ʿAbd Allah ibn Muhammad narrated to us; Yaʿqub ibn Ibrahim narrated to us; my father narrated to me, from Ibn Ishaq, who said: Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn al-Harith al-Taymi related to me, from Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Zayd ibn ʿAbd Rabbihi, who said: My father, ʿAbd Allah ibn Zayd—may Allah be pleased with him—told me:
When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered that a clapper be made so it could be struck to gather the people for prayer, I fell asleep, and a man carrying a clapper walked around me. I said, “Servant of Allah, will you sell the clapper?” He replied, “What will you do with it?” I said, “I will summon the people to prayer with it.” He said, “Shall I not direct you to something better than that?” I said, “Indeed.” He said, “Say:
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar;
ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Allah, ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Allah;
ash-hadu anna Muhammad-an rasul Allah, ash-hadu anna Muhammad-an rasul Allah;
hayya ʿala s-salah, hayya ʿala s-salah;
hayya ʿala l-falah, hayya ʿala l-falah;
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar;
la ilaha illa Allah.”
He then stepped back a short distance and said, “When the prayer is about to commence, say:
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar;
ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Allah;
ash-hadu anna Muhammad-an rasul Allah;
hayya ʿala s-salah;
hayya ʿala l-falah;
qad qamati s-salah, qad qamati s-salah;
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar;
la ilaha illa Allah.”
When morning came I went to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and informed him of what I had seen. He said, “This dream is true, if Allah wills. Go with Bilal and convey to him what you have seen so that he may give the call to prayer with it, for his voice is more resonant than yours.” I went out with Bilal, dictating the words to him while he called the adhan. ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab—may Allah be pleased with him—heard it while he was in his house; he came out, dragging his cloak, and said, “By the One who sent you with the truth, I have seen what he saw!” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “All praise is due to Allah.”