What Is the Difference between the Adhan and the Iqama?
Answered By Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad
Question
What is the difference between the Adhan and the Iqama?
Answer
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his Family, and his Companions.
Adhan
In language, Adhan means “announcement,” as in the verse: “A declaration from Allah and His Messenger .” [Quran, 9:3]
In Islamic terminology, Adhan is an announcement marking the time for prayer and a call to congregate.
Iqama
The term Iqama, in language, is derived from “aqama,” which means to establish. Specifically, “aqama lil-salah iqama” means to call for the prayer.
In Islamic terminology, Iqama is an announcement to those present, prepared to start the prayer, using specific phrases and in a specific manner.
To provide additional benefits, we will mention some related issues:
Legitimacy of Adhan
Adhan was prescribed in Medina during the first year of Hijra, according to the most accurate reports. There are authentic hadiths on this matter, including the one narrated by Muslim from Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar, who said:
“When the Muslims arrived in Medina, they would gather and wait for the prayer without being called. One day, they discussed the matter and some said, ‘Let’s use a bell like the Christians,’ while others said, ‘A horn like the Jews.’ ‘Umar then said, ‘Why don’t you send someone to call for the prayer?’ The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: ‘O Bilal, get up and call to prayer.’” [Bukhari; Muslim]
Then came the dream of Abdullah Ibn Zayd, who said:
“When the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) ordered a bell to be made to gather people for prayer, I had a dream where I saw a man in green garments with a bell. I asked him if he would sell the bell. He asked why I wanted it, and I explained that it was to call people to prayer. He then said, ‘Shall I not guide you to something better?’ I replied, ‘Yes,’ and he instructed me when I want to establish the prayer, say:
’اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ ، حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ ، حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ ، حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ ، حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ ، ثُمَّ اسْتَأْخَرَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : تَقُولُ إِذَا أَقَمْتَ الصَّلَاةَ : اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ ، حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ ، حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ ، قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ ، قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ‘
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Come to prayer, Come to prayer, Come to success, Come to success, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, There is no deity but Allah.
When I awoke, I went to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) and told him what I saw. He said: ‘Indeed, it is a true vision, if Allah wills.
Go to Bilal and convey to him what you have seen, so that he may call to prayer with these words, for he has a louder voice than you.’ I went to Bilal and conveyed the message, and he called to prayer using those words. ‘Umar heard the call while he was in his house and came out dragging his cloak, saying: ‘By Him who sent Muhammad with the truth, I saw the same vision.’ The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) then said: ‘All praise is due to Allah.’” [Ibn al-Jarud; Ibn Khuzayma; Ibn Hibban; Abu Dawud]
The umma has unanimously agreed on the legitimacy of the adhan (call to prayer), which has been practiced without any dispute since the time of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) until today.
The Wisdom Behind the Legitimacy of the Adhan
Ibn Hajar said: “From the adhan, the announcement of the prayer time, the call to the congregation, and the manifestation of Islamic rituals are achieved. The wisdom in choosing words for it instead of actions is the ease and simplicity of saying it, which makes it accessible to everyone at all times and places.” [Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari]
Nawawi said: “Scholars have mentioned four points of wisdom in the adhan: the manifestation of the Islamic symbol, the declaration of the oneness of Allah, the announcement of the prayer time and its place, and the call to the congregation. And Allah knows best.” [Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim]
The Ruling on Adhan
The Shafi‘is said: The adhan is a communal sunna (sunna kifaya) for the congregation and an individual sunna (sunna ‘ayn) for an individual if he does not hear the adhan from others. It is recommended for the five obligatory prayers during travel and residence, even if they are missed prayers. [‘Imrani, al-Bayan fi Madhhab al-Imam al-Shafi‘i; Nawawi, al-Majmu‘]
The Virtue of Adhan
The adhan is one of the best deeds that brings one closer to Allah (Most High). It has great virtue and tremendous reward. Many hadiths have been reported regarding its virtue. Among them is what Abu Hurayra narrated: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,
“If people knew what blessing lies in the call to prayer and in the first row, they could do nothing but cast lots for it, they would do so; if they know what blessing lies in going to prayer early, they would race to do it and if they know what blessing lies in the prayer after nightfall and the morning prayer, they would come to them even if they had to crawl to do so.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
He said (Allah bless him and give him peace), “The mu’azzins will have the longest necks on the Day of Resurrection.” [Muslim; Ibn Hibban; Ibn Maja]
Some jurists have preferred the adhan over leading the prayer (imama) due to the hadiths that have been narrated regarding its virtue. [Shirazi, al-Muhadhdhab]
The Words of the Adhan
The words of the adhan mentioned in the hadith of Abdullah Ibn Zayd, which he narrated from his vision to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), are those adopted by the Hanafis and Hanbalis. [Mawsili, al-Ikhtiyar; Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni]
They are as follows:
”اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ ، حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ ، حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ ، حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ ، حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ ، ثُمَّ اسْتَأْخَرَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : تَقُولُ إِذَا أَقَمْتَ الصَّلَاةَ : اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ ، حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ ، حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ ، قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ ، قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ“
“Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Come to prayer, Come to prayer, Come to success, Come to success, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, There is no deity but Allah.”
The Shafi‘i School recommends performing tarji‘ (الترجيع) in the adhan. Tarji‘ means that the mu’azzin lowers his voice when reciting the two testimonies (shahadatayn) so that those present can hear, then raises his voice with them. [Nawawi, al-Majmu‘; Shirbini, Mughni al-Muhtaj]
This is based on the hadith of Abu Mahdhura, who said: “The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) personally taught me the adhan. He said: ‘Say: Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah—twice, twice. Then go back and prolong your voice with: I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Come to prayer, come to prayer. Come to success, come to success. Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is no deity but Allah.’” [Muslim; Ibn Khuzayma; Ibn Hibban; Abu Dawud; Tirmidhi]
This is the way the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) taught him.
As for the Taswib
Taswib is the addition of the phrase “prayer is better than sleep” (الصلاة خير من النومو) twice after the last hayya ‘ala al-falah (حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ ) phrases in the Fajr adhan. It is a sunna according to all jurists, based on the statement of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) to Abu Mahdhura: “If it is the Fajr prayer, say: ‘prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep. Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is no deity but Allah.’” [Ibn Hibban]
Bilal also narrated that he came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) to call him for the Fajr prayer and found him sleeping. So he said, “Prayer is better than sleep” twice. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “What a good phrase this is, O Bilal, include it in your adhan.” [Tabarani; Darimi; Ibn Maja]
Taswib is specific to the Fajr prayer due to people’s tendency to be lazy because of sleep.
Responding to the Adhan and Supplication After It
It is recommended for anyone who hears the adhan to respond by repeating what the muezzin says. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “When you hear the mu’azzin, say what he says.”
It is also recommended to say “La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah” (There is no power nor strength except with Allah) when the mu’azzin says “Hayya ‘ala al-Salah” (Come to prayer) and “Hayya ‘ala al-Falah” (Come to success). ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“When the mu’azzin says: ‘Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,’ and one of you says: ‘Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest’; then he says: ‘I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah,’ and he says: ‘I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah’; then he says: ‘I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,’ and he says: ‘I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah’;
then he says: ‘Hayya ‘ala al-Salah,’ and he says: ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah’; then he says: ‘Hayya ‘ala al-Falah,’ and he says: ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah’; then he says: ‘Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,’ and he says: ‘Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest’;
then he says: ‘There is no deity but Allah,’ and he says: ‘There is no deity but Allah’ from his heart, he will enter Paradise.” [Muslim]
For the taswib (saying “prayer is better than sleep” during the Fajr adhan), one should say: “You have spoken the truth and done well” (صدقت وبرِرت). Then he should send blessings upon the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and say:
”اللهم رب هذه الدعوة التامة والصلاة القائمة آت محمدا الوسيلة والفضيلة وابعثه مقاما محمودا الذي وعدته“
“O Allah, Lord of this complete call and established prayer, grant Muhammad the means and virtue, and raise him to a praiseworthy position that You have promised him.”
This is based on the hadith of Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr Ibn al-As, who heard the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) say: “When you hear the mu’azzin, say what he says, then send blessings upon me, for whoever sends blessings upon me, Allah will send blessings upon him tenfold. Then ask Allah for al-Wasila for me, for it is a rank in Paradise which is only for one of the servants of Allah, and I hope that I may be the one. Whoever asks that I be granted al-Wasila, my intercession will be assured for him.” [Ibid.]
After the adhan, one may supplicate for whatever they wish, based on the hadith of Anas Ibn Malik, who said: “The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: ‘Supplication between the adhan and the iqama is not rejected, so supplicate.’” [Ibn Khuzayma; Ibn Hibban; Tirmidhi; Ahmad]
Iqama
The schools of thought agree that the words of the iqama are the same as the words of the adhan, with the addition of:
“قد قامت الصلاة” (The prayer has been established) after “حي على الفلاح” (Come to success).
They also agree that the order of the words is the same as that of the adhan. However, they differ in the repetition and singularity of the words as follows:
- “Allahu Akbar”:
- Said twice by the three schools (Malikis, Shafi‘is, and Hanbalis).
- Said four times by the Hanafis.
- “Ashhadu ‘an la ilaha illa Allah” (I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah):
- Said once by the three schools.
- Said twice by the Hanafis.
- “Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasul Allah” (I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah):
- Said once by the three schools.
- Said twice by the Hanafis.
- “Hayya ‘ala al-Salah” (Come to prayer):
- Said once by the three schools.
- Said twice by the Hanafis.
- “Hayya ‘ala al-Falah” (Come to success):
- Said once by the three schools.
- Said twice by the Hanafis.
- “Qad qamatis-Salah” (The prayer has been established):
- Said twice by the Hanafis, Shafi‘is, and Hanbalis.
- Said once by the Malikis, according to the well-known opinion.
- “Allahu Akbar”:
- Said twice by all four schools.
- “La ilaha illa Allah” (There is no deity but Allah):
- Said once by all four schools.
From this, it is understood that the three schools differ from the Hanafis in that they recite most of the words of the iqama only once, as explained above.
Speeding Up the Iqama (Hadr al-Iqama)
Hadr is the act of speeding up and avoiding prolongation. The jurists agree on hastening the iqama and slowing down the adhan, based on the narration from Jabir Ibn Abdullah, who said that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said to Bilal: “When you call the adhan, do so slowly and deliberately, and when you give the iqama, do so quickly. Allow enough time between your adhan and iqamah for someone who is eating to finish, someone who is drinking to finish, and someone who needs to relieve themselves to do so.” [Hakim; Tirmidhi]
The Time for Iqama
The iqama is prescribed as a preparation for the prayer, much like the purification for ihram and the purification for Jumu‘a, to remind oneself to be ready and to announce the beginning of the prayer. It cannot be given before the prayer time starts; it must start within the prayer time, and two conditions must be met:
- The entry of the prayer time.
- The intention to commence the prayer.
If the iqama is given slightly before the time begins and the prayer starts immediately after the time begins, it is not valid. If the iqama is given within the time and there is a significant delay before starting the prayer, the iqama is invalid because it is meant to precede the prayer directly. [Nawawi, al-Majmu‘]
Who Can Give the Adhan and Iqama?
The adhan is only valid if given by a Muslim who is sane. The adhan of a disbeliever or an insane person is invalid because they are not eligible for worship. A sane child’s adhan is valid because they are eligible for worship. It is disliked for a woman to give the adhan, but it is recommended for her to pronounce the iqama, as the adhan involves raising the voice, whereas the iqama does not. If a woman gives the adhan for men, it is not considered valid because her leading men in prayer is not valid, so her adhan for them is also invalid. [Shirazi, al-Muhadhdhab]
What to Say During the Iqama?
It is recommended that those who hear the iqamah repeat what the muezzin says, except during the haya ‘ala (call phrases), where they should say: “La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah” (There is no power nor strength except with Allah). When the phrase “Qad qamatis-salah” (The prayer has been established) is said, they should say: “Aqamaha Allah wa adamaha” (May Allah establish it and perpetuate it. [Nawawi, al-Majmu‘]
Bayhaqi narrated from Abu Umama or from some of the companions of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) that when Bilal started the iqama and said “Qad qamatis-salah,” the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Aqamaha Allah wa adamaha” (May Allah establish it and perpetuate it). The rest of the iqama is similar to the hadith of ‘Umar regarding the adhan.
(Imam Bayhaqi said,) This—if authentic—is evidence for what Shafi‘i (Allah have mercy on him) deemed praiseworthy, which is to say: “O Allah, establish it and perpetuate it, and make us among the righteous inhabitants of it by our actions.” [Bayhaqi, Sunan al-Kubra; Abu Dawud]
May Allah grant us success in what He loves and is pleased with, and may He bless us to accompany His Prophet, our Master Muhammad, by His grace and generosity. Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.
[Shaykh] Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad
Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad, born in Damascus, Syria, in 1965, pursued his Islamic studies in the mosques and institutes of Damascus. A graduate of the Islamic University of Medina in 1985, he holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Bahauddin Zakariya University in Pakistan.
He has extensive experience developing curricula and enhancing the teaching of various academic courses, including conducting intensive courses. Shaykh Awad has taught Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Quranic sciences, the history of legislation, inheritance laws, and more at several institutes and universities such as Al-Furqan Institute for Islamic Sciences and Majma‘ al-Fath al-Islami in Damascus.
He is a lecturer at the Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih Waqf University in Istanbul, teaching various Arabic and Islamic subjects, and teaches at numerous Islamic institutes in Istanbul. Shaykh Awad is a member of the Association of Syrian Scholars, a founding member of the Zayd bin Thabit Foundation, a member of the Syrian Scholars Association, and a member of the Academic Council at the Iman Center for Teaching the Sunna and Quran.
Among his teachers from whom he received Ijazat are his father, Shaykh Muhammad Muhiyiddin Awad, Shaykh Muhiyiddin al-Kurdi, Shaykh Muhammad Karim Rajih, Shaykh Usama al-Rifai, Shaykh Ayman Suwaid, Shaykh Ahmad al-Qalash, Shaykh Muhammad Awwama, and Shaykh Mamduh Junayd.
