Concerning his remark on the ḥadīth of ʿAbd Allāh ibn Zayd ibn ʿAbd Rabbih about the institution of the adhān (pp. 201–202), he writes: “It was narrated by Aḥmad.”

I say: This wording suggests that none of the authors of the Sunan or the Ṣaḥīḥ collections reported it, and that is a glaring shortcoming. In fact, it was recorded by Abū Dāwūd, al-Dāramī, Ibn Mājah, al-Dāraqutnī, al-Bayhaqī, and also by Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Ḥibbān in their two Ṣaḥīḥs⦗1⦘. Its chain of transmission is hasan ṣaḥīḥ, as I clarified in Ṣaḥīḥ Abī Dāwūd 512; see also al-Mishkāt 650.

Benefit: In this same ḥadīth, after citing the wording of the adhān, he adds: “Then he stepped back a short distance and said, ‘When you pronounce the iqāmah you should say…’” and so on.

I say: This is clear evidence that the sunnah is to give the iqāmah in a place different from where the adhān is delivered. Ibn Qudāmah says in al-Mughnī 1/427:
“It is recommended to pronounce the iqāmah at the spot where the adhān was given. Aḥmad said, ‘What I prefer is that he give the iqāmah right where he is, and nothing has reached me on this except the ḥadīth of Bilāl: “Do not out-race me with āmīn.”’”

He means that had Bilāl given the iqāmah at the place of prayer itself, he would not have feared being preceded in saying āmīn, for the Prophet ﷺ would begin the opening takbīr only after the iqāmah had finished. Moreover, the iqāmah was legislated as a public announcement, so it was prescribed at its own location so as to be more effective in announcing. Support for this is found in the ḥadīth of ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar: “When we heard the iqāmah we would perform ablution and then go out for the prayer.”

I therefore say: The ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar provides absolutely no evidence for the claim just mentioned, for it is perfectly possible that he heard the iqāmah because he lived close to the mosque, and that in no way requires that the iqāmah be delivered in the same place