Call Of Prayer (Adhan)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said : "O Bilal, comfort us with it (adhan)."

But how many times people keep missing out on realizing this comfort because they keep talking while the adhan was being called. When the adhan is being called, we should immediately stop what we are doing, free ourselves from the world, and enjoy the comfort which Allah is sending our way.

The adhan has to be answered. It is a very strong sunnah to respond to the adhan. It is answered in two ways. It is answered with one's tongue and with one's foot. Answering with one's tongue is repeating and replying to what the Mu'aththin said. How do you answer with your foot? It is by listening to what the adhan is saying--come to pray. So the real answer is that you leave your place and perform wudu', and pray. Both of these answers should be observed.

Men should go to the mosque to pray and if they cannot go to the mosque for some reason, they should exert themselves to pray in a group. If he is at work, establish a group prayer with co-workers, and if at home, establish a group prayer with his spouse or people in the house.

Adhan is also a great dhikr (remembrance of Allah) in Islam. Adhan is recommended many times in the life of a Muslim. For example, it is recommended to give adhan to a newborn in the ear of the newborn. It is recommended to give adhan to someone in distress or someone whose character has gone wrong, or to bring calm to situation. When there is a fire, when someone is lost or after traveling, it is recommended to give the adhan as well. Adhan has its own particular barakah which can be felt when it is performed during the recommended situation.

Adhan is a dhikr in harmony. The Mu'aththin is the leader, when he pauses in between, then we, the people, repeat after him (except when he comes in the middle of the adhan.)

الله أكبر
Allahu Akbar - four times
(Allah is the greatest)
**Listener repeats

أشهد لا اله إلا الله
Ash hadu an la ilaha illal lah - two times
(I bear witness that there is no god but Allah)
**Listener repeats

أشهد أن محمدا رسول الله
Ash hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah - two times
(I bear witness that Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is Allah's Messenger)
**Listener repeats

حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلاَةِ
Hayya 'ala-salahh - two times
(Hasten to prayers)
**Listener says--"la hawla wala quwwata illa billah" (there is no might and power except by Allah)

حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاح
Hayya 'ala 'l-falah - two times
(Hasten to salvation/ultimate success)
**Listener says--"la hawla wala quwwata illa billah" (there is no might and power except with Allah)

الصلاة خير من النوم
Assalatu khayrun min annawum -- two times for Fajr prayer adhan only
(Prayer is better than sleep)
**Listener says: sadaqta wa barikta

الله أكبر
Allahu Akbar - two times
(Allah is greater than any description)
**Listener repeats

لا إله إلا الله
La ilaha illal lah - two times
(There is no god but Allah)
**Listener repeats

After replying to the call of the Mu'aththin, you should recite the du'a after adhan:

"اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ، وَالصَّلَاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ، آتِ مُحَمَّداً الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ، وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَاماً مَحْمُوداً الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ، [إَنَّكَ لَا تُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ].

Allaahumma Rabba haathihid-da 'watit-taammati wassalaatil-qaa'imati, 'aati Muhammadanil-waseelata walfadheelata, wab 'ath-hu maqaamam-mahmoodanil-lathee wa'adtahu, ['innaka laa tukhliful-mee'aad]

O Allah , Lord of this perfect call and established prayer. Grant Muhammad the intercession and favor, and raise him to the honored station You have promised him, [verily You do not neglect promises].

On the authority of Jabar bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah's peace be upon him, said, "Whoever says,'O Allah, Owner of this perfect call and Owner of this prayer to be performed, bestow upon Muhammad al waseelah (a station in Paradise) and al fadeelah (a rank above the rest of creation) and send him upon a raised platform which you have promised him. Verily, You never fail in Your Promise', he will have my intercession on the Day of Judgment".

Adhan is among the strong symbols of Islam. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, reported to have said, "Any jinn, human, or thing that hears the voice of the Mu'aththin will bear witness for him in the Day of Judgment. So the giving of the call of prayer is a great act of worship. It is recommended that the Mu'aththin be righteous. He is calling people to prayer, so he should be a role model. It is also recommended that he is knowledgeable in the sunnahs related to the adhan and its times, in a state of ritual impurity, and face the Qibla.

May Allah grant you success in this life and the next. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam