< Poetry < Interesting Articles < Inspiring Stories < Stories from Reverts | Prayer Timetables > What is Islam > Salat > Ramadan > Hajj >  Qur'an >

Friday 21 September 2007

The Adhan & Iqamah

The Adhan (The Call to Prayer)
Taken from islamonline.net

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.

Note:
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.


The words of the Iqamah 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.

Qad qamati-s-Salah, Qad qamati-s-Salah.
Prayer is ready, Prayer is ready.

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.

La ilaha illa-llah
There is none worthy of worship but Allah.

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.

5 comments:

Syed Habeeb Ullah Quadri said...

Jazakallah brother.

Good service for new Muslims or the ones who does not know this.

Anonymous said...

Salam.
Aren't the lines of Iqamah said only once apart form "Qad qamati-s-Salah" which is said twice?
Brother Hamzah

Mohammed Choudhury said...

Walikum Assalam, brother Hamza thank you for your question, the posted page is correct for iqamah for Hanif sunni muslims and may differ from other schools of though.

Please email me @ info@al-islam.co.uk and i shall provide with the information i have.

Alternatively are some text from an article I saw on a website not related to this blog ...

Iqamah (A call immediately before prayer): Its form is as follows:

Allahu akbar-- twice according to all the schools except the Hanafis who require it four times.

Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah -- once according to the Shafi'is,
Malikis and Hanbalis and twice according to the Hanafis and Imamis.

Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah -- once in the opinion of the Shafi'is, Malikis
and Hanbalis, and twice according to the Hanafis and Imamis.

Hayya 'ala as-salat -- once in the opinion of the Shafi'is, Malikis and Hanbalis, and twice according to the Hanafis.

Hayya 'ala al-falah -- once in
the opinion of the Shafi'is, Malikis and Hanbalis, and twice according to the Hanafis.

Qad qamat is-salat -- twice in the opinion of all schools,
except The Malikis who recite it once.

Allahu akbar -- twice in the opinion of all the schools.

La ilaha illallah -- once in the opinion of all the schools.

Anonymous said...

Assalmu'alaikum Brother,

How can I do'a in between Adzan and Iqamah....
because I do not know when they start to stand up after adzan.

where can I follow the one in adzan know exactly when the iqamah going on?

or only people who goes to the mosque able to do that ?

Wa'laikum Salam Brother

Hany

Mohammed Choudhury said...

Walikum Assalam, brother Hany thank you for your question (sory for late reply), It seems the question is in relation to Adhan and Iqamah based inside a mosque.

Most mosques will have Adhan and Iqamah (or Jammat)timetables publised on the websites and/ or posted in the notice boards at the mosques.

If they publish the Adhan only then usually the Jammat (or iqamah time) will usually be 10 minutes after the Adhan (to allow for the congression to gather), and also allow for time to pray the sunnat salat before the fard. This is true for Central London Mosque at the time of writing. Magrib usually within 5 minutes.

This 10 minues is a rule of thumb and can be earlier or later - but most mosques will have Jammat times on display inside the mosque. Keep a look out or ask a brother inside the mosque. I hope this helps insha-Allah