Azan is the Islamic call to prayer. It is an Arabic word which linguistically means an announcement. It is recited five times a day to inform Muslims of the five obligatory (fardhu) prayer times.ย
In early Islamic history, when the call to prayer was yet to be introduced, the companions discussed with one another on how to know the time of prayer.
Abdullah Bin Zaid r.a. saw in his dream that the azan was made. He then told the Prophet s.a.w. about his dream of a man telling him the recitation of the call to prayer. The Prophet s.a.w. replied:
ุฅููุง ุฑูุคููุง ุญููู ุฅู ุดุงุกู ุงูููู ุชุนุงูู ุ ูููู ู ู ุน ุจููุงูู ูุงููู ุนูููู ู ุง ุฑุฃูุชู ููููุคุฐููู ุจูู ุ ูุฅูู ุฃููุฏูู ุตูุชุง ู ููู
โIt is a true dream (vision) God willing, proceed with Bilal and inform him what you saw and let him call it (the Azan), for he has a better voice than youโ
(Sahih Al-Bukhari)
Umar Al-Khattab r.a. also had the same dream. The Prophet s.a.w. then ordered Bilal r.a. to recite and pronounce the call to prayer. Ibn Umar r.a. also narrates to us the event:
ย ุฃูููู ุงุจููู ุนูู ูุฑู ุ ููุงูู ููููููู : ููุงูู ุงูู ูุณูููู ูููู ุญูููู ููุฏูู ููุง ุงูู ูุฏููููุฉู ููุฌูุชูู ูุนูููู ููููุชูุญููููููููู ุงูุตูููุงูุฉู ููููุณู ููููุงุฏูู ููููุง ุ ููุชููููููู ููุง ููููู ูุง ููู ุฐููููู ุ ููููุงูู ุจูุนูุถูููู ู : ุงุชููุฎูุฐููุง ููุงูููุณูุง ู ูุซููู ููุงูููุณู ุงููููุตูุงุฑูู ุ ููููุงูู ุจูุนูุถูููู ู : ุจููู ุจููููุง ู ูุซููู ููุฑููู ุงููููููุฏู ุ ููููุงูู ุนูู ูุฑู : ุฃููููุงู ุชูุจูุนูุซูููู ุฑูุฌูููุง ููููุงุฏูู ุจูุงูุตูููุงูุฉู ุ ููููุงูู ุฑูุณูููู ุงูููููู ุตููููู ุงูููููู ุนููููููู ููุณููููู ู : ููุง ุจููุงููู ููู ู ููููุงุฏู ุจูุงูุตูููุงูุฉู
When the Muslims arrived at Madinah, They would assemble for the prayer by guessing the time for it because there wasnโt a specific call to announce the prayer time. They then discussed this matter. Some people suggested the use of a bell like the Christians, others proposed a trumpet like the horn used by the Jews. Umar r.a. suggest that a man should call (the people) for the prayer; so Allah's Messenger s.a.w. ordered: โO Bilal get up and announce the Azan for prayer.โ
(Sahih Al-Bukhari)
ุงูููููู ุฃูููุจูุฑู ุงูููููู ุฃูููุจูุฑู ุงูููููู
Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar
Allah is The Greatest, Allah is The Greatest.
ย
ุงูููููู ุฃูููุจูุฑู ุงูููููู ุฃูููุจูุฑู ุงูููููู
Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbarย
Allah is The Greatest, Allah is The Greatest.
ย
ุฃูุดูููุฏู ุฃููู ูุงู ุฅููููู ุฅููุงูู ุงูููููู
Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah
I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah.
ย
ุฃูุดูููุฏู ุฃููู ูุงู ุฅููููู ุฅููุงูู ุงูููููู
Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah
I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah.ย
ย
ุฃูุดูููุฏู ุฃูููู ู ูุญูู ููุฏูุง ุฑูุณูููู ุงูููููู
Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah
I bear witness that Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah.
ย
ุฃูุดูููุฏู ุฃูููู ู ูุญูู ููุฏูุง ุฑูุณูููู ุงูููููู
Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah
I bear witness that Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah.
ย
ุญูููู ุนูููู ุงูุตูููุงูุฉู
Hayya 'alas-salah
Come to Prayer.
ย
ุญูููู ุนูููู ุงูุตูููุงูุฉู
Hayya 'alas-salah
Come to Prayer.
ย
ุญูููู ุนูููู ุงูููููุงูุญู
Hayya 'alal-falah
Come to success.
ย
ุญูููู ุนูููู ุงูููููุงูุญู
Hayya 'alal-falah
Come to success.
ย
ุงูููููู ุฃูููุจูุฑู ุงูููููู ุฃูููุจูุฑู
Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.
ย
ูุงู ุฅููููู ุฅููุงูู ุงูููููู
La ilaha illallah
None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.
Reciting Dua after the Azan has many benefits. Its merits are as follows:
Jabir bin โAbdullah r.a. narrated that whoever recites this prayer after which the Azan is heard, Allah's Messenger s.a.w. said:
โHe will receive my intercession on the Day of Resurrection"
(Sahih Al-Bukhari)
Verily, Allah s.w.t. hears every prayer. However, there are several factors that may cause our Dua to be rejected such as insincerity, arrogance or any other unseen shortcomings. This calls us to seek the encouraged time and intentions to pray as taught by the Prophet and his righteous followers. This includes making a Dua after the Azan.
โThe supplication made between the adhan and the iqamah is not rejected.โ
(Sunan Abi Daud)
ุงููููููู ูู ุฑูุจูู ููุฐููู ุงูุฏููุนูููุฉู ุงูุชููุงู ููุฉู ููุงูุตูููุงูุฉู ุงููููุงุฆูู ูุฉู ุขุชู ู ูุญูู ููุฏูุง ุงููููุณููููุฉู ููุงููููุถููููุฉู ููุงุจูุนูุซููู ู ูููุงู ูุง ู ูุญูู ููุฏูุง ุงูููุฐูู ููุนูุฏูุชููู
Allahumma Rabba hadhihid-da`watit-tammah, was-solatil qa'imah, ati Muhammadan-l-wasilata wal-fadilah, wa-b`ath-hu maqaman mahmudan-il-ladhi wa`adtahu
O Allah! Lord of this perfect call (perfect by not ascribing partners to You) and of the regular prayer which is going to be established, give Muhammad the right of intercession and illustriousness, and resurrect him to the best and the highest place in Paradise that You promised him (of).
(Sahih Al-Bukhari)
By reciting the very same words of the Muazzin, we are answering the Azan (call to prayer). This recitation is meant to be read during the Azan and not after the Azan itself. The Prophet s.a.w. mentioned in a hadith:
โWhen you hear the Muazzin, repeat what he says..โ
(Sahih Muslim)
ุงููููููู ูู ุตูููู ุนูููู ู ูุญูู ููุฏู ููุนูููู ุขูู ู ูุญูู ููุฏู
Allahumma salli โala Muhammadย wa-โala ali Muhammad
Our scholars have encouraged us to recite the selawat after the Azan based on the following hadith:
โWhen you hear the Muazzin, repeat what he says; then invoke the selawat upon me, for everyone who invokes a selawat upon me will receive ten blessings from Allah; then ask Allah to grant al-Wasila (the right to give intercession) for me, which is a rank in Paradise fitting for only one of Allah's servants, and I hope that I may be the one. For whoever asks that I be given the al-Wasila, he will be assured to be given of my Syafaah (intercession).โ
(Sahih Muslim)
What is meant here is to recite any Dua in general. A person may ask Allah s.w.t. from his deepest hearts for the betterment of both this world and the next, such as asking for wellbeing, protection and forgiveness for ourselves and our parents.
In addition to that, this is also considered to be one of the blessed times for a Dua to be made. Allah's Messenger s.a.w. said:
โThe supplication made between the azan and the iqamah is not rejected.โ
(Sunan Abi Daud)