ADHAAN - THE CALL TO SALAAT

[Rules Concerning Adhaan and Iqaamah | The Sunnats and Mustahabs of Adhaan and Iqaamah]

1. If the adhaan is being called out for any salaat, it is necessary that it be given in the time of that salaat. If the adhaan is given before the commencement of the time, it will not be valid. When the time enters, the adhaan will have to be repeated irrespective of whether it was for fajr salaat or any other salaat.

2. The adhaan and the iqaamah have to be in Arabic and in exactly the same words as conveyed to us from Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. If the adhaan is given in any other language, or in Arabic but in different words; then this will not be valid even if, upon hearing it, people understand it as adhaan and the purpose of adhaan is fulfilled (i.e. even if people respond to the adhaan by coming to offer their salaat).

3. It is necessary for the mu'azzin to be a male. The adhaan of a female is not proper. If a woman gives adhaan, it should be repeated. If salaat is offered without it being repeated, it will be as if salaat was offered without any adhaan.

4. It is necessary that the mu'azzin be of sound intellect. If a child who has not reached the age of understanding, a lunatic or an intoxicated person gives adhaan; it will not be considered.

5. The sunnah method of calling out adhaan is that the person calling out adhaan should be pure from the major and minor impurities. He should go to an elevated place away from the musjid, face the qiblah, insert his forefingers into both his ears, and say the following words as loud as possible without overstraining himself: Allahu Akbar four times, Ash hadu an la ilaaha illa Allahu twice, Ash hadu anna Muhammadar Rasulullah twice, Hayya alas salaat twice, Hayya alal falaah twice, Allahu Akbar twice again, and La ilaaha illa Allahu once. When saying Hayya alas salaat, he should turn his face towards the right in such a way that his chest and feet do not turn away from the qiblah. When saying Hayya alal falaah, he should turn his face towards the left in such a way that his chest and feet do not turn away from the qiblah.

In the fajr adhaan, after saying Hayya alal falaah, he should add the words as-Salaatu khayrum minan naum two times.

The total phrases of adhaan are therefore fifteen while there are seventeen words for the adhaan of fajr.

The words of the adhaan should not be uttered in a singing tune, nor should they be uttered in such a way that some of the words are said loudly while others are said softly.

After saying Allahu Akbar twice, he should wait to the extent that the person who is listening to the adhaan can reply to it. Apart from Allahu Akbar, even for the other words, he should wait for a similar period before continuing with the next words.

6. The method of iqaamah is also the same. The difference is that it is preferable to call out the adhaan outside the musjid, while the iqaamah is called out inside. Adhaan is called out in a loud voice while iqaamah is called out in a comparatively softer voice. In iqaamah one does not say as-salaatu khairun minan naum. Instead, for all the five salaats one has to say Qad qaamatis salaat two times. When saying the iqaamah one does not have to insert one's fore-fingers into one's ears. The reason for inserting the fingers into the ears is to raise the voice, and this is not necessary when saying the iqaamah. In the iqaamah, it is not necessary to turn right and left when saying Hayya alas salaat and Hayya alal falaah. However, some jurists are in favour of this.

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Rules Concerning Adhaan and Iqaamah

1. For every fard-e-ayn salaat, it is sunnat-e-mu'akkadah for men to call out adhaan once. This is irrespective of whether a person is a traveller or not, whether he is reading in congregation or alone, or whether he is reading a qada salaat or not. For jumu'ah salaat, the adhaan should be called out twice.

2. If a salaat was missed for a reason in which all the people were involved, then the adhaan for that salaat should be given aloud. If it was missed for some specific reason, it should be given secretly in a soft voice so that people do not come to know of any missed salaat by hearing the adhaan aloud. The reason for this is that missing a salaat is a sign of negligence and laziness, and to be negligent and lazy in affairs of the Deen is a sin. And it is not good to announce or expose one's sins.

If several salaats were missed and all are being read at one time, it will be sunnah to call out the adhaan for the first salaat only. As for the other salaats, only the iqaamah is sunnah. However, it is mustahab to call out adhaan for each salaat separately.

3. If a person is travelling and all his companions are present with him, then it will be mustahab, and not sunnat-e-mu'akkadah, for him to give the adhaan.

4. If a person offers his salaat at home, whether alone or in congregation, then both the adhaan and the iqaamah will be mustahab for him on condition that the adhaan and iqaamah of the musjid of that area or town has already been called out. This is so because the adhaan and iqaamah of the area is sufficient for all the residents of that area.

5. If a person goes to a musjid in which the adhaan, iqaamah and salaat has already been performed,it will be makruh for him to give adhaan and iqaamah when offering his own salaat. However, if that musjid does not have any appointed imam or mu'azzin, it will not be makruh, but preferable.

6. A person is in a place in which all the conditions for jumu'ah salaat are found and jumu'ah is even performed there. Despite this, he offers zuhr salaat instead of jumu'ah salaat. It will therefore be makruh for him to call out adhaan and iqaamah. This is irrespective of whether he offers the zuhr salaat due to some excuse or not, or whether he offers it before the completion of the jumu'ah salaat or after its completion.

7. It is makruh for women to call out adhaan and iqaamah irrespective of whether they are offering their salaat in congregation or individually.

8. Apart from fard-e-ayn salaat, adhaan for any other salaat is not prescribed - irrespective of whether it is a fard-e-kifaayah salaat, such as janaazah salaat; or a wajib salaat, such as witr salaat, the salaats of eid; or whether it is a nafl salaat.

9. It is mustahab on the person who hears the adhaan to reply to it irrespective of whether he is a man or woman, in a state of purity or impurity. Some ulama have even said that it is wajib. But the preferred opinion is that it is mustahab.

Replying to the adhaan means that the words which the mu'azzin says should be repeated. However, when replying to Hayya alas salaat and Hayya alal falaah, he should say La hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil aliyyil azeem. For As-salaato khairun minan naum he should say Sadaqta wa bararta.

After the adhaan he should send salutations to Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and then read the following dua:

10. On hearing the adhaan of jumu'ah, it is wajib to leave whatever one may be occupied with, and go for the jumu'ah salaat in a jaame musjid. It is haraam to occupy oneself in any transaction or any other sort of work.

11. Replying to the iqaamah is also mustahab and not wajib. In replying to Qad qaamatis salaat, one should say Aqaamahallahu wa adaamaha.

12. In eight conditions an answer to the adhaan should not be given: (1) while offering salaat, (2) while listening to a khutbah irrespective of whether it is a khutbah of jumu'ah or any other khutbah, (3,4) when one is in a state of haid or nifaas, i.e. it is not necessary to give an answer, (5) while one is teaching or learning knowledge of the Deen, (6) while one is having sexual intercourse, (7) while one is relieving oneself, (8) while one is eating, i.e. it is not necessary. After having completed these occupations, and much time has not lapsed since hearing the adhaan; one should reply to it, otherwise one should not reply.

13. A person forgets to reply to the adhaan or intentionally does not reply to it. On the completion of the adhaan he remembers or decides to reply to it. If much time has not lapsed, he should reply to it, otherwise he should not reply.

14. If considerable time has passed after having called out the iqaamah and the congregation has not stood up as yet, the iqaamah should be repeated. But if much time has not passed, it does not have to be repeated. The iqaamah for fajr salaat has been called out but the imaam has not offered his sunnah salaat of fajr as yet. If he occupies himself in offering his sunnah, then the time that he takes will not be regarded as a long time and it will therefore not be necessary to repeat the iqaamah. However, if one occupies oneself with something that is not a part of salaat, such as eating and drinking, then in this case the iqaamah will have to be repeated.

15. While the mu'azzin calls out the adhaan; he dies, falls unconscious, his voice breaks down completely or he forgets and there is no one to correct him, or his wudu breaks and he rushes to repeat it - in all these cases it will be sunnat-e-mu'akkadah to repeat the adhaan.

16. If a person's wudu breaks while he is calling out the adhaan or iqaamah, it will be preferable for him to complete the adhaan or iqaamah and thereafter perform his wudu.

17. It is makruh for one mu'azzin to call out adhaan in two musjids. He should call out adhaan in the musjid in which he offers his fard salaat.

18. It is the right of the person who calls out the adhaan to call out the iqaamah as well. But if after calling out the adhaan he goes away somewhere or permits someone else to call out the iqaamah, then someone else can call out the iqaamah.

19. It is permissible for several mu'azzins to call out adhaan at the same time.

20. The mua'zzin should complete his iqaamah at the place where he commenced with it.

21. Niyyah is not a condition for adhaan and iqaamah. However, one is not rewarded without making an intention. The intention is this that he is calling out this adhaan solely for the pleasure of Allah and for the reward of it, and for no other reason.

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The Sunnats and Mustahabs of Adhaan and Iqaamah

The sunnats of adhaan and iqaamah are of two types. Some are related to the mu'azzin while others are related to the adhaan and iqaamah. We will first mention the sunnats related to the mu'azzin, and then those that are related to the adhaan and iqaamah.

1. The mu'azzin has to be a male. The adhaan and iqaamah of a female is makruh-e-tahrimi. If a woman calls out adhaan, it will have to be repeated, but not the iqaamah. This is so because repetition of the iqaamah is not stipulated as opposed to the repetition of adhaan.

2. The mu'azzin has to be of sound mind. The adhaan and iqaamah of a lunatic, intoxicated person or immature child is makruh. Their adhaan will have to be repeated and not their iqaamah.

3. The mu'azzin must know the necessary rules applicable to him and he must also know the times of the different salaats. If an ignorant person calls out the adhaan, he will not get the same reward as that of a mu'azzin.

4. The mu'azzin must be pious and religiously-minded and he must be aware of the condition of the people - reminding those who do not attend the congregation. He must do this if he has no fear of anyone causing harm to him.

5. The mu'azzin must have a loud voice.

1. The adhaan should be called out at an elevated place outside the musjid. The iqaamah should be called out inside the musjid. To call out the adhaan inside the musjid is makruh-e-tanzihi. However, it is not makruh to call out the second adhaan of jumu'ah inside the musjid in front of the pulpit (mimbar). In fact, this is practised in all Muslim countries.

2. The adhaan has to be called out standing. If anyone calls it out while sitting, this will be makruh and it will have to be repeated. However, if a traveller is on his mount or a person gives adhaan for his own salaat, it will not have to be repeated.

3. The adhaan has to be called out in a loud voice. However, if a person is calling out adhaan for his own salaat, he has the choice to say it aloud or softly. Even then, there is more reward in saying it aloud.

4. It is mustahab to insert the fore-fingers into the ears at the time of calling out the adhaan.

5. The words of the adhaan should be said with a pause between them, while the iqaamah should be said quickly. In other words, when saying the takbeers of the adhaan, the mu'azzin should pause after every two takbeers so that those who are listening to the adhaan can repeat the words. Apart from the takbeers, he should pause after every sentence and thereafter continue with the next word. If, due to some reason, he does not pause in this way, it will be mustahab to repeat the adhaan. If the iqaamah was called out by pausing, it is not mustahab to repeat it.

6. When calling out adhaan, it is sunnah to turn towards the right and left when saying Hayya alas salaat and Hayya alal falaah. This is irrespective of whether the adhaan is for a salaat or for some other reason. However, his chest and feet should not turn away from the qiblah.

7. Adhaan and iqaamah should be called while facing the qiblah as long as he is not mounted on an animal. It is makruh-e-tanzihi to call out adhaan and iqaamah while one is not facing the qiblah.

8. At the time of calling out the adhaan it is necessary for the person to be pure from hadath-e-akbar (major impurity) and mustahab to be pure from both the major and minor impurities. At the time of calling out the iqaamah, it is necessary to be pure from both the impurities. If a person calls out adhaan while in a state of hadath-e-akbar, this will be makruh-e-tahrimi and it will be mustahab to repeat that adhaan. Similarly, if a person calls out iqaamah while in a state of major or minor impurity, this will be makruh-e-tahrimi but it is not mustahab to repeat the iqaamah.

9. It is sunnah to say the words of the adhaan and iqaamah in the sequence shown to us. If a person says a latter word first, for example, he says Ash hado anna Muhammadar Rasulullah before Ash hado an la ilaaha illa Allahu, or he says Hayya alal falaah before Hayya alas salaat; then in such a case, just the latter word should be repeated. In the first example, after saying Ash hado an la ilaaha illa Allahu he should repeat Ash hado anna Muhammadan Rasulullah. In the second example, after saying Hayya alas salaat, he should repeat Hayya alal falaah. It is not necessary to repeat the entire adhaan.

10. While calling out the adhaan and iqaamah, no other words should be spoken, even if they be a greeting or a reply to a greeting. If a person speaks while calling out adhaan or iqaamah and he spoke considerably, he should repeat the adhaan and not the iqaamah.

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