worship except Allah).'"

'Abdul-'Aziz bin 'Abdul-Malik bin Abu Mahdhurah narrated that 'Abdullah bin Muhairiz - who was an orphan under the care of Abu Mahdhurah until he prepared him to go to Ash-Sham - informed him: he said: "I said to Abu Mahdhurah: 'I am going to Ash-Sham and I am afraid that I will be asked about how you say the Adhan."'He told me that Abu Mahdhurah said to him, I went out with a group of people and we were somewhere on the road to Hunain when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was coming back from Hunain. The Messenger of Allah met us somewhere on the road and the Muadhdhin of the Messenger of Allah called the Adhan for prayer in the presence of the Messenger of Allah. We heard the voice of the Muadh'dhin and we were careless about it (the Adhan), so we started yelling, immitating and mocking it. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard us, so he sent some people who brought us to stand infront of him. He said, 'Who is the one whose voice I heard so loud?' The people all pointed to me, and they were telling the truth. He sent them all away, but kept me there and said to me: 'Stand up and call the Adhan for the Prayer.' I stood up and the Messenger of Allah taught me the Adhan himself. He Said, 'Say: 'Allahu Akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar; Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah, Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah; Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah, Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah (Allah is the Greatest,Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest; I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger Allah,I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger Allah).' Then he said: 'Then repeat and say in a loud voice:Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah, Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah; Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah, Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah; Hayya 'alas-salah, Hayya 'ala-salah; Hayya 'alal-falah Hayya 'alal-falah; Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar; La ilaha ill-Allah (I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; Come to prayer, come to prayer; come to prosperity, come to prosperity; Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest; there is none worthy of worship except Allah).' Then he called me when I had finished saying the Adhan, and hegave me a bundle in which there wassome silver. I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, let me be the one doing the Adhan in Makkah.' He said: 'I command you to do so.' Then I came to 'Attab bin Asid who was the governor of the Messenger of Allah in Makkah, and I called theAdhan for prayer with him upon the orders of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)."

It was narrated that Abu Mahdhurah said: "When the Messenger of Allah left Hunain, I was the tenth of a group of ten of the people of Makkah who were trying to catch up with them. We heard them calling the Adhan for the prayer and we started to repeat the Adhan, mocking them. The Messenger of Allah said, 'I heard among these people the Adhan of one who has a beautiful voice.' He sent for us, and we recited the Adhan one by one, and I was the last of them. When I said the Adhan, he said: 'Come here.' He sat me down in front of him and rubbed my forelock and blessed me three times, then he said, 'Go and give the Adhan at the sacred House.' I said: 'How, O Messenger of Allah?' He taught me as you say the Adhan now: 'Allahu Akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar; Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah, Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah; Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah, Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah, Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah, Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah; Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah, Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah; Hayya 'alas-salah, Hayya 'ala-salah; Hayya 'alal-falah Hayya 'alal-falah; as-salatu khairun min an-nawm;as-salatu khairun min an-nawm; (Allah is the Greatest,Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest; I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger Allah,I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger Allah; I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; Come to prayer, come to prayer; come to prosperity, come to prosperity; prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep)' - in the first (Adhan) for As-Subh (Fajr). And he taught me the Iqamah saying each phrase twice: 'Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, (Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar), Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah, Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah; Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah, Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah; Hayya 'alas-salah, Hayya 'alas-salah; Hayya 'alal-falah, Hayya 'alal-falah; qad qamatis-salah, qad qamati-salah, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar La ilaha illallah (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest); I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah ; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; Come to prayer, come to prayer; come to prosperity, come to prosperity; the prayer is about to begin, the prayer is about to begin, Allah is the Greatest,Allah is the Greatest; there is none worthy of worship except Allah)."(One of the narrators) Ibn Juraij said:''Uthmin narrated this whole reportto me from his father and from Umm'Abdul-Malik bin Abi Mahafirah,and (said that) they heard that fromAbu Mahdhurah.

It was narrated that Malik bin Al-Huwairith said: "I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) with a cousin of mine" - on an another occasion he said: "with a companion of mine" - "and he said: 'When the two of you travel, call the Adhan and the Iqamah, and let the older of you lead the prayer.'"

It was narrated that Malik bin Al-Huwairith said: "We came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and we were young men close in age. He let us stay with him for twenty days. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was merciful and compassionate, and he thought that we were missing our families; he asked us about those whom we had left behind of our families, so we told him, and he said: 'Go back to your families, stay with them and teach them. Tell them when the time for prayer comes; let one of you call the Adhan and let the oldest of you lead the prayer.'"

It was narrated from Ayyub, from Abu Qilabah, from 'Amr bin Salamah: "Abu Qilabah said to me (Ayyub): He ('Amr) is still alive, do you want to meet him?" I met him and asked him, and he said: "When Makkah was conquered, all the people hastened to announce their Islam. My father went to announce the Islam of the poeple of our village, and when he came back we went to see him and he said: 'By Allah, I have indeed come to you from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)'. He said: 'Pray such and such a prayer at such and such a time, pray such and such a prayer at such and such a time. When the time for prayer comes let one of you call the Adhan and let the one who knows the most Qur'an lead the prayer.'"

It was narrated from Ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Bilal calls the Adhan during the night, so eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktum calls (the Adhan)"

It was narrated from Salim, from his father, that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Bilal calls the Adhan during the night, so eat and drink until you hear Ibn Umm Maktoom calling the Adhan."

It was narrated that 'Aishah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Bilal calls the Adhan during the night, so eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktum calls the Adhan." She said: "And there was no more between then than the time it takes for one to come down and the other to go up."

It was narrtaed from Khubaib bin 'Abdur-Rahman that his paternal aunt Unaisah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'When Ibn Umm Maktum calls the Adhan, eat and drink, and when Bilal calls the Adhan, do not eat nor drink."

It was narrated from Ibn Mas'ud that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Bilal calls the Adhan during the night to wake those who are sleeping and so that those who are praying Qiyam can return.[1] Not to say it is like this." The break of dawn is not like this. [2][1] Meaning to finish. Ash-Shawkani said: "To return to sleeping or return to sitting from praying" Nail Al-Awtar.[2] Indicating with an up and down motion. The true dawn is from right to left.

It was narrated from Anas that someone asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about the time of Subh. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded Bilal to call the Adhan when dawn broke. then the next day he delayed Fajr until it was very light, then he told him to call the Adhan and he prayed. Then he said: "This is the time for the prayer."

It was narrated from 'Awn bin Abi Juhaifah that his father said: "I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and Bilal came out and called the Adhan and he started doing like this in his Adhan, turning to his right and left."

'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Abdullah bin 'Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Sa'sa'ah Al-Ansari Al-Mazini narrated that his father told him that Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri said to him: "I see that you love sheep and the desert. When you are with your sheep or in the desert and you call the Adhan for prayer, then raise your voice, for no human, Jinn or anything else hears the voice of the Mu'adhdhin as far as it reaches, but it will bear witness for him on the Day of Resurrection." Abu Sa'eed said: "I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)."

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah, who heard it from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "The Mu'adhdhin will be forgiven as far as his voice reaches, and every wet and dry thing will bear witness for him."

It was narrated from Al-Bara bin 'Azib that the Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Allah and His angels say salah upon the from rows, and the Mu'adhdhin will be forgiven as far as his voice reaches, and whatever hears him, wet or dry, will confirm what he says, and he will have a reward like that of those who pray with him."

It was narrated that Abu Mahdhurah said: "I used to call the Adhan for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and in the first Adhan of Fajr I used to Say: 'Hayya 'ala al-falah, as-salatu khairun minan-nawm, as-salatu khairun minan-nawm, Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar, la ilaha illallah (Come to prosperity, prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, there is none worthy of worship except Allah).'"

Sufyan narrated a similar report with the same chain. (One of the narrators) (Abu) 'Abdur-Rahman (An-Nasai) said: "It is not Abu Ja'far Al-Farra'."

It was narrated from Al-Aswad that Bilal said: "The final words of the Adhan are: 'Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar; La ilaha illallah (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, there is none worthy of worship except Allah.)'"

It was narrated that Al-Aswad said: "The final words of the Adhan of Bilal were: 'Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar; La ilaha illallah (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, there is none worthy of worship except Allah.)'"

(Another chain) from Ibrahim, from Al-Aswad, with similar narration.

It was narrated that Muharib bin Dithar said: "Al-Aswad bin Yazid narrated to me from Abu Mahdhurah that the final words of the Adhan are: 'La ilaha illahha (there is none worthy of worship except Allah).'"

It was narrated that 'Amr bin Aws said: "A man of Thaqif told us that he heard the caller of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on a rainy night during a journey saying: 'Hayya 'ala as-salah, Hayya 'ala al'falah, sallu fi rihalikum (Come to prayer, come to prosperity, pray in your dwellings).'"

It was narrated from Nafi' that Ibn 'Umar gave a call to prayer on a cold and windy night, and he said: "Pray where you are, for the Prophet (ﷺ) used to order the Mu'adhdhin, if it was a cold and rainy night, to say: 'Pray in your dwellings.'"

Ja'far bin Muhammad narrated from his father, that Jabir bin 'Abdullah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) traveled until he came to 'Arafah, where he found that the tent had been pitched for him in Namirah, so he stopped there. Then when the sun had passed its zenith he called for Qaswa'[1] and she was saddled for him. Then when he reached the bottom of the valley he addressed the people. Then Bilal called the Adhan, then he said the Iqamah and he prayed Zuhr, then he said the Iqamah and prayed 'Asr, and he did not offer any prayer in between them."[1] The name of the Prophet's (ﷺ) mount which was a she-camel.