The
adhan is the call given to announce that
it is time for a particular obligatory Salah (ritual Prayer). Five times a day the adhan
is raised from mosques throughout the world. It is a Sunnah (optional duty) that brings its
own reward from Allah (God). The person who gives the adhan
is called a muadhdhin. (The English word “muezzin” is a mispronunciation of the Arabic
term.)
The adhan begins
with an affirmation of the supremacy of Allah (God). Then comes the shahadah (profession of
faith), which consists of the profession of the Unity of Allah (God), the negation of shirk (polytheism),
and the confirmation that Muhammad (peace and blessings be on him) is the Messenger of Allah (God).
And after that, comes the call to the Prayer and to success — our eternal home in Paradise —
which also implies our return to the Creator. Each line is repeated for emphasis.
The words of the adhan
are as follows:
Allahu
Akbar, Allahu Akbar.
Allah is the Greatest, Allah
is the Greatest.
Allahu
Akbar, Allahu Akbar.
Allah is the Greatest, Allah
is the Greatest.
Ash-hadu alla ilaha
illa-llah.
I bear witness that there is
none worthy of worship but Allah.
Ash-hadu
alla ilaha illa-llah.
I bear witness that there is
none worthy of worship 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.
Hasten to the Prayer, hasten
to the Prayer.
Hayya
‘ala-l-falah,
hayya ‘ala-l-falah.
Hasten to real success,
hasten to real success
Allahu
Akbar, Allahu Akbar.
Allah is the Greatest,
Allah is the Greatest.
La
ilaha illa-llah
There is none worthy of
worship but Allah.
In the adhan
for the Subh (Dawn) Prayer (also commonly called the Fajr Prayer), the following words are
added after Hayya ‘ala-l-falah:
As-Salatu
khairun min an-naum, As-Salatu khairun min an-naum.
Prayer is better than sleep,
Prayer is better than sleep.
The Sunnah (practice
of the Prophet) recommends that while the adhan is being called, one should listen
attentively and repeat it silently after the muadhdhin, but when he says “Hayya
‘ala-s-Salah” and “Hayya
‘ala-l-falah” one should say:
La
hawla wa la quwwata illa billah.
There is no might or power
except with Allah.
After the adhan, it
is recommended to say the following du‘a’ (supplication):
Allahumma
rabba hadhihi-d-da‘awati-t-tammati wa-s-Salati-l-qa’imati, ati Muhammadan il-wasilata
wa-l-fadilata wa-d-darajata-r-rafî‘ati wa-b‘ath-hu maqamam mahmudan illadhi wa‘adtahu.
0 Allah, Lord of this most
perfect call, and of the Prayer that is about to be established, grant to Muhammad the favor of
nearness (to You) and excellence and a place of distinction, and exalt him to a position of glory
that You have promised him.
Iqamah (Standing
Up For Prayer)
Iqamah means
to stand up for the Salah (ritual Prayer). It is a Sunnah (practice of the Prophet) to
call the iqamah just before the Salah begins, whether the salan is performed
individually or in congregation.
The words of the iqamah are
the same as the adhan, except that after “Hayya
‘ala-l-falah” one
says:
Qad
qamati-s-Salah, Qad qamati-s-Salah.
Prayer
is ready, Prayer is ready.
It is recommended that the
hearer of the iqamah should repeat it after the
muqim
(the one who announces the iqamah), and when he says “Qad
qamati-s-Salah” the hearer should respond by saying:
Aqamaha-llahu
wa adamaha.
May Allah keep it
established forever.
