Islam-The Right Path.

ADHAAN

Assalam Alaikum Warahmotulah Wabarakatuh.

SUNNAH TO PRAY ADHAAN, IQAMAH & OF THE MU’AZZIN

O Allah (The Exalted) favour master Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and the family of our master Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) until there remains not a single drop of favour.

After the completion of Masjid-e-Nabawi (The Prophet’s Mosque) in the first year of migration from Makkah to Madinah, there had still been no medium through which the people could be informed of the time regarding congregational Salaah. When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) consulted the companions regarding this, some suggested a fire be lit, while others proposed a bugle be used. These methods were not preferred by him as they were also used by the non-Muslims to gather people. Hence, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said that someone should go around Madinah announcing the time of Salaah. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) liked this idea and ordered Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) to do so, who would pass through the city saying, “As-Salaatu Jaam’iatun”, for all five daily Salaah. It was during this time that a companion named ‘Abd-Allah bin Zaid Ansaari (may Allah be pleased with him) had a dream in which the Adhaan according to the Shariah (i.e. the present Adhaan) was being read - a dream thereafter seen by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and other companions as well. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) accepted this as an order from Allah (The Exalted) and instructed ‘Abd-Allah bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) to teach Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) its words seeing that he had a louder voice; and thus, from that day onwards and until the Last Day, the method of reading Adhaan had begun. (Zarqani, Vol: 1, p. 376. Seerat-e-Mustafa, p. 80.) Subhanallah!

The Rewards

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) once gathered the women (behind a Veil) and said; ‘O women when you hear Bilal saying the Adhaan and Iqamah reply to what he says, as Allah (The Exalted) will reward you for every word 100,000 and raise your status by 1000 and will forgive 1000 sins. The women said; ‘This is for the women what about for the men? The Prophet said; ‘for men it is twice the reward.’ (Ibn Asakar)

It is stated in the hadith that there is a lot of reward for calling the Adhaan. In one hadith it is stated, “If people knew how much reward there is for calling the Adhaan, then they would be fighting with swords between them.” (Riwa’al Hamd) Allahu Akbar!

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, three types of people would be on the mountain of black musk on the Day of Resurrection. They will have no accounting and they will have no anxiety till they become free;

One who recites the Qur'an and leads the Salaah for those who are pleased with him,

One who gives the Adhaan in a mosque to please Allah (The Exalted), and

One who is troubled in the world regarding his livelihood but does not give up the deeds of the next world in searching it.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, “The hand of mercy remains on the head of the person calling the Adhaan till he finishes.”

Forgiveness

‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, “The caller of Adhaan will be forgiven (equivalent) to the distance which it is heard, and everything wet and dry that hears it will ask for forgiveness for the caller.” (Kanzul Ummal. Kamil ibn Adi. Jam’i-ul-Hadith, Vol:11, p. 445. Fatawa-e-Razawiyya, Vol: 2, p. 273) Subhanallah!