Adhan and Iqamah

Hi all readers! In this article, I will explain important things about adhan and iqamah. As Muslims, of course, we are very familiar with these two things. But there are some important things about that that we might not know about. That is why I will explain it now.

I will explain some important things about adhan and iqamah as follows:

The Best Person to Recite Adhan and Iqamah

Adhan is a few sentences spoken by someone as a sign that prayer can be done. Indeed, it is not an official sign about prayer times. But usually that's what many people use as a sign.

Adhan also functions as a sign to tell someone that prayer can be done. While iqamah is a sign that Jamaah prayer will be done soon. I will explain several important things about both.

One thing that is common, that when someone recite adhan and iqamah, he uses a speaker so that others know what they mean. The question is who is the worthiest of doing that?

I will quote one hadith and explain its intention to answer that question. Pay attention!

عَنْ أَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : الْمُؤَذِّنُ أَمْلَكُ بِالْأَذَانِ وَالْإِمَامُ أَمْلَكُ بِالْإِقَامَةِ . رَوَاهُ ابْنُ عَدِّي

From Abu Hurairah radliyallaahu 'anhu, he said, "The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam said, "The person who recite adhan is more entitled to recite adhan, while the person who will lead the prayer is more entitled to recite iqamah." The hadith is narrated by Ibnu 'Addi.

All readers! If we understand the hadith above, then of course we already know, that the person who has the right to recite adhan is the person who usually echo adhan. Perhaps a more appropriate explanation is, people who are able to pay attention to the important points that I have explained in the previous article. While the person who has the most right to recite iqamah is the person who will lead the prayer. That is the Islamic provision about this based on the hadith.

There are some important things related to the hadith above that we need to know;

People who recite adhan are people who is trusted to pay attention to prayer times. He was assigned to monitor it.
Prayer (salat) cannot be done except with a signal given by the person who will lead the prayer or with his arrival. So, it cannot be dependent on permission.

Answering Adhan According to Islamic Law

When someone hears adhan, he usually utters sentences in answer it. Yes, thus it is because in essence adhan is an invitation to pray. But, how to answer it? Is that mandatory?

I will quote a number of hadiths to answer the two questions above. Pay attention!

عَنْ أَبِيْ سَعِيْدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ النِّدَاءَ فَقُوْلُوْا مِثْلَ مَا يَقُوْلُ الْمُؤَذِّنُ . مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ

From Abu Sa'id al-Khudri radliyallahu 'anhu, he said, "Allah's Messenger sallallahu' alaihi wa sallam said, "If you hear the call (adhan) then say it like something that is said by the person who echo adhan." The hadith is narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

وَلِمُسْلِمٍ عَنْ عُمَرٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ فَيْ فَضْلِ الْقَوْلِ كَمَا يَقُوْلُ الْمُؤَذِّنُ كَلِمَةً كَلِمَةً ، سِوَى الْحَيْعَلَتَيْنِ ، فَيَقُوْلُ : لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ

Muslim have hadith history from Umar radliyallaahu 'anhu about the virtue of speech as spoken by people who echo adhan, sentence by sentence, except the phrase "Hayya 'alaa ash-Shalaah (let's do the prayer)" and the phrase "Hayya 'alaa al-Falaah (Let's go to victory. "He then said," لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ (there is no power and strength except Allah)."

There are several important things related to the two hadith above that we need to know;

We are encouraged to answer adhan with the same words as the sentence adhan except the phrase "Hayyaa ‘alaa ash-Shalaah and Hayyaa ‘alaa al-Falaah", as explained by the two hadith above. There is no difference between a person who is pure or not (has an ablution or not, between women who are menstruating or not, except people who are urinating, defecating, and people who are having sex.
Islamic law experts agree that the law to answer adhan is a suggestion, not an obligation.
There is a huge reward for people who are willing to answer adhan.

All readers! If we understand the information that I have said above, then of course we already know the answer to the two questions above. Here I just want to emphasize, that the law of answering adhan is a suggestion as I have said in the second point. The way to answer it is as I have said in the first point.

Important Guidelines For People who Recite Adhan

In the teachings of Islam there are some important things that must be known by people who will recite adhan. The goal is for the adhan to be perfect. By the way, what are those?

Note some of hadiths below!

عَنْ جَابِرٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لِبِلَالٍ : إِذَا أَذَّنْتَ فَتَرَسَّلْ ، وَإِذَا أَقَمْتَ فَاحْدَرْ وَاجْعَلْ بَيْنَ أَذَانِكَ وَإِقَامَتِكَ مِقْدَارَ مَا يَفْرُغُ الْآكِلُ مِنْ أَكْلِهِ . الْحَدِيْثُ رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ

From Jabir radliyallaahu ‘anhu, that the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam has said to Bilal, "If you recite Adhan, then say it with tartil (good and unhurried reading). If you recite Iqamah, then speed up. Make it between your adhan and iqamah, there is a time if only people are eating out of their meal.” This hadith is narrated by at-Tirmidhi.

عَنْ أَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ : لَا يُؤَذِّنُ إِلَّا مُتَوَضِّئٌ . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ

From Abu Hurairah radliyallahu ‘anhu, that Prophet (Muhammad) sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said, "It is not permissible to recite adhan except those who have ablution (a holy person)." The hadith is narrated by at-Tirmidzi.

There are some important things related to the hadith above that we need to know:

Someone is encouraged to recite adhan in a tartil (good and unhurried reading).
Someone is recommended to recite iqamah quickly.
It is recommended that there is sufficient time lag between adhan and iqamah, if someone who eats has eaten his meal.
People who recite adhan and iqamah are recommended in a holy state (having wudlu).
The majority of Islamic jurists argue that people who have (not holy) hadats, either large hadats or small hadats, may recite adhan, but it's better not like that.
Malik argues, that people who are not holy may to echo adhan, but he must not recite iqamah.
There are two opinions about whether or not a person who is junub may to recite adhan. The majority of legal experts say that it is permissible.

All Readers! That is a brief explanation of some important things about adhan and iqamah. Hopefully this article is useful! Amen!

See you in the next article!