The Call to Prayer
Provided hereunder is a selection of ahadith from the Ma’ariful Hadith by Mawlana Manzoor No’mani as translated by Muhammad Asif Kidwai under the title Meaning and Message of the Traditions
(1) Abu Umayr (the eldest son of Anas) related to us, on the authority of his uncles, who were among the Ansar Companions, that “the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was concerned about the method of summoning the faithful to prayers (and he, also, consulted the people about it). Some suggested that a flag should be hoisted at the time of Prayer on seeing which the Muslims informed one another. This suggestion did not find favour with the Prophet. Then, the blowing of the horn was proposed at which he remarked that it was the practice of the Jews and he did not like it. Afterwards, the ringing of the bell was mentioned and Prophet observed that it was the peculiarity of the Christians. (Nothing in short, could be decided at the meeting). Seeing that the Prophet was anxious, one of his Ansar Companions, Abdullah bin-Zaid bin-Abd-Rabbihi, also, felt distressed and in that very state of uneasiness he came home from the company of the Prophet and went to bed. Then, while he was half asleep and half awake he saw a dream. Early next morning, he went to the Prophet and said: ‘O Prophet! Last night when I was half asleep and half awake a person came to me and showed me the Adhan by pronouncing it’. (After it, he related the dream in detail). The Prophet, thereupon, said to Bilal, ‘Get up and do what Abdullah bin-Zaid tells (i.e. give the Adhan as he instructs).’ Bilal, then, carried out the command and gave the Adhan.” – Abu Da’ud
(2) It is related on the authority of Jabir that “the Prophet, peace be upon him, said to Bilal: ‘When you give Adhan, give it slowly (i.e. by stopping for a few moments and taking a fresh breath after every Kalimah), and when you say the Iqamah, say it flowingly, and let there be such an interval between your Adhan and Iqamah that a person who is eating may finish his meal and a person who has to answer the call of nature may ease himself….’” – Tirmidhi
(3) It is related by Zaid bin Harith that, “once, at the time of the Fajr prayers, the Prophet, peace be upon him, bade me to give Adhan, which I did. Afterwards, when the time for pronouncing Iqamah came, Bilal wanted to say it but the Prophet said pointing at me that ‘this Sa’ad has given the Adhan and the rule is that whoever gives the Adhan should (also) say Iqamah’.” – Tirmidhi, Abu-Da’ud, and Ibn-Majah
(4) Abu-Sa’id al-Khudri narrated to us that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Within the range of the Muezzin’s voice, whoever hears his voice – man, jinn or anything – shall testify in respect of him on the Day of Judgement.” – Bukhari
