Merits of the Athaan 3
Chapter One 4
Chapter Two 10
Chapter Three 12
Chapter Four 15
Chapter Five 17
Chapter Six 21
Chapter Seven 25

Index 28

Narrated Abu Huraira may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Apostle said, "If the people
knew the reward for pronouncing the Athaan and for standing in the first row (in
congregational prayers) and found no other way to get that except by drawing lots they
would draw lots”. Al-Bukhari and Muslim
· Narrated Mu’awwiyah may Allah be pleased with him): I heard Allah’s Messenger say:
“The mu’athans will have the longest necks on the Day Of Judgment” Sahih Muslim
· Narrated 'Abdul Rahman may Allah be pleased with him):Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri may Allah be
please with him) told my father, "I see you liking sheep and the wilderness. So whenever you
are with your sheep or in the wilderness and you want to pronounce the athaan for the
prayer raise your voice in doing so, for whoever hears the Athaan, whether a human
being, a jinn or any other creature, will be a witness for you on the Day of Resurrection."
Abu Sa’eed added, "I heard it (this narration) from Allah's Apostle ." Bukhari
· Narrated Al-bara’a may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah said: “Indeed
Allah (praises) and the angel pray for the (people of the) first row, and the mu’athan is
forgiven his sins for as long as the duration of his voice, and everything which is moist

and dry attests for him and he has the reward of those who pray with him” Ahmed, An-
Nasaaii and others

· Narrated Abu Hurairah may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet said: “ The
mu’athan is forgiven for the duration of his voice and every moist and dry thing bears
witness for him, and the one who attends the prayer has twenty five prayers written for

him and between two prayers is an expatiation for his sins” Abu Dawoud, Ahmed, An-
Nasaai and others

· Narrated ‘Utabah may Allah be pleased with him): I heard the Messenger of Allah say:
“Your Lord is amazed by a sheep herder at the top of a mountain who calls the athaan
and prays and Allah says “Look at my servant he calls the athaan and the iqaamah and

fears me, I have forgiven my servant and entered him into paradise.” An-Nasaaii and al-
Bayhaqqi

Question One: What is the Ruling of the Athaan? Is it Waajib (Obligatory)?
Answer One: Ahl ul-Ilm (The People of Knowledge) have said that it is Fard Al-Kifayaah (Communal
Obligation) but Salaat without calling the Athaan is valid.

Question Two: What is the ruling of the Iqaamah?
Answer Two: As with the Athaan, it is Fard Al-kifayaah and Salaat without an iqaamah is valid.

Question Three: Is Al-Muwaalah (doing it in sequence uninterrupted) a condition, of the athaan?
Answer Three: Al-Muwaalah is a necessity, so if the Mu’athan intentionally pauses (an extremely long pause)
between the statements of the Athaan, this is no longer called an athaan. He should start over from the
beginning. So, if he pauses for a long period of time between the statements of the athaan this will nullify the
Athaan.

Question Four: If the athaan was interrupted for a legitimate reason, such as washing the face due to a nose
bleed, or something similar, does he repeat the athaan from the beginning, or start from where he left off, when
he returns.
Answer Four: Yes, he starts over, even with a legitimate reason, because al-Muwaalah is a condition of the
athaan.

Question Five: Is it a condition of the athaan that its statements be said in order?
Answer Five: Yes, being in order is also a condition, so if he says a statement out of place, it invalidates the
athaan.

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Question Six: If the Mu’athan forge ts his place while calling the athaan, thus saying a sentence out of order
does this invalidate the Athaan?
Answer Six: Small errors are overlooked.

Question Seven: If the Mu’athan finishes the athaan, then realizes that he has called the athaan too soon by
fifteen minutes what should he do? Should he repeat the athaan at the proper time?
Answer Seven: If the Mu’athan has called the athaan before the time has entered, and it has not entered by the
time he finishes, then he must repeat the athaan even if it is two minutes early.

Question Eight: What is the ruling on calling the athaan for a Salaat that one has missed? (Like if someone
wakes up for Fajr after the sun has risen)
Answer Eight: Yes, They should call the Athaan, and the proof is the Hadith Abu Qatadah may Allah be please
with him) in which he mentions that the Prophet traveled with some companions and they slept and left
Bilaal in charge of waking them up for Fajr, but Bilaal may Allah be please with him) overslept along with the
companions until they were awakened by the sun. In this hadith Bilaal may Allah be please with him) was ordered
to call the athaan even though the time had passed.

Question Nine: Is it preferred to call the iqaamah for Fajr early or delay it?
Answer Nine: Usually Fajr prayer is preceded by sleep and fatigue thus it is better to delay the iqaamah in
order to gather the majority of people. Especially since some will need to perform a ghusl (shower)

Question Ten: Which one has more authority over the iqaamah...the Imam or Mu’athan?
Answer Ten: This was narrated in a Hadith of the Prophet , the mu’athan has more authority over the
athaan and the Imam has more authority over the iqaamah. So the mu’athan should not call the iqaamah until
the Imam gives him the authority to do so. (Note: This Hadith has some weakness)

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Question Eleven: Has the exact time we should wait between the athaan and iqaamah been specified?
Answer Eleven: The time period has been specified, but is has not been specified with minutes. The Prophet
said: “Put between your athaan and iqaamah an interval that allows enough time for a Mu’atasir(a person in
need of defecating) to take care of his need without hurry and a time period to permit one who is eating to finish
without haste.” This is around twenty minutes.

Question Twelve: If someone is going to pray in a desert (or similar places such as a Forest) is it from the
Sunnah to call to the athaan?
Answer Twelve: If a person is in a vacant place it is from the Sunnah to call the athaan, even if he will pray by
himself, due to the Hadith of Abu Sa’eed may Allah be please with him) that was previously mentioned in the merits
of the Athaan.

Question Thirteen: If I am outside the city with some of my friends, and the time of Isha’ enters, and we want
to delay the prayer seeking the more desirable time, should we call the Athaan as soon as the Salaat time comes
in or right before we want to pray?
Answer Thirteen: It is preferred to call the Athaan right before you begin to pray, Even if you delayed it until
the last third of the night.

Question Fourteen: Has it been reported that the Mu’athan should turn to the right and left?
Answer Fourteen: Yes, it has come in the Hadith about Bilaal’s may Allah be please with him) athaan that he used
to turn to the right and left while saying the “Hayalaats” (”Come to Prayer!” ...”Come to Success!”)

Question Fifteen: How is the turning performed?
Answer Fifteen: The Mu’athan says “Haya ala as-Salaah” twice while turning only his head (not his body) to
the right and “Haya ala al-Falaah” twice while turning only his head (not his body) to the left. But if he is using
a microphone he should not turn (his head away from the microphone), because that will cause his voice to be
decreased (or unheard) and there is no need for the turning because the microphone makes the voice spread in
all directions.

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Question Sixteen: Is it from the Sunnah for the Mu’athan to be elevated during the athaan?
Answer Sixteen: This was in the beginning years so as to make the athaan reach as far as possible. The
Mu’athan during that era would stand in the Minarah (plural minaret) the highest point of the Masjid, and then
he would call the athaan in order to be heard by the maximum amount of people. As for this era, there is no
need for the Mu’athan to be elevated since we have microphones and speakers.

Question Seventeen: Has it been narrated that the Mu’athan puts his fingers in his ears?
Answer Seventeen: Yes, the Mu’athan puts his index fingers in his ears and the Fuqaha (Scholars of Fiqh) have
proof for it. The wisdom behind this is that the Mu’athan is commanded to raise his voice extremely high in
order for the maximum amount of people to hear him. And this can damage the ear. So placing the fingers in the
ears reduces this potential harm.

Question Eighteen: If the Mu’athan is not using a microphone and he is in a vacant place (such as a desert)
what is the ruling on turning completely around to make sure the athaan reaches all directions.
Answer Eighteen: This is not legislated in the Shar’iah.

Question Nineteen: What is the ruling on calling the athaan while riding a car or something similar?
Answer Nineteen: Calling athaan while riding is permissible as long as he pronounces the words correctly and
as long as he raises his voice while the car is moving he has done what is required.

Question Twenty: If the Mu’athan calls the athaan while riding then gets out of the car, should he call the
athaan again?
Answer Twenty: The first athaan suffices him.

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Question Twenty-One: Is it permissible for the athaan to be called while sitting?
Answer Twenty-One: The origin is that this isn’t permissible rather he should call the athaan while standing so
that his voice may reach as many people as possible. However, as for our time the matter has become more
flexible due to the microphone. Likewise with the Iqaamah

Question Twenty-Two: When combining two salaats while traveling, do you call the Athaan for each salaat?
Answer Twenty-Two: When combining Salaats while traveling make one athaan and an iqaamah for each
prayer. So there will be One Athaan and Two iqaamahs

Question Twenty Three: Is it a condition that the Mu’athan faces the Qiblah while calling the athaan?
Answer Twenty –Three: It is mustahab (encouraged) and recommended but not wajib. Indeed the Qiblah is the
most honorable direction, so it is preferred over all other directions.

Question Twenty-Four: If the Mu’athan is in a vacant place should he elevate himself?
Answer Twenty-Four: Yes, it is Sunnah for the Mu’athan to be elevated while calling the athaan so that his
call will reach further, even if he is in a vacant place, because everything that hears his call from the creation
will bear witness for him according to the hadith mentioned previously in the merits of athaan.

Question Twenty-Five: The Ahl-ul-Ilm mentioned that you should say “Pray in your Rihaal “(Temporary
dwelling places) when there is a strong rain. So what is the amount of rain that permits leaving the Jama’ah in
the Masjid?
Answer Twenty-Five: This hadith is referring to traveling and stating that they were travelers. The travelers
normally are scattered about, and it is difficult for them to gather in one place when there is mud and large
puddles of water around the place that they would normally gather to pray. So in this state, it is permitted for
them to pray in their temporary dwelling places, and the word “Rihaal” points to this. Thus it was not stated
“pray in your houses.”

 Rulings concerning different aspects of the Adhaan.