the reward that lies in giving the adhān and in occupying the first row, and then found no way to secure them except by drawing lots, they would certainly draw lots for them; and if they knew the reward that lies in coming early to the prayer, they would race one another to it; and if they knew the reward that lies in the late-night prayer (‘ishā’) (1) and the dawn prayer, they would come to them even if they had to crawl.” Agreed upon.

Al-istihām: casting lots; al-tahjīr: arriving early for the prayer.

1041 – Muʿāwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, “The callers to prayer will have the longest necks (2) on the Day of Resurrection.” Reported by Muslim.

1042 – ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Ṣaʿṣaʿah narrated that Abu Saʿīd al-Khudrī (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: “I notice that you are fond of sheep and of the open country (3). When you are among your sheep—or out in the countryside—and you give the adhān for the prayer, raise your voice with the call, for nothing within the reach of the muʾadhdhin’s voice (4)—neither a jinn, a human, nor anything else—hears it but that it will testify on his behalf on the Day of Resurrection.” Abu Saʿīd added, “I heard this from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” Reported by al-Bukhārī.

1043 – Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “When the call to prayer is proclaimed, Satan turns away, breaking wind so that he will not hear the adhān. When the call is finished he returns, and when the iqāmah is announced he turns away again; once the iqāmah is over he comes back until he insinuates himself (5) between a person and his thoughts, saying, ‘Remember such-and-such, remember such-and-such’—things he had never thought of before—until the worshipper no longer knows how many units of prayer he has performed.” Agreed upon.

Al-tathwīb: the iqāmah.