“Let one of you give the call to prayer, then let the oldest among you lead you in prayer.” (1) This indicates that repeating after the caller to prayer is not obligatory. The point of evidence is that this was a context of instruction, in which there was a need to explain everything required. These people were a delegation who may not have known what the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had said regarding repeating after the adhan. Thus, the Prophet’s not drawing their attention to it, despite the need for such clarification—and despite the fact that they were a delegation who stayed with him for twenty days and then departed—indicates that responding is not obligatory. This is the nearer and stronger view.

His statement, “It is recommended for the one who hears it to repeat it quietly,” apparently indicates that if someone sees the caller to prayer but does not hear him, repeating after him is not recommended. This is because the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “When you hear,” thus making the ruling contingent upon hearing; and because one cannot repeat what one has not heard, since the caller may be ahead of him.

His words also apparently indicate that if one hears him without seeing him, he should repeat after him, on account of the hadith.

The apparent meaning of the hadith, as well as that of the author’s words, is that one should repeat after the caller to prayer in every circumstance. However, the scholars excluded the one relieving himself (2), because this is not a setting for remembrance. The same applies to one who is praying, due to the Prophet’s statement, peace and blessings be upon him: “Indeed, prayer is an occupation.” (3) He is occupied with the remembrances of the prayer.

Shaykh al-Islam said, rather, that one who is praying should repeat after the caller to prayer, in view of its general import.