Commencement of Adhan, Iqamah, and the Excellence of Reading them

لَمَّا هَبَطَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ع بِالْأَذَانِ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص كَانَ رَأْسُهُ فِي حَجْرِ عَلِيٍّ ع فَأَذَّنَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ع وَ أَقَامَ فَلَمَّا انْتَبَهَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ يَا عَلِيُّ سَمِعْتَ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ حَفِظْتَ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ ادْعُ بِلَالًا فَعَلِّمْهُ فَدَعَا عَلِيٌّ ع بِلَالًا فَعَلَّمَهُ.

when Jibril (Gabriel) descended with Adhan to the Messenger of Allah, he was resting and his head was on Amir al-Mu’minin Ali’s lap. Jibril then read Adhan and Iqamah. When the Messenger of Allah woke up he asked, ‘O Ali, did you hear it?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I did.’ He (the Messenger of Allah) asked, ‘Do you remember it

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ‌ الْأَذَانُ وَ الْإِقَامَةُ خَمْسَةٌ وَ ثَلَاثُونَ حَرْفاً فَعَدَّ ذَلِكَ بِيَدِهِ وَاحِداً وَاحِداً الْأَذَانَ ثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ حَرْفاً وَ الْإِقَامَةَ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ حَرْفاً.

“I once heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.), say, ‘Adhan and ‘Iqamah consist of thirty-five letters.’ He (the Imam) counted them by his hand one by one; Adhan eighteen letters and ‘Iqamah seventeen letters.”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ الْأَذَانُ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى وَ الْإِقَامَةُ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى.

‘Adhan is twice and twice and ‘Iqamah is twice and twice.’”

قَالَ: يَا زُرَارَةُ تَفْتَتِحُ الْأَذَانَ بِأَرْبَعِ تَكْبِيرَاتٍ وَ تَخْتِمُهُ بِتَكْبِيرَتَيْنِ وَ تَهْلِيلَتَيْنِ.

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), once said, ‘O Zurarah, begin Adhan with four Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) and end it with two Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) and two Tahlil, (no one deserves worship except Allah).”’

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ التَّثْوِيبِ فِي الْأَذَانِ وَ الْإِقَامَةِ فَقَالَ مَا نَعْرِفُهُ‌[1].

“I once asked abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) about tathweeb in the Adhan and ‘Iqamah. He (the Imam) replied, ‘It is unknown to us.”’

قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع‌ إِذَا أَذَّنْتَ فَأَفْصِحْ بِالْأَلِفِ وَ الْهَاءِ وَ صَلِّ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ كُلَّمَا ذَكَرْتَهُ أَوْ ذَكَرَهُ ذَاكِرٌ فِي أَذَانٍ وَ غَيْرِهِ.

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘When you say Adhan say Alif and al-Ha’ (two letters of Arabic alphabet) clearly and say O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause whenever you mention his name or someone else mentions his name in Adhan or in other expressions.’”

إِذَا أَذَّنْتَ وَ أَقَمْتَ صَلَّى خَلْفَكَ صَفَّانِ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَ إِذَا أَقَمْتَ صَلَّى خَلْفَكَ صَفٌّ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ.

“Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that if you recite both Adhan and Iqamah, two rows of angels perform Salah (prayer) behind you. If you recite just Iqamah, only one row of angels performs Salah (prayer) behind you.” (Ahadith 3- 8 are best express in the form of fatwa.)

سَأَلْتُهُ أَ يُجْزِئُ أَذَانٌ وَاحِدٌ قَالَ إِنْ صَلَّيْتَ جَمَاعَةً لَمْ يُجْزِئْ إِلَّا أَذَانٌ وَ إِقَامَةٌ وَ إِنْ كُنْتَ وَحْدَكَ تُبَادِرُ أَمْراً تَخَافُ أَنْ يَفُوتَكَ يُجْزِئُكَ إِقَامَةٌ إِلَّا الْفَجْرَ وَ الْمَغْرِبَ فَإِنَّهُ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ تُؤَذِّنَ فِيهِمَا وَ تُقِيمَ مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّهُ لَا يَقْصُرُ فِيهِمَا كَمَا يَقْصُرُ فِي سَائِرِ الصَّلَوَاتِ.

“I once asked one of the two Imam (a.s.), ‘Is one Adhan sufficient? He (the Imam) said, ‘If you perform Salah (prayer) in congregation, there is one Adhan and one ‘Iqamah. If you are alone and you are in a hurry so you do not lose something, then one ‘Iqamah is sufficient, except the morning Salah (prayer) and al-Maghr

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَ يَتَكَلَّمُ الرَّجُلُ فِي الْأَذَانِ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ قُلْتُ فِي الْإِقَامَةِ قَالَ لَا.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), “Can a man speak during Adhan?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’ I then asked, about ‘Iqamah. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is not acceptable.’”

لَا بَأْسَ أَنْ يُؤَذِّنَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ غَيْرِ وُضُوءٍ وَ لَا يُقِيمُ إِلَّا وَ هُوَ عَلَى وُضُوءٍ.

“He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not harmful if a man says Adhan without Wudu’ but he does not say ‘Iqamah without it.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ‌[2] عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَنْتَهِي إِلَى الْإِمَامِ حِينَ يُسَلِّمُ قَالَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يُعِيدَ الْأَذَانَ فَلْيَدْخُلْ مَعَهُمْ فِي أَذَانِهِمْ فَإِنْ وَجَدَهُمْ قَدْ تَفَرَّقُوا أَعَادَ الْأَذَانَ.

from who has said the following: “I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man who joins an Imam when he is saying Salam. He (the Imam) said, ‘He is not required to repeat Adhan. He can join them with their Adhan, however if he finds them leaving, he then repeats Adhan.’”

سُئِلَ عَنِ الْأَذَانِ هَلْ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَكُونَ مِنْ غَيْرِ عَارِفٍ قَالَ لَا يَسْتَقِيمُ الْأَذَانُ وَ لَا يَجُوزُ أَنْ يُؤَذِّنَ بِهِ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ مُسْلِمٌ عَارِفٌ‌[3] فَإِنْ عَلِمَ الْأَذَانَ فَأَذَّنَ بِهِ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ عَارِفاً لَمْ يُجْزِ أَذَانُهُ وَ لَا إِقَامَتُهُ وَ لَا يُقْتَدَى بِهِ‌[4] وَ سُئِلَ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يُؤَذِّنُ وَ يُقِيمُ‌[5] لِيُصَلِّيَ وَحْدَهُ فَيَجِي‌ءُ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَيَقُولُ لَهُ نُ

“Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about Adhan if one who is not well versed can say Adhan. He (the Imam) said, ‘Adhan does not come right and it is not permissible to say Adhan unless one is a Muslim man and knowledgeable. If he knows Adhan he says it, if he is not well versed it is not permissible for him to say

فِي الرَّجُلِ يَنْسَى الْأَذَانَ وَ الْإِقَامَةَ حَتَّى يَدْخُلَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ قَالَ إِنْ كَانَ ذَكَرَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ فَلْيُصَلِّ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ص وَ لْيُقِمْ وَ إِنْ كَانَ قَدْ قَرَأَ فَلْيُتِمَّ صَلَاتَهُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If a man forgets Adhan and ‘Iqamah until he is in Salah (prayer), if he remembers before recitation he says O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause and says ‘Iqamah but if he has done the recitation he completes Salah (prayer).”

مَنْ سَهَا فِي الْأَذَانِ فَقَدَّمَ أَوْ أَخَّرَ عَادَ عَلَى الْأَوَّلِ الَّذِي أَخَّرَهُ حَتَّى يَمْضِيَ عَلَى آخِرِهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If one by mistake, mixes up Adhan he repeats to correct the mix up all the way to the end.’”

يُؤَذِّنُ الرَّجُلُ وَ هُوَ جَالِسٌ وَ لَا يُقِمْ إِلَّا وَ هُوَ قَائِمٌ وَ تُؤَذِّنُ وَ أَنْتَ رَاكِبٌ وَ لَا تُقِمْ إِلَّا وَ أَنْتَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ.

“Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), has said, ‘A man says Adhan when sitting but does not say ‘Iqamah unless he is standing. You can say Adhan when riding but do not say ‘Iqamah unless you are on the ground.’”

قُلْتُ لَهُ يُؤَذِّنُ الرَّجُلُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى غَيْرِ الْقِبْلَةِ قَالَ إِذَا كَانَ التَّشَهُّدُ مُسْتَقْبِلَ الْقِبْلَةِ[1] فَلَا بَأْسَ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Can a man say Adhan without facing al-Qiblah (al- Ka‘bah)?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If during saying the testimonies he faces al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah), then it is not harmful.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْمَرْأَةِ عَلَيْهَا أَذَانٌ وَ إِقَامَةٌ[2] قَالَ لَا.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), if a woman is required to say Adhan and ‘Iqamah. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, she is not required.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِقَامَةُ الْمَرْأَةِ أَنْ تُكَبِّرَ وَ تَشْهَدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ.

‘Women for ‘Iqamah only say Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) and the two testimonies; (I testify that only Allah deserves worship, He is one and has no partners and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger).”’

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ يَا أَبَا هَارُونَ الْإِقَامَةُ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ فَإِذَا أَقَمْتَهُ‌[1] فَلَا تَتَكَلَّمْ وَ لَا تُومِ بِيَدِكَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘O abu Harun, ‘Iqamah is part of Salah (prayer). When you say it do not speak or point with your hands.’”

لَا يُقِمْ أَحَدُكُمُ الصَّلَاةَ وَ هُوَ مَاشٍ وَ لَا رَاكِبٌ وَ لَا مُضْطَجِعٌ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ مَرِيضاً وَ لْيَتَمَكَّنْ فِي الْإِقَامَةِ كَمَا يَتَمَكَّنُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَإِنَّهُ إِذَا أَخَذَ فِي الْإِقَامَةِ فَهُوَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘No one among you says ‘Iqamah for Salah (prayer) when walking, riding or resting unless one is ill. One remains well placed during ‘Iqamah like in Salah (prayer). In ‘Iqamah one is in Salah (prayer).’”

إِذَا دَخَلَ الرَّجُلُ الْمَسْجِدَ وَ هُوَ لَا يَأْتَمُّ بِصَاحِبِهِ وَ قَدْ بَقِيَ عَلَى الْإِمَامِ آيَةٌ أَوْ آيَتَانِ فَخَشِيَ إِنْ هُوَ أَذَّنَ وَ أَقَامَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ فَلْيَقُلْ قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ لْيَدْخُلْ فِي الصَّلَاةِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘A man may enter a Masjid and is not following his companion in Salah (prayer). He finds the Imam has only one verse to recite or two verses. He is afraid of not being able to join the Imam in Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) if he says Adhan or ‘Iqamah. He can say, ‘Salah (prayer) h

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْأَذَانِ قَبْلَ الْفَجْرِ فَقَالَ إِذَا كَانَ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ فَلَا وَ إِذَا كَانَ وَحْدَهُ فَلَا بَأْسَ.

about Adhan before dawn. He (the Imam) said, ‘If it is for congregation, it is not acceptable, but if one is alone, then it is not harmful.’”

الْقُعُودُ بَيْنَ الْأَذَانِ وَ الْإِقَامَةِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ كُلِّهَا إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ قَبْلَ الْإِقَامَةِ صَلَاةٌ يُصَلِّيهَا.

“Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), has said, ‘There is sitting between Adhan and ‘Iqamah for all Salah (prayer) if before ‘Iqamah, other Salah (prayer) is not performed.’”

كَانَ يُقِيمُ وَ قَدْ أَذَّنَ غَيْرُهُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), would say Adhan and someone else would say ‘Iqamah.’ He (the narrator) has said that Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), would say ‘Iqamah and someone else would say Adhan.’”

الْأَذَانُ تَرْتِيلٌ وَ الْإِقَامَةُ حَدْرٌ[2].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Adhan is said with Tartil (articulation slowly) and ‘Iqamah is said quickly.’”

قَالَ‌[1]: ثَلَاثَةٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَى كُثْبَانِ‌[2] الْمِسْكِ أَحَدُهُمْ مُؤَذِّنٌ أَذَّنَ احْتِسَاباً.

“Three things on the Day of Judgment are on sands of musk. One of them is one who says Adhan just for the sake of Allah.”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ الْمُؤَذِّنُ يُغْفَرُ لَهُ مَدَى صَوْتِهِ‌[3] وَ يَشْهَدُ لَهُ كُلُّ شَيْ‌ءٍ سَمِعَهُ.

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘One who recites Adhan receives forgiveness for the sins as big as the space his voice fills and everything hearing him bears witness to this fact.’” (Ahadith 9-28 are best expressed in the form of fatwa.)

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِذَا سَمِعَ الْمُؤَذِّنَ يُؤَذِّنُ قَالَ مِثْلَ مَا يَقُولُهُ فِي كُلِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘When someone recited Adhan, the Messenger of Allah on hearing him would say everything the person reciting Adhan would say.”

مَنْ سَمِعَ الْمُؤَذِّنَ يَقُولُ- أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ مُصَدِّقاً مُحْتَسِباً وَ أَنَا أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ أَكْتَفِي بِهِمَا عَمَّنْ أَبَى وَ جَحَدَ وَ أُعِينُ بِهِمَا مَنْ أَقَرَّ وَ شَهِدَ كَانَ لَهُ مِنَ الْأَجْرِ عَدَدُ مَنْ أَنْكَرَ وَ جَحَدَ وَ مِثْلُ عَدَدِ مَنْ أَقَرَّ

30. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn Mahbub from Jamil ibn Salih from al-Harith ibn al-Mughirah al-Nadriy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that one may hear someone recite Adhan and say, ‘I testify that no one deserves to be worshipped except Allah and I

كَانَ طُولُ حَائِطِ مَسْجِدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص قَامَةً فَكَانَ يَقُولُ ص لِبِلَالٍ إِذَا دَخَلَ الْوَقْتُ يَا بِلَالُ اعْلُ فَوْقَ الْجِدَارِ وَ ارْفَعْ صَوْتَكَ بِالْأَذَانِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ وَكَّلَ بِالْأَذَانِ رِيحاً تَرْفَعُهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَ إِنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ إِذَا سَمِعُوا الْأَذَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا هَذِهِ أَصْوَاتُ أُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص بِتَوْحِيدِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ يَسْتَغْفِرُو

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the height of the wall of the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah was equal to the height of a man. He, the Messenger of Allah would say to Bilal, ‘When time comes, O Bilal, climb on the wall and raise your voice with Adhan. Allah has assigned a wind to raise Adhan to the heaven and t

الرَّجُلُ إِذَا فَرَغَ مِنَ الْأَذَانِ وَ جَلَسَ اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ قَلْبِي بَارّاً وَ عَيْشِي قَارّاً وَ رِزْقِي دَارّاً وَ اجْعَلْ لِي عِنْدَ قَبْرِ نَبِيِّكَ ص قَرَاراً وَ مُسْتَقَرّاً[2].

‘When one completes reciting Adhan and sits down he should say, “O Lord, make my heart virtuous, my livelihood constant, my sustenance to come continuously and assign for me a place near the grave of your prophet to rest and dwell.’”

فَفَعَلْتُ فَأَذْهَبَ اللَّهُ عَنِّي سُقْمِي وَ كَثُرَ وُلْدِي قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَاشِدٍ وَ كُنْتُ دَائِمَ الْعِلَّةِ مَا أَنْفَكُّ مِنْهَا فِي نَفْسِي وَ جَمَاعَةِ خَدَمِي وَ عِيَالِي فَلَمَّا سَمِعْتُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ هِشَامٍ عَمِلْتُ بِهِ فَأَذْهَبَ اللَّهُ عَنِّي وَ عَنْ عِيَالِيَ الْعِلَلَ.

“I complained before abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), against an illness and that I do not have any child. He commanded me, ‘Recite Adhan in your home loudly.’ I followed his instruction. The illness was gone and my children became numerous.” Muhammad ibn Rashid has said, ‘I was always ill, myself, a group of my servants

لَوْ أَنَّ مُؤَذِّناً أَعَادَ فِي الشَّهَادَةِ وَ فِي حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ أَوْ حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ الْمَرَّتَيْنِ وَ الثَّلَاثَ وَ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ إِذَا كَانَ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ بِهِ جَمَاعَةَ الْقَوْمِ لِيَجْمَعَهُمْ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِهِ بَأْسٌ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If when saying Adhan one repeats the phrases of the ‘testimonies’ or ‘come to Salah (prayer)’ or ‘to salvation’ three times or more with the intention of calling people to come together, it is not harmful.’”

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ أَذِّنْ فِي بَيْتِكَ فَإِنَّهُ يَطْرُدُ الشَّيْطَانَ وَ يُسْتَحَبُّ مِنْ أَجْلِ الصِّبْيَانِ‌[3].

’Recite the Adhan in your house, for it repels Satan and it is a beloved thing to do for the sake of children.’”