His statement: It is narrated from Anas that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said, “A supplication made between the adhān and the iqāmah is not rejected.” It was recorded by Abū Dāwūd, al-Nasāʾī, and al-Tirmidhī, who also added: They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what should we say?” He replied, “Ask Allah for pardon and well-being in this world and the Hereafter.”

I say: The ḥadīth itself is sound, as al-Tirmidhī affirmed, but the additional wording is weak and objectionable, for its chain includes Yaḥyā ibn al-Yamān and Zayd al-ʿAmī, both of whom are weak narrators. I have traced the report through four routes, which I cited in al-Thamar al-Mustaṭāb and later in Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl 244, and none of them contain this addition except the defective chain just mentioned. Hence it is not legislatively valid to act upon it, and no one should be misled by al-Shawkānī’s remarks here, for he did not give the matter the thorough investigation it deserves.

His statement: It is reported from Umm Salamah that the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—taught me, at the time of the Maghrib adhān, to say: “O Allah, this is the coming of Your night ….”

I say: The author’s silence about this report suggests it is established, but that is not so; it is weak. He also omitted its source, which is unacceptable. Al-Tirmidhī and others related it through Abū Kathīr, the freed slave of Umm Salamah, from her. Al-Tirmidhī commented, “It is a singular ḥadīth, and we do not know Abū Kathīr.” Al-Nawawī likewise said, “It was narrated by Abū Dāwūd and al-Tirmidhī, and its chain contains an unknown narrator.” A ḥadīth of this nature should not be circulated among the Muslims except with a clear statement of its weakness.

His statement: “It is recommended for whoever hears the iqāmah to repeat what the caller says, except when he says, ‘Qad qāmatiṣ-ṣalāh (The prayer has commenced).’ At that point it is recommended to respond, ‘May Allah establish it and make it everlasting,’ for it is reported that when Bilāl began the iqāmah and reached ‘Qad qāmatiṣ-ṣalāh,’ the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said, ‘May Allah establish it and make it everlasting.’”

I say: Rather, what is recommended is to repeat exactly what the caller says—“Qad qāmatiṣ-ṣalāh”—by virtue of the generality of