SECTION ON PRAYER · 28 – HOW TO RECITE THE CALL TO PRAYER (Adhan)
Abdullah ibn Zayd has said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded that bells be made to gather the congregation for prayer at the times of prayer. Then I saw in a dream a man holding a bell, circling around me. I asked the man, “O slave of Allah, would you sell me this bell?” He said, "What will you do with it?"
I said, "I will use it to call the people to prayer."
He said to me, "Shall I guide you to something better than that bell?" I said, "Yes." He then said to me: “Allah is Exalted, Allah is Exalted, Allah is Exalted, Allah is Exalted. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah. Muhammad is the slave and Prophet of Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the slave and Prophet of Allah. Come to prayer, come to prayer, come to salvation, come to salvation, Allah is Exalted, Allah is Exalted. You will say, ‘There is no deity but Allah.’” Then he moved a little away from me and said: “When you rise for prayer, you will say, ‘Allah is Greater, Allah is Greater, I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, Muhammad is the slave and Prophet of Allah. Come to prayer, come to salvation.’ When the prayer begins, you will say, ‘The prayer has begun, the prayer has begun, Allah is Exalted, Allah is Exalted, There is no deity but Allah.’”
When morning came, I informed the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, about what I had seen. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “If Allah wills, it is a true dream. Rise with Bilal and tell Bilal what you saw, so that he may recite the call to prayer with what you have recited. For Bilal’s voice is louder than yours.”
We rose with Bilal, and I was reciting to him, and he was reciting. Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, heard Bilal's call to prayer from his house, pulled his cloak around himself, and came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and said: “I swear by Allah who sent you as a true Prophet, I saw exactly what Abdullah saw.”
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "All praise is due to Allah."
Abu Dawud has said: Zuhri narrated from Sa’id ibn Musayyib and from Abdullah ibn Zayd in this manner.
Ibn Ishaq, in the chapter on the call to prayer, related from Zuhri: “Allah is Exalted, Allah is Exalted, Allah is Exalted, Allah is Exalted.” Ma'mar and Yunus narrated on this topic from Zuhri, "Allah is Exalted, Allah is Exalted," without repeating it.
From Abu Mahzura, may Allah be pleased with him, from his father, and from his grandfather;
I said to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, "O Messenger of Allah, teach me the practices of the adhan." He said to Abu Mahzura:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, stroked the front of my head and said:
"You raise your voice with 'Allah is most high, Allah is most high, Allah is most high, Allah is most high,' then you say, ‘There is no deity except Allah, I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah,’ twice, and ‘I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant and messenger of Allah,’ twice, lowering your voice in these statements. Then you say, ‘I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah,’ twice, and ‘I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant and messenger of Allah,’ twice, raising your voice in these (second) testimonies. You say, 'Come to prayer, come to prayer, come to success, come to success.' If it is recited for the morning prayer, you say, 'Prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep, Allah is most high, Allah is most high, there is no deity except Allah.'"
EXPLANATION
The phrase "Prayer is better than sleep" was not in the adhan taught to Abdullah ibn Zayd. After Bilal was appointed muezzin, he would come every morning and call the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. One morning he came and called again. It was reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was asleep. Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him, loudly exclaimed, "As-salatu khayrun minan nawm (Prayer is better than sleep)." This phrase pleased the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. He ordered that this sentence be said after “Hayya ‘alal falah” in the morning prayers. It has been recited continuously ever since in the morning prayers.
This hadith narrated from Abu Mahzura contains a preference (terji). The preference is to first say slowly, "There is no deity except Allah," twice, and "I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah," twice, then repeat these testimonies twice with a raised voice.
According to Imam al-A’zam:
There is no preference in the adhan. He preferred the narrations which do not mention a preference. According to the other three madhhabs, preference is made in the adhan, and the evidence for this is this hadith and hadith number 505 which will come later.
Abu Mahzura (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: A similar account to the one preceding was related. In that narration, it was said during the first call to prayer in the morning: "Prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep."
Abu Dawud said: The hadith of Musaddad is more explicit. Musaddad narrated, saying: Abu Mahzura said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) taught me the adhan in pairs of two. [He said:] "Allah is exalted, Allah is exalted. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant and messenger of Allah. Hurry to prayer, hurry to salvation, hurry to salvation. Allah is exalted, Allah is exalted, there is no deity but Allah."
Abdurrazzak narrated: (The Messenger of Allah said to Abu Mahzura): "Did you hear me say twice when I make the adhan, 'Prayer has begun, prayer has begun'?"
Sa’ip said: Abu Mahzura did not part or cut his hair from the front of his head because the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) would stroke the front of his head with his hand.
EXPLANATION
In hadith number 499, the phrases of the adhan are related as four initial takbirs, other phrases two by two, and the declaration of tawhid once. In the adhan, the initial takbirs are repeated twice, the testimonies are recited once each, Hayya al-as-salat, Hayya al-falaj are recited once each, Kad kamatis salah is recited twice, the takbirs are repeated twice, and la ilaha illallah is recited once. In this hadith, the phrases of the adhan are related as two by two, as in the adhan.
Abu Dawud said that this narration is more explicit.
Most scholars of Egypt, Syria, and Hijaz have accepted reciting them one by one as related in hadith number 499. Imam al-Azam, however, preferred the recitation of two by two in the adhan, relying on this hadith and the following hadith number 502.
According to Imam al-Azam, the adhan consists of seventeen words. Excluding the preference, the adhan consists of fifteen words. In morning prayers, when "As-salatu hayrun minan nawm" (Prayer is better than sleep) is repeated twice, the adhan becomes seventeen words.
Ibn al-Muhayriz (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: He informed Abu Mahzur that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) taught him the call to prayer consisting of nineteen words, and the declaration of the start of the prayer consisting of seventeen words.
The Call to Prayer: Allah is Most High, Allah is Most High, Allah is Most High, Allah is Most High. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant and Prophet of Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant and Prophet of Allah. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant and Prophet of Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant and Prophet of Allah. Come to the prayer, come to the prayer, come to salvation, come to salvation, Allah is Most High, Allah is Most High. There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.
The Declaration of the Start of Prayer: Allah is Most High, Allah is Most High, Allah is Most High, Allah is Most High. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant and Prophet of Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant and Prophet of Allah. Come to the prayer, come to the prayer, come to salvation, come to salvation. The prayer has begun, the prayer has begun, Allah is Most High, Allah is Most High. There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.
The narration in Hemmam’s book is similar to the hadith reported by Abu Mahzur.
Abū Mazuura (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: He said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited the adhan to me personally, saying, 'Allah is Greater, Allah is Greater. Allah is Greater, Allah is Greater. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.' Then he turned [to the right] and raised his voice, saying, 'I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant and Prophet of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant and Prophet of Allah. Come to prayer, come to prayer, come to salvation, come to salvation. Allah is Exalted, Allah is Exalted, there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.'"
504 – From Abu Mahdhura (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) recited the adhan to me, letter by letter, saying: "Allah is Greater, Allah is Greater, Allah is Greater, Allah is Greater. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Come to prayer, come to prayer, come to salvation, come to salvation."
Ibrahim ibn Ismail said: Abu Mahdhura used to say in the morning adhan, "Prayer is better than sleep."
Abū Mahzūra (may Allah be pleased with him) relates: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) taught me the adhan, saying: “Allah is Exalted. Allah is Exalted. I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah, I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah.” Then he related a hadith similar to what Ibn Jurayj narrated from Abd al-Aziz ibn Abd al-Malik, with the same meaning. Abū Dāwūd said: Mālīk bin Dinār stated in his hadith that I asked Mahzūra’s son about the adhan which his father related from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him). He recited it and said: “Allah is Exalted, Allah is Exalted.” A narration from Mahzūra's son by Jāfir bin Sulaymān, from his uncle, from his grandfather, is also like this. Except that he said: Then you turn (and raise your voice) saying, "Allah is Exalted, Allah is Exalted."
Amr bin Murra (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard Ibn Abi Layla say: "The prayer has undergone three changes." The companions informed us. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said, “I liked that the Muslims or the believers pray together. I thought about sending some people to homes to call the people to prayer at the time of the prayer, and some men climbing high buildings to call the people to prayer. They even considered ringing a bell for the call, or almost ringing it.” A man from the Ansar said: "O Messenger of Allah, I returned home thinking about this very matter, and I saw a person with two green garments reading the adhan on top of the mosque. After the adhan, he sat for a while, then stood up and repeated the adhan. And after the adhan, the prayer began." He said: "If people were not to accuse me of lying, I would say…"
Ibn al-Musanna said: “If I feared that you would falsely accuse me, I would say I was awake, not asleep.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said (in the narration of Ibn al-Musanna): "Allah has certainly shown you goodness." But Amr bin Murra did not narrate the phrase "Allah has shown you goodness."
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: “Order Bilal to give the adhan.” Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I saw what Abdullah saw, but I was ashamed to say that I had seen it because he mentioned it before me.”
Ibn Abi Layla said: "Our companions informed us. They said: A man would come and ask how many rak'ahs they prayed, and news would be brought to him of how many he missed."
Up to the words “Mu’az came,” narrated from Husayn bin Abdurrahman bin Abi Layla: Shu’ba said: "I heard it from Husayn," who said: Mu’az said: “I never used to see the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) in any condition, so do like this.”
Abu Dawud said: I was far from Amr bin Marzuk's hadith. Amr bin Marzuk narrated: "Mu'az came to prayer and they pointed to him." Shu’ba said: “This is what I heard from Husayn.” Ibn Abi Layla narrated: "Mu'az said: 'I do as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) finds me in any condition during prayer.'"
Mu’az said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said, ‘Mu’az has shown you the right way. So act accordingly.’”
Ibn Abi Layla said: “Our companions informed us. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) came to Medina and ordered the Muslims to fast for three days each month. Then the verse regarding the obligation of fasting in Ramadan was revealed. The people of Medina were not accustomed to fasting. Fasting was difficult for them. So whoever did not fast would feed a poor person (morning and evening). Then this verse descended: ‘(And whoever among you witnesses the month, then he must fast it.)’ [Al-Baqarah 185]. Permission to break the fast during Ramadan was allowed for the sick and guests, and those who were healthy were ordered to fast.
Ibn Abi Layla said: “Our companions informed us. If a person reaches the time of iftar without eating anything and sleeps, he would not be able to eat anything until the next morning.” (There was no suhoor.) Mu’az bin Jabal said: "Omar bin al-Khattab came to his wife's side intending to have intercourse with her. His wife said, 'I slept after iftar.' [Intercourse is forbidden.] So Omar had intercourse with his wife thinking she was excusing herself due to a private matter."
A man from the Ansar came home in the evening and wanted to eat food. Then they said, “Let’s heat some food.” He fell asleep. He could not eat the food. In the morning, this verse descended: "(It is permitted for you to go to your wives on the night of fasting [Ramadan], as a concession from your Lord.)" [Al-Baqarah 187].
EXPLANATION
As can be seen from the text of this hadith, prayer has undergone three phases. In the early days, not everyone could come to prayer at the same time because the adhan was not being called out, and people did not know when the time for prayer would arrive. Those who came later performed the number of rak'ahs they missed, and completed the remaining rak'ahs with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him). This created a disharmony, with some standing, others in ruku', and still others in prostration.
One day, Mu’az arrived late for prayer. He was pointed to how many rak'ahs he missed. Mu’az replied: "When I come to the prayer, I find the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) in whatever condition he is in during the prayer, so I am in that condition. If he is in ruku', then I am in ruku'; if he is in prostration, then I am in prostration. I will not preoccupy myself with the rak'ahs I missed, but rather follow the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him)."
Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: "Indeed, Mu’az has shown you the way to be followed." After that, those who were awake did not leave the Imam, but rather preoccupied themselves with the rak'ahs they missed, and performed them after the Imam gave the salam. Since the adhan was also being called out, it became possible for the congregation to arrive on time for prayer. The third phase of the prayer will be mentioned in a subsequent hadith, as it was when prayer was performed facing the Masjid al-Aqsa for nearly a year and a half after the Hijrah. Then it was turned towards the Ka'bah. In the early days when fasting was made obligatory, if one slept after iftar during Ramadan nights, he would not be able to eat until the next evening, nor could he have suhoor. Also, sexual relations with his wife were forbidden during Ramadan nights. Omar’s approach to his wife led to the descent of verse 187 of Surah Al-Baqarah; and the permission to eat suhoor was granted.
50: Narrated By Jabir bin Abdullah Al-Ansari:
(The Prophet ﷺ used to perform the prayer facing Baitul Maqdis (Jerusalem) for a period of fifteen months or less.)
Narrated By Nasar ibn Mujahid:
I heard Mu'adh ibn Jabal saying, "The prayer has undergone three changes. The fasting also underwent three changes. The narrator, Nasr, said that he knew the person who saw the dream. Abdullah bin Zayd from among the people of Al-Ansar came and narrated about a man who turned his face towards the Qibla (direction of prayer) saying:
"Allah is Great! Allah is Great!"
"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, without any partners. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, without any partners."
“I testify that Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah, His slave and Prophet.”
"Come to prayer! Come to prayer!"
"Come to prosperity! Come to prosperity!"
"Allah is Great! Allah is Great!"
Then he repeated the Adhan exactly as before. But after saying "Come to prosperity," he said, “The prayer has begun, the prayer has begun." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Teach it to Bilal.” So Bilal used to recite the Adhan with these words.
Nassar ibn Mujahid narrated about fasting: Mu'adh said that the Prophet ﷺ used to fast three days every month and also on the 10th of Muharram. Then Allah revealed (the verse): “And they were enjoined with fasting for a certain number of days.” [2:184] until the words, "(Give food to) the poor." So whoever could not fast would feed a poor person for every day he missed. This was an alternative form of fasting. Then Allah revealed (the verse): "The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an…" [2:185] until the words, "(Others postpone it to other days).” Thus, it became obligatory for those who were at home to fast during Ramadan, and those who were traveling to make up for what they missed. It also became obligatory for elderly men and women who could not fast to feed a poor person for every day they missed.
Sarmā came after working until dusk and narrated the Hadith.