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Virtues & Importance of “ Adhaan” 

ABOUT SERMON: Virtues & Importance of “ Adhaan” 

Virtues & Importance of “ Adhaan” 

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ. الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ الأَنْبِيَاءِ وَالْمُرْسَلِينَ.

All Praise is due to Allah, we praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Allah, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, peace and blessings on him, is His servant, and His messenger.

Dear Brothers and Sisters … السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

When the Prophet ﷺ came to Medina and built a mosque and established prayer, there was no Adhaan.  Rather, the Muslims used to wait for the time of prayer and gather in the masjid.

So, the Messenger of Allah was concerned with how to gather the people for prayer, and the Muslims were concerned because of his concern, so they consulted among themselves. Some of them said: we can raise a banner at the time of prayer. If the Muslims see it, they can call each other to prayer. But the Prophet ﷺ did not like that suggestion.

And some said: we can light a fire. So, the Prophet ﷺ said that is what the Magicians do. Some of them mentioned a trumpet but he ﷺ did not like that and he said it is from the matters of the Jewish community. And some of them mentioned a bell. Then the Prophet ﷺ said that is from the matters of the Christian community. This was due to his caution in distinguishing this ummah (nation) in its rituals and the manifestations of its religion.

Brothers current version of calling for prayer “Adhan” is from dream of Abdallah bin Zaid, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

Then I went to my family, and I was preoccupied with the concern of the Messenger of Allah . When I was sleeping, I saw a man wearing two green garments, and in his hand, he was carrying a bell. So, I said: Oh, servant of Allah, will you sell the bell. He said: and what will you do with it? I said: We will use it to call to the prayer. Shall I not guide you to something better than that? So, I said to him, indeed. He said: say: Allah is The Most Great, Allah is The Most Great; Allah is The Most Great, Allah is The Most Great; I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah; I bear witness that Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah; Come to the Prayer, Come to the Prayer; Come to the prosperity, Come to the prosperity; Allah is the Most great, Allah is the Most Great; None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.

Then he went away from me but not far, then said: and you say if it is time for the prayer:

ثم استأخرَ عني غير بعيدٍ، ثم قال: وتقولُ إذا أقمتَ الصلاة: “الله أكبر الله أكبر، أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، أشهد أن محمدًا رسولُ الله، حيَّ على الصلاة، حيَّ على الفلاح، قد قامَت الصلاة قد قامَت الصلاة، الله أكبر الله أكبر، لا إله إلا الله”.

Allah is The Most Great, Allah is The Most Great,  I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, I bear witness that Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah; Come to the Prayer, Come to the prosperity; The prayer is starting, the prayer is starting, Allah is the Most Great, Allah is the Most Great; None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.

فلما أصبَحتُ أتيتُ رسولَ الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم-، فأخبرتُه بما رأيتُ، فقال: “إنها لرؤيا حقّ إن شاءَ الله”، فقُم مع بلالٍ فألقِ عليه ما رأيت فليُؤذِّن به، فإنه أندَى صوتًا منك. فقمتُ مع بلالٍ فجعلتُ أُلقِيه عليه ويُؤذِّنُ به، فسمِع ذلك عُمرُ بن الخطاب وهو في بيته، فخرجَ يجرُّ رداءَه ويقول: “والذي بعثَك بالحق يا رسول الله، لقد رأيتُ مثلَ ما رأى”. فقال رسولُ الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم-: “فلله الحمد” (رواه أحمد وأبو داود وغيرهما بإسنادٍ صحيح).

When the morning came, I went to the Messenger of Allah  and informed him of what I had seen in the dream. He said: it is a genuine vision if Allah wills. So go with Bilal and tell him what you saw, so that he can call to prayer with it. For he has a stronger voice than you. So, I went with Bilal and taught him, and he began calling to prayer with it. So, Omar bin al-Khattab heard that when he was in his house, and he came out dragging his lower garment saying:  By Him who has sent you with the truth oh Messenger of Allah, I saw what he had seen. So, the Messenger of Allah  said: To Allah is all praise. [Sahih Abu Dawood 499]. https://sunnah.com/abudawud:499

So, after that, the Messenger of Allah had callers for prayer that would raise the mention of Allah. From them was Bilal ibn Abee Rabaah and AbdAllah bin umm Maktoom and Abu Mahthoora (may Allah be pleased with them all).

The words of the Adhaan declare the tawhid of Allah and magnification of Allah. And it is an invitation to prayer and an invitation to success.

The words of the call to prayer cleanse the filth of the soul five times a day. So, does any of the filth of the soul remain after that? The hearts long for the words of the Adhaan (call to prayer) and the souls are reassured by it. And listeners hear that there is no rightly worshipped other than Allah and that there is none greater than Allah.

And how many great virtues are missed by the one who hears the caller of prayer but does not respond and does not repeat the words of the Adhaan. Abu Saeed Al Khudree, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid:

إِذَا سَمِعْتُمُ النِّدَاءَ فَقُولُوا مِثْلَ مَا يَقُولُ الْمُؤَذِّنُ

When you hear the call, repeat what the Muadhin (caller to prayer) says. [Bukhari 611, Muslim 383]. https://sunnah.com/bukhari:611.

And Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet heard a man saying:

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ خَرَجْتَ مِنَ النَّارِ

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, so he said, Upon the natural state. Then he said, I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah. So, he said, You have exited from the Fire. [Muslim 382]. https://sunnah.com/muslim:382.

And Saad bin Abee Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

مَنْ قَالَ حِينَ يَسْمَعُ الْمُؤَذِّنَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولاً وَبِالإِسْلاَمِ دِينًا ‏.‏ غُفِرَ لَهُ ذَنْبُهُ

Whoever says, when he hears the Mu’adhdhin, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah alone, with no partner or associate, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger; I am content with Allah as my Lord, Islam as my religion and Muhammad as my Messenger, his sins will be forgiven. [Muslim 386]. https://sunnah.com/muslim:386.

And AbdAllah bin Amr bin Al Aas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that he heard the Prophet ﷺ say:

When you hear the Adhan, repeat what the Mu’adhdhin says. Then ask Allah to exalt my mention, for whoever sends a blessing upon me, Allah will send ten blessings upon him. Then ask Allah to grant me Al-Wasilah, which is a rank in Paradise, fitting for only one of Allah’s servants; and I hope that I will be that man. If anyone asks Al-Wasilah for me, it becomes incumbent upon me to intercede for him. [Muslim 384] https://sunnah.com/muslim:384.

And Jaber bin AbdAllah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

مَنْ قَالَ حِينَ يَسْمَعُ النِّدَاءَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ حَلَّتْ لَهُ شَفَاعَتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة

Whoever says when he hears the call to prayer, O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and established prayer. Grant Muhammad the intercession and favour and raise him to the honoured station You have promised him, will have my intercession on the Day of Resurrection. [Bukhari 614].

With the Adhaan, there are four sunnah’s and five virtues.

  • The first sunnah is to say what the muadhen says, its virtue is that paradise is obligated.
  • The second is to be pleased with Allah as Lord, and Mohammad as a messenger and Islam as a religion and its virtue is he will be saved from hell fire.
  • The third sunnah is to send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ. Its virtue having sins forgiven.
  • The fourth sunnah is to ask Al-Wasilah (a rank in Paradise) for the Prophet ﷺ. Its virtue is receiving the Prophet’s intercession.
  • The fifth virtue is that the supplication between the adhan and iqama is accepted.

AbdAllah bin Omar bin Al Aas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that:

أنَّ رَجُلًا قال لرَسولِ اللهِ: إنَّ المؤَذِّنينَ يَفضُلونَنا بأذانِهم، فقال رَسولُ اللهِ: قُلْ كما يقولونَ، فإذا انتهَيتَ فسَلْ تُعْطَه

A man said to the Messenger of Allah , Oh Messenger of Allah, those calling to prayer surpass us because of their calling Adhaan.  The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: say (the same words) as they say, and when you finish, ask and it will be granted to you. [Sunan Abee Dawood 524].

Allah Almighty says:

وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِمَّنْ دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ-فصلت: 33

Fussilat (41) 33: And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, “Indeed, I am of the Muslims.”

Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said. this verse was revealed concerning the callers to prayer.

And as the Prophet ﷺ informed in the hadith narrated by Muslim, the callers to prayer will have the longest necks on the Day of Resurrection as a representation for glory and honour and aspiring to the reward of Allah Almighty. And they will have the longest necks on the Day of Resurrection when the people will be submerged in sweat.

And Allah honours the caller to prayer on the Day of Resurrection in that he will see everything that heard his voice. The Prophet ﷺ said:

لَا يَسْمَعُ مَدَى صَوْتِ الْمُؤَذِّنِ جِنٌّ وَلَا إِنْسٌ وَلَا شَيْءٌ إِلَّا شَهِدَ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

No jinn, man, or anything that hears the extent of the sound of the caller to prayer, except that it will testify on his behalf on the day of resurrection. [Bukhari 3296].

And regarding competing for the Adhaan and racing for it the Prophet ﷺ said:

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “If the people knew the reward for pronouncing the Adhan 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, and if they knew the reward of the Zuhr prayer (in the early moments of its stated time) they would race for it (go early) and if they knew the reward of `Isha’ and Fajr (morning) prayers in congregation, they would come to offer them even if they had to crawl. Sahih al-Bukhari 615. https://sunnah.com/bukhari:615.

Saad bin Abee Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him (Sahabi Ashra Mubashra), said, that making adhan consistently is more beloved to me than performing hajj, umrah and striving in the path of Allah.

From the rulings of adhan is that it is a sunnah for men and is established in residence and travel. And for individuals and congregations. And for prayers offered on time and those made up.

And the sunnah is that he calls adhan standing, in a state of purity and facing the Qibla. And turns when saying come to prayer, come to success. Also, carefully, and deliberately making the Adhaan and quickening while calling the iqama.

So, account for the reward in adhan. Oh, Allah make us among those who strive in all avenues of good and virtue. Indeed, Allah is All Hearing Answering.

I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon our Prophet as your Lord commanded:

Allahumma Sallai Al’a Muahmmad’n wa’aila Muhammad

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