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Originally posted 2024-04-17 16:45:59.
The Call to Prayer is an act of worship which precedes Prayer and as such is one of the most important religious ceremonies in Islam.
By: Muhammad Mahmoud As-Sawwaf
The Call to Prayer (Adhān)
The Call to Prayer (Adhān) marks the beginning of the time for prayer. Through its prescribed words, the Muslim community is invited to a sacred act that brings prosperity in both this life and the Hereafter.
The Adhān is not merely a signal—it is an act of worship in and of itself, performed before prayer. It holds a central place among Islamic rituals and remains one of the most visible and widely recognized symbols of the faith. It was first introduced in the first year of Hijrah (the migration from Makkah to Madinah). From that moment on, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) observed it consistently, whether at home or while traveling, by day or night. There is no recorded instance in which he neglected it or exempted anyone from it. His Companions also adhered to this practice so diligently that it became a near-obligatory act—because of the Prophet’s repeated and clear instructions, which are preserved in numerous authentic hadiths.
Description of the Call to Prayer
The Call to Prayer, according to the authentic hadiths, is as
follows:
“Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar”
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.
Ash-hadu alla ilaha illa-llah.
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah.
Ash-hadu alla ilaha illa-llah.
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah.
Ash-hadu anna Muhammadar-Rasulullah.
I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Ash-hadu anna Muhammadar-Rasulullah.
I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Hayya ‘ala-s-Salah, hayya ‘ala-s-Salah.
Come to Prayer, come to Prayer.
Hayya ‘ala-l-falah, hayya ‘ala-l-falah.
Come to prosperity, come to prosperity.
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.
La ilaha illa-llah
There is no god but Allah.
In the Morning Prayer only, after saying “Come to prosperity”, the muezzin (one who calls the Adhan) says,
As-Salatu khairun min an-naum, As-Salatu khairun min an-naum.
“Prayer is better than sleep, Prayer is better than sleep.”
Then he continues with:
“Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest. There is no god but Allah.”
Spiritual Reflection on the Call
When you hear the Adhān echoing through the air, let your heart be moved by the greatness of its message and the majesty of the One it calls to. Reflect on the success to which you are being invited—not just material success, but true success in this world and the Hereafter. Recognize that all greatness fades before the greatness of Allah, for He is Al-Akbar—the Greatest.
As the muezzin proclaims the call, listen attentively, and repeat after him in your heart with sincerity and devotion—until he says:
“Hayya ʿala-s-Salah, Hayya ʿala-l-Falah”
(Come to Prayer. Come to Prosperity.)
At this point, say:
“La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah”
(There is no power and no strength except with Allah.)
A Hadith About Responding to the Adhān
In a hadith recorded by Imam Muslim, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“When the muezzin says: ‘Allāh is the Greatest, Allāh is the Greatest,’ one of you should repeat: ‘Allāh is the Greatest, Allāh is the Greatest.’
When he says: ‘I bear witness that there is no god but Allah,’ respond: ‘I bear witness that there is no god but Allah.’
When he says: ‘I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,’ respond: ‘I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.’
When he says: ‘Come to prayer,’ say: ‘There is no power and no strength except with Allah.’
When he says: ‘Come to prosperity,’ say: ‘There is no power and no strength except with Allah.’
When he says: ‘Allāh is the Greatest, Allāh is the Greatest,’ repeat it.
And when he says: ‘There is no god but Allah,’ say it from your heart—and whoever says it sincerely will enter Paradise.”
(Muslim)
After the Adhān: Send Blessings on the Prophet
Once the Adhān concludes, it is recommended to:
-
Send blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
-
Ask Allah to grant him Al-Wasilah—a special station in Paradise.
The Prophet said, as narrated by ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both):
“When you hear the muezzin, repeat what he says, then invoke blessings upon me. For whoever sends one blessing upon me, Allah will send ten blessings upon him. Then ask Allah to grant me Al-Wasilah, a rank in Paradise granted to only one servant of Allah—and I hope to be that one. Whoever asks that I be granted Al-Wasilah, my intercession will be assured for him.”
(Muslim)
The Recommended Supplication After the Adhān
The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us to say this duʿāʾ after the Adhān:
“Allāhumma Rabba hādhihi-d-daʿwati-t-tāmmati wa-s-salāti-l-qāʾimah, āti Muḥammadan al-wasīlata wa-l-faḍīlata wa-d-darajata-r-rafīʿah, wabʿath-hu maqāman maḥmūdan alladhī waʿadtahu.”
“O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and the prayer to be established! Grant Muhammad the intercession and favor, and raise him to the honored station You have promised him.”
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Source: Quoted with slight modifications from the author’s “The Muslim Prayer Book: Rules, Concepts & Merits.”