How to respond to the call to prayer (adhan) and the call to begin (iqamah)
What to do on hearing the call to prayer (adhan), the words to say in reply to each phrase, the supplication after it, and how to answer the call to begin (iqamah).
When you hear the adhan, you must respond to it; this applies to men and women, whether the person can be seen or not.
1A few special cases
- On hearing the first adhan of Jumu'ah, you must drop what you are doing and head to the mosque. Buying, selling or any other work at that point is not allowed.
- You do not have to respond to the second adhan of Jumu'ah.
- If you hear more than one adhan for the same prayer, you only need to respond to the first one.
How to respond to the adhan
- Say back whatever the muadhin says, line by line.
- Except for 'Come to prayer' (حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ, hayya ala's-salah) and 'Come to success' (حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ, hayya ala'l-falah): for those, say 'There is no power and no strength except with Allah' instead.
- For 'Prayer is better than sleep' (اَلصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِّنَ النَّوْمِ, as-salatu khayrun mina'n-nawm, Fajr only), say 'You have spoken the truth, and you are right' instead.
لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ
Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā bi'llāh
There is no power and no strength except with Allah.
صَدَقْتَ وَبَرَرْتَ
Ṣadaqta wa bararta
You have spoken the truth, and you are right.
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ
Ṣallā'llāhu ʿalayka yā Rasūla'llāh
May Allah send blessings upon you, O Messenger of Allah.
قُرَّةُ عَيْنِيْ بِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ أَللّٰهُمَّ مَتِّعْنِيْ بِالسَّمْعِ وَالْبَصَرِ
Qurratu ʿaynī bika yā Rasūla'llāh, Allāhumma mattiʿnī bi's-samʿi wa'l-baṣar
You are the comfort of my eyes, O Messenger of Allah. O Allah, let me enjoy my hearing and my sight.
After the adhan finishes, both the person listening and the muadhin should send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ (durood) and say this supplication.
اللهم رب هذه الدعوة التامة والصلاة القائمة، آتِ محمدًا الوسيلة والفضيلة، وابعثه مقامًا محمودًا الذي وعدته، إنك لا تخلف الميعاد
Allāhumma Rabba hādhihi'd-daʿwati't-tāmmati wa'ṣ-ṣalāti'l-qāʾimah, āti Muḥammadani'l-wasīlata wa'l-faḍīlah, wa'bʿathhu maqāman maḥmūdani'lladhī waʿadtah, innaka lā tukhlifu'l-mīʿād
O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and this established prayer, grant Muhammad the wasilah and the excellence, and raise him to the praised station You promised him. You never break Your promise.
When you hear the iqamah, it's good to say back the same words as the person calling it, except for 'the prayer has now begun', where you say something different instead.
أَقَامَهَا اللّٰهُ وَ أَدَامَهَا
Aqāmaha'llāhu wa adāmahā
May Allah keep it established and make it continue.
It is obligatory on both men and women, whether in public or in seclusion, to respond to the adhan on hearing it.
1Jumu'ah and multiple adhans
- On hearing the first adhan of Jumu'ah, it becomes obligatory to leave all work and proceed to the mosque; buying, selling or any other transaction at that point is forbidden.
- There is no obligation to respond to the second adhan of Jumu'ah.
- Where several adhans are heard for the same prayer, only the first one needs a response.
The response to the adhan is of two kinds: verbal and physical. Someone already inside the mosque, not occupied in teaching or studying, responds verbally. Someone outside the mosque responds both verbally and physically: leaving whatever else they are doing, even pausing Qur'an recitation, and coming to the mosque.
One answers each phrase of the adhan with the same words, except for 'Come to prayer' (حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ, hayya ala's-salah) and 'Come to success' (حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ, hayya ala'l-falah), to which the response is 'la hawla wa la quwwata illa bi'llah', and 'Prayer is better than sleep' (اَلصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِّنَ النَّوْمِ, as-salatu khayrun mina'n-nawm), to which the response is 'sadaqta wa bararta'.
12لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ
Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā bi'llāh
There is no power and no strength except with Allah.
صَدَقْتَ وَبَرَرْتَ
Ṣadaqta wa bararta
You have spoken the truth, and you are right.
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ
Ṣallā'llāhu ʿalayka yā Rasūla'llāh
May Allah send blessings upon you, O Messenger of Allah.
قُرَّةُ عَيْنِيْ بِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ أَللّٰهُمَّ مَتِّعْنِيْ بِالسَّمْعِ وَالْبَصَرِ
Qurratu ʿaynī bika yā Rasūla'llāh, Allāhumma mattiʿnī bi's-samʿi wa'l-baṣar
You are the comfort of my eyes, O Messenger of Allah. O Allah, let me enjoy my hearing and my sight.
After the adhan, both the listener and the mu'adhin recite durood (blessings on the Prophet ﷺ) and then this supplication.
اللهم رب هذه الدعوة التامة والصلاة القائمة، آتِ محمدًا الوسيلة والفضيلة، وابعثه مقامًا محمودًا الذي وعدته، إنك لا تخلف الميعاد
Allāhumma Rabba hādhihi'd-daʿwati't-tāmmati wa'ṣ-ṣalāti'l-qāʾimah, āti Muḥammadani'l-wasīlata wa'l-faḍīlah, wa'bʿathhu maqāman maḥmūdani'lladhī waʿadtah, innaka lā tukhlifu'l-mīʿād
O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and this established prayer, grant Muhammad the wasilah and the excellence, and raise him to the praised station You promised him; indeed You do not fail in Your promise.
It is recommended to raise the hands while making this supplication.
After the supplication, it is sunnah to wipe the face with the hands.
Responding to the iqamah, both verbally and physically, is recommended (mustahabb). Verbally, one repeats the words heard from the person giving it, except for 'qad qamati's-salah', to which the response given is different.
أَقَامَهَا اللّٰهُ وَ أَدَامَهَا
Aqāmaha'llāhu wa adāmahā
May Allah keep it established and make it continue.
Responding to the adhan on hearing it is obligatory upon both men and women alike, whether apparent (in public) or concealed (in private).
1Jumu'ah's first adhan, and multiple adhans
- On hearing Jumu'ah's first adhan, leaving off all worldly occupation and proceeding to the mosque becomes obligatory; buying, selling, or any other muʿamalah transacted at that point is forbidden.
- Jumu'ah's second adhan carries no obligation of response.
- Where several adhans are called for one and the same prayer, the response obligation attaches only to the first.
The response to the adhan divides into qawli (verbal) and fi'li (physical). One already within the mosque and not occupied in teaching or study responds verbally alone. One outside the mosque owes both: leaving off whatever else occupies him, pausing even Qur'an recitation, and coming physically to the mosque, together with the verbal response.
Each phrase of the adhan is answered with its own wording, except hayya ala's-salah (حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ, 'Come to prayer') and hayya ala'l-falah (حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ, 'Come to success'), answered instead with 'la hawla wa la quwwata illa bi'llah', and as-salatu khayrun mina'n-nawm (اَلصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِّنَ النَّوْمِ, 'Prayer is better than sleep'), answered with 'sadaqta wa bararta'.
12لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ
Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā bi'llāh
There is no power and no strength except with Allah.
صَدَقْتَ وَبَرَرْتَ
Ṣadaqta wa bararta
You have spoken the truth, and you are right.
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ
Ṣallā'llāhu ʿalayka yā Rasūla'llāh
May Allah send blessings upon you, O Messenger of Allah.
قُرَّةُ عَيْنِيْ بِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ أَللّٰهُمَّ مَتِّعْنِيْ بِالسَّمْعِ وَالْبَصَرِ
Qurratu ʿaynī bika yā Rasūla'llāh, Allāhumma mattiʿnī bi's-samʿi wa'l-baṣar
You are the comfort of my eyes, O Messenger of Allah. O Allah, let me enjoy my hearing and my sight.
Following the adhan, both the listener and the mu'adhin recite durood upon the Prophet ﷺ and then the supplication transmitted for the occasion.
اللهم رب هذه الدعوة التامة والصلاة القائمة، آتِ محمدًا الوسيلة والفضيلة، وابعثه مقامًا محمودًا الذي وعدته، إنك لا تخلف الميعاد
Allāhumma Rabba hādhihi'd-daʿwati't-tāmmati wa'ṣ-ṣalāti'l-qāʾimah, āti Muḥammadani'l-wasīlata wa'l-faḍīlah, wa'bʿathhu maqāman maḥmūdani'lladhī waʿadtah, innaka lā tukhlifu'l-mīʿād
O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and this established prayer, grant Muhammad the wasilah and the excellence, and raise him to the praised station You promised him; indeed You do not fail in Your promise.
Raising the hands while reciting this supplication is mustahabb.
Wiping the face with the hands after the supplication is sunnah.
Response to the iqamah, both qawli and fi'li, is mustahabb. The verbal response repeats the mu'adhin's own words phrase for phrase, save for 'qad qamati's-salah', which receives a distinct reply.
أَقَامَهَا اللّٰهُ وَ أَدَامَهَا
Aqāmaha'llāhu wa adāmahā
May Allah keep it established and make it continue.
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 483 words. Switch back to Guide for the rewritten version.
Rulings of Adhan 88. The Ruling of the One Listening to the Adhan
- It is obligatory for both men and women, whether visible or hidden, to respond to the Adhan when they hear it.
- While listening to the Adhan, one should not be engaged in any other activity except responding to the Adhan. Even greeting someone or responding to a greeting should be avoided. If one is reciting the Quran, it should be stopped, and if walking, one should halt.
- After hearing the first Adhan of Jumu'ah, it is obligatory to leave all work and go to the mosque for Jumu'ah prayer. Engaging in buying, selling, or any other activity at this time is forbidden.
- It is not necessary to respond to the second Adhan of Jumu'ah.
- If multiple Adhans are heard for the same prayer, only the first Adhan must be responded to.
- The following situations require that one should not respond to the Adhan: while in prayer, listening to a sermon (whether Jumu'ah or Eid), during the state of performing a funeral prayer, while studying or teaching religious knowledge, while eating, during sexual relations, while using the bathroom, or during menstruation or postpartum bleeding.
Rulings of Adhan 89. The Response to the Adhan
- The response to the Adhan is of two types: verbal and physical. Verbal response is for the one inside the mosque, as long as they are not engaged in studying or teaching religious knowledge. The one outside the mosque should respond both verbally and physically, meaning they should leave all tasks and immediately come to the mosque, even stopping their Quran recitation. This is the correct response, and they should also verbally respond.
- One should respond in the same way as they hear the words of the Mu'adhin. However, in response to "حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلاةِ" and "حَيَّ عَلَى الفَلاحِ", one should say "لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ", and in response to "الصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِّنَ النُّومِ", one should say "صَدَقْتَ وَبَرَرْتَ".
- After hearing "أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُولُ اللّٰهِ" for the first time, one should say "صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ", and after hearing it for the second time, it is recommended to place the thumbs on the eyes and say "قُرَّةُ عَيْنِيْ بِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ أَللّٰهُمَّ مَتِّعْنِيْ بِالسَّمْعِ وَالْبَصَرِ".
- After the Adhan, both the listener and the Mu'adhin should read Darood Sharif and make the following supplication:
اللهم رب هذه الدعوة التامة والصلاة القائمة، آتِ محمدًا الوسيلة والفضيلة، وابعثه مقامًا محمودًا الذي وعدته، إنك لا تخلف الميعاد.
Rulings of Adhan Note
There is no authentic source for adding "والفضيلة والدرجة الرفيعة" after "الفضيلة" or "وَعَدْتَهٗ" after "وَرْزُقْنَا شَفَاعَتَهٗ" or ending the supplication with "اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ".
- It is recommended to raise hands during the supplication, and after the supplication, it is Sunnah to rub the face with the hands.
Rulings of Adhan 90. The Response to the Iqamah
Responding to the Iqamah is recommended both verbally and physically. Verbally, one should repeat the words heard from the person giving the Iqamah, but in response to "قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلاۃ", one should say "أَقَامَهَا اللّٰهُ وَ أَدَامَهَا". Physically, one should immediately join the prayer.
Related
- 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.
- The call to prayer (adhan) and the call to begin (iqamah): what they are, their words, and the extra call (tathwib) What the call to prayer (adhan) and the call to begin (iqamah) are, the exact Arabic words of each with their meaning, and the extra call (tathwib) given between them.
- The rules of the call to prayer (adhan) on Friday Why Friday has two calls to prayer, when each is given, and why trading is not allowed once the first one is heard.
- 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.