Salah (Prayer) – The Adhan & Iqamah
Preparing for the Prayer: Section 2.5
What Is the Adhan?
The Adhan (call to prayer) is a public announcement that the time for one of the five daily prayers has begun. It was established during the time of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and serves as a reminder to stop worldly activity and prepare for salah.
The words of the Adhan are:
Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest
Ashhadu an la ilaha illa-Allah I bear witness that there is no god but Allah
Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasul Allah I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
Hayya ʿalas-salah Hasten to the prayer
Hayya ʿala-l-falah Hasten to success
Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest
La ilaha illa-Allah There is no god but Allah
For Fajr, the caller adds:
As-salatu khayrun min an-nawm
Prayer is better than sleep
What Is the Iqamah?
The Iqamah is a shorter version of the Adhan, said immediately before the prayer begins, usually inside the mosque. It signals the start of the congregation standing for prayer.
The Iqamah includes the same words as the Adhan, but adds:
Qad qamatis-salah, qad qamatis-salah
The prayer has been established, The prayer has been established
Responding to the Adhan
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught Muslims to repeat the phrases of the Adhan silently after the caller, except for “Hayya ʿalas-salah” and “Hayya ʿala-l-falah”, to which one replies:
La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah
There is no power and no strength except with Allah
He ﷺ also said:
“When you hear the Mu’adhin (calling for the prayer), repeat his words then ask Allah’s blessings upon me, because the one who asks Allah’s blessings upon me once will be rewarded ten blessings by Allah.” (Hadith)
Adhan at Home
While the Adhan is primarily a communal call in mosques, it is also recommended for men to call it at home before praying in congregation with family or individually.
The Adhan is a public call related to the communal obligation (fard kifayah) and leadership in prayer, roles assigned to men in Islamic practice. Islam exempts women from this responsibility offering them a ease and flexibility in their private worship.