Chapter on the Adhan and the Iqamah (1)

Adhan – linguistically: a public announcement. Allah the Exalted says, “And a proclamation from Allah and His Messenger” (Qur’an 9:3), that is, a declaration from them both.

Legally, it is the announcement that the time for an obligatory prayer has begun, made with specific phrases.

Despite its brevity, the adhan encompasses core matters of creed. The takbir affirms the existence of Allah and His attributes of majesty and greatness; the two testimonies establish pure monotheism and the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ, while negating all forms of idolatry; and the call to success points to the Resurrection and recompense. Scholars have listed many wisdoms behind it, such as manifesting the emblem of Islam, proclaiming the word of tawḥīd, affirming the Prophethood, informing people that the prayer time has entered, and inviting them to gather in congregation.

Performing it carries immense merit. Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrate from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “If people knew the reward contained in calling the adhan and standing in the first row, and could find no way to obtain them except by drawing lots, they would certainly draw lots,” along with many other authentic reports.

Both the adhan and the iqamah are communal obligations upon men for the five daily prayers. They are among the manifest symbols of Islam; should an entire town abandon them, its people are to be fought.

Whenever the Prophet ﷺ came upon a community he did not know, he would gauge their Islam by whether or not they gave the adhan; he would instruct someone to listen for it at the prayer times.

The adhan was legislated in Madinah when the Prophet ﷺ consulted his Companions about a means to alert everyone to the onset of the prayer times so they could come to the mosque. ‘Abd Allah ibn Zayd al-Ansari then saw in a dream someone who taught him the formula of the adhan. He related his vision to the Prophet ﷺ, who said, “It is a true dream. Convey it to Bilal, for he has a powerful voice.” Thus the adhan became the best means of announcing the prayer times.

First ḥadīth
Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Bilal was commanded to pronounce the adhan in pairs and the iqamah in singles.”