Disliked ways of giving the call to prayer (adhan), and who may not give it
The acts that make a call to prayer (adhan) disliked, whose adhan does not count at all, and whose adhan counts but should ideally be repeated.
Things that make an adhan disliked
- Doing tarji': saying the two testimonies quietly first, then saying them again loudly.
- Changing the sound of the letters, or singing the words in a way that changes their meaning.
- Shouting louder than your voice can really manage.
- Doing anything else against the sunnah way of calling it.
Adhans that count, but are disliked
- A woman's adhan, a drunk person's adhan, and a sinful person's adhan are all disliked. But if a sinful person calls it, it doesn't need to be called again. A woman's or a drunk person's adhan should ideally be called again by someone else.
- The adhan and iqamah of someone who needs a full bath (ghusl) are both disliked. His adhan should be called again; his iqamah does not need to be.
Tarji', reciting the two testimonies of the adhan quietly and then repeating them aloud, is disliked.
1Lahn (altering the pronunciation of the letters, or the movements of the voice, in a way that changes the meaning of the words or turns the adhan into a musical performance) is disliked.
Raising the voice beyond what one is naturally capable of is disliked.
Departing from the sunnah and the recommended practices of the adhan is disliked.
| Mu'adhin | Adhan | Iqamah |
|---|---|---|
| A woman | Makruh; should ideally be repeated | Not applicable |
| A drunkard | Makruh; should ideally be repeated | Not applicable |
| A fasiq (openly sinful person) | Makruh, but does not need repeating | Not applicable |
| A person in janabah (major impurity) | Makruh; should be repeated | Makruh, but does not need repeating |
Tarjiʿ, pronouncing the two shahadahs of the adhan quietly and then repeating them aloud, is makruh.
1Laḥn (a change in the pronunciation of letters, or in the movements of the voice, that alters the meaning of the words or renders the adhan a musical performance) is makruh.
Raising the voice beyond one's natural capacity is makruh.
Any departure from the sunnah and mustahabb practices detailed for the adhan is, in itself, makruh.
| Mu'adhin | Adhan | Iqamah |
|---|---|---|
| A woman | Makruh; repetition is preferable (mustahabb) | Not applicable |
| A drunkard | Makruh; repetition is preferable | Not applicable |
| A fasiq (one openly non-compliant) | Makruh, but not repeated | Not applicable |
| One in janabah (hadath akbar) | Makruh; should be repeated | Makruh, but not repeated |
The asymmetry, some cases repeated, others not, follows the fuqaha's own distinctions here rather than a single rule; it is reproduced as given.
This is the English translation of Nisab Ahle Khidmaat Sharia, exactly as the book has it, for the passages this page was written from. About 218 words. Switch back to Guide for the rewritten version.
Rulings of Adhan 85. Adhan's Makrooh Acts
- Doing Tarjī‘ (Saying the testimonies quietly and then loudly).
- Lahn (altering the pronunciation of letters or movements in a way that changes the meaning of the words or creates a musical effect).
- Raising the voice too loudly beyond one's capacity.
- Going against the Sunnah and recommended practices (these actions are considered Makrooh).
Rulings of Adhan 86. The people for whom the Adhan and Iqama are either impermissible or Makrooh
- The Adhan and Iqama of an ignorant child and a mad person are impermissible. If either of these people gives the Adhan or Iqama, it must be repeated.
- The Adhan of a woman, a drunkard, and a corrupt person (fasiq) is Makrooh. However, the Adhan of a corrupt person, despite its Makrooh status, does not need to be repeated. But the Adhan of a woman and a drunk person should ideally be repeated.
- The Adhan and Iqama of a Janabi (a person in need of ritual washing) are both Makrooh, but the Adhan of a Janabi should be repeated, whereas the Iqama does not need to be repeated.
Rulings of Adhan (Note)
- The Adhan and Iqama of a minor, but one who has understanding, are permissible.
- The Adhan of a person who is not in Wudu is valid, but repeating the Iqama is Makrooh.
- The Adhan of an illiterate, illegitimate child, and a blind person is valid without any dislike, but it is preferable for someone else to do it.
Terms on this page
Related
- The rules of the call to prayer (adhan) and the iqamah, and when an adhan counts Who must give the call to prayer (adhan), when it is and isn't required, and the four conditions that make an adhan valid.
- The call to prayer (adhan) for a newborn and in distress, and other rulings Giving the call to prayer (adhan) outside the five daily prayers, and a set of everyday rulings about calling and repeating it.
- The sunnahs and preferred acts of the call to prayer (adhan) and the iqamah How the caller (muadhin) should stand, move and speak while calling, the purity he should be in, and the mistakes to avoid in pronunciation.
- The sunnah method of the call to prayer (adhan) and the iqamah, step by step How the caller (muadhin) gives the call to prayer (adhan) from start to finish, and how the call to begin (iqamah) differs from it.