Al-Shawkānī said (2/31):
“The corroboration provided by these transmitters for Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq’s narration from al-Zuhrī removes the possibility of tadlīs that might be presumed because Ibn Isḥāq relates it with the ‘an’ formula.”
This ḥadīth is further supported by the narration of Abū ʿUmayr ibn Anas from several of his Anṣārī uncles. He said:
“The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was concerned about how to assemble the people for prayer. Someone suggested, ‘Raise a banner at the time of prayer; when they see it they will inform one another,’ but he did not approve of that. Then the qinaʿ—that is, the shabbūr (a trumpet)—was mentioned; in another wording: ‘the horn of the Jews.’ He did not like that either and said, ‘That practice belongs to the Jews.’ The clapper (nāqūs) was then proposed, and he said, ‘That belongs to the Christians.’
ʿAbd Allāh ibn Zayd departed, distressed on the Messenger of Allah’s behalf, and the adhān was shown to him in a dream. The next morning he went to the Messenger of Allah and related it, saying, ‘Messenger of Allah, while I was between sleep and wakefulness, someone came to me and taught me the words of the adhān.’ ʿUmar had previously seen the same vision but concealed it for twenty days. Later he informed the Prophet, who asked, ‘What kept you from telling me?’ He replied, ‘ʿAbd Allāh ibn Zayd preceded me, so I felt shy.’ The Messenger of Allah then said, ‘Bilāl, stand up, listen to what ʿAbd Allāh ibn Zayd tells you, and proclaim it.’ So Bilāl gave the adhān.”
Abū Dāwūd recorded this report (80–81) through Hushaym ibn Abī Bishr on his authority, and its chain is sound, as al-Ḥāfiẓ stated in Fatḥ al-Bārī (2/64).
- The adhān is a collective obligation (farḍ kifāyah):
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to Mālik ibn al-Ḥuwayrith [116], “Return to your families and establish…"