[Explanation]

These hadiths also deal with the virtue of the adhan. Among them is the report of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the muʾadhin proclaims the adhan, Satan turns away and breaks wind, loathing to hear the remembrance of Allah. This reflects the Almighty’s words: “from the evil of the lurking whisperer, who withdraws whenever Allah is mentioned” (Qur’an 114:4). Satan hates nothing more than the worship of Allah, detests Allah’s devoted servants, and loves above all else polytheism and sin, for “Satan threatens you with poverty and commands you to indecency” (Qur’an 2:268). He therefore wants people to do what Allah has not commanded and dislikes their carrying out what Allah has commanded.

When the muʾadhin calls the adhan, Satan flees and distances himself from the place of the call—indeed, he leaves the settled area altogether so that he will not hear it. Once the adhan ends, he comes back to mislead the children of Adam. When the iqama is pronounced he again turns and runs, but as soon as it is finished he returns and slips between a worshipper and his heart during the prayer, whispering, “Remember this, remember that, remember this …,” until the worshipper can hardly concentrate.

Everyday experience confirms this. A person may forget certain things, yet the moment he enters the prayer Satan opens for him the door of recollection and he begins to remember them all. It is related that a man once came to Abu Hanifah (d. 150 AH) and said that he had been entrusted with a deposit but had forgotten where he had placed it. Abu Hanifah told him, “Go, perform ablution, pray two rakʿahs, and you will remember it.” The man did so; when he began his prayer, Satan immediately reminded him of the deposit. Such, in truth, is what people continually observe.