yet al-Ḥākim did cite a supporting narration through the route of Ibn Wahb, who said, “Ibn Luhayʿah informed me, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Jaʿfar, from Nāfiʿ.”

This isnād is sound, for all of its transmitters are trustworthy. Although some criticism has been directed at Ibn Luhayʿah on account of his memory, that applies only to reports not transmitted by the ʿAbādilah from him, and Ibn Wahb is one of them.

ʿAbd al-Ghanī ibn Saʿīd al-Azdī, al-Sājī and others have said: “Whenever the ʿAbādilah narrate from Ibn Luhayʿah, the report is sound—namely Ibn al-Mubārak, Ibn Wahb and al-Maqriʾ.”

On that basis the hadith is authentic. Praise be to Allah for His enabling grace.

This hadith clearly demonstrates the great merit of the muʾadhdhin who persistently gives the call to prayer for the period mentioned therein. It is obvious, however, that this virtue is conditional upon his calling solely for the sake of Allah Most High—seeking neither income, nor ostentation, nor reputation—given the many established proofs in the Qur’an and Sunnah confirming that Allah accepts only deeds performed purely for Him (see the section on ostentation at the beginning of al-Mundhirī’s Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb).

It is authentically related that a man once came to Ibn ʿUmar and said, “I love you for the sake of Allah.” He replied, “Then bear witness that I hate you for the sake of Allah!” The man asked, “Why?” He answered, “Because you mispronounce the adhān and you take payment for it!”

It is truly regrettable that this great act of worship—this Islamic emblem—has been abandoned by most of the scholars in our lands. Rarely do you see any of them giving the adhān in a mosque—except for those whom Allah wills; indeed some are even ashamed to do it, while they rush to lead the prayers and even quarrel over the post! To Allah we complain of the estrangement of this age.