This chapter honours the call to prayer and the one who gives it. The Adhan is shown as a privilege people would compete for if they truly grasped its weight, a sound that scatters the devil, and a witness in one's favour on the Day of Resurrection. Several hadith then teach how the listener shares in that reward by repeating the words and praying for the Prophet afterward.
A key term to hold onto is Al-Wasilah, the highest station in Paradise, sought for the Prophet in the supplication after the Adhan. Notice the gentle pattern across these reports: the caller proclaims, the hearer responds, and both are drawn closer to mercy and to the Prophet's intercession.
Hadith 1033
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
- عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "لو يعلم الناس ما في النداء والصف الأول ثم لم يجدوا إلا أن يستهموا عليه لاستهموا عليه، ولو يعلمون ما في التهجير لاستبقوا إليه، ولو يعلمون ما في العتمة والصبح لأتوهما ولو حبوا" ((متفق عليه)). والاستهام: الاقتراع. والتهجير: التبكير إلى الصلاة
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Were people to know the blessing of pronouncing Adhan and the standing in the first row, they would even draw lots to secure these privileges. And were they to realize the reward of performing Salat early, they would race for it; and were they to know the merits of Salat after nightfall ('Isha') and the dawn (Fajr) Salat, they would come to them even if they had to crawl." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
If people truly grasped the reward in calling the adhan, standing in the front row, praying early, and coming to the night and dawn prayers, they would compete fiercely for them, even crawling to get there.
وعن عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن بن أبي صعصعة أن أبا سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه قال له: "إني أراك تحب الغنم والبادية فإذا كنت في غنمك- أو باديتك- فأذنت للصلاة، فارفع صوتك بالنداء، فإنه لا يسمع مدى صوت المؤذن جن، ولا إنس، ولا شيء، إلا شهد له يوم القيامة" قال أبو سعيد: سمعته من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ((رواه البخاري)).
Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) said to me: "I see that you like living among your sheep in wilderness. So whenever you are with your sheep or in wilderness and you want to call Adhan, you should raise your voice because whoever hears the Adhan, whether a human or jinn or any other creature, will testify for you on the Day of Resurrection." Abu Sa'id added: "I heard this from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)." [Al-Bukhari].
In plain words
Whoever hears your call to prayer, person, jinn, or any creature, will testify in your favour on the Day of Resurrection, so raise your voice when you call.
- وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : "إذا نودي بالصلاة، أدبر الشيطان، له ضراط حتى لا يسمع التأذين، فإذا قضي النداء أقبل، حتى ثوب بالصلاة أدبر حتى إذا قضي التثويب أقبل حتى يخطر بين المرء ونفسه يقول: اذكر كذا، واذكر كذا- لما لم يذكر من قبل- حتى يظل الرجل ما يدري كم صلى" ((متفق عليه)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When Adhan for Salat is pronounced, the devil takes to his heels and breaks wind with noise so as not to hear the call. When the Adhan is finished, he returns. When the Iqamah is announced, he turns his back, and after it is finished, he returns again to distract the attention of one and makes him remember things which he does not recall in his mind before the Salat, and says 'Remember this, and this,' and thus causes one to forget how many Rak'at he performed." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
When the adhan and the iqamah are called, Satan flees so as not to hear them, then returns to whisper distractions into the prayer, even making a person lose count of the units. It shows the call to prayer drives him off.
وعن عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص رضي الله عنهما أنه سمع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "إذا سمعتم النداء فقولوا مثل ما يقول، ثم صلوا علي، فإنه من صلى على صلاة صلى الله عليه بها عشرًا، ثم سلوا الله لي الوسيلة، فإنها منزلة في الجنة لا تنبغي إلا لعبد من عباد الله وأرجو أن أكون أنا هو، فمن سأل لي الوسيلة حلت له الشفاعة" ((رواه مسلم)).
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "When you hear the Adhan, repeat what the Mu'adhdhin says. Then ask Allah to exalt my mention because everyone who does so will receive in return ten rewards from Allah. Then beseech Allah to grant me Al-Wasilah, which is a high rank in Jannah, fitting for only one of Allah's slaves; and I hope that I will be that man. If any one asks Al-Wasilah for me, it becomes incumbent upon me to intercede for him." [Muslim]
In plain words
When you hear the adhan, repeat the caller's words, then send blessings on the Prophet and ask Allah to grant him Al-Wasilah, a high rank in Paradise, for this brings reward and a share in his intercession.
وعن أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "إذا سمعتم النداء، فقولوا كما يقول المؤذن" ((متفق عليه)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When you hear the Mu'adhdhin (pronouncing the call to Salat), repeat after him what he says." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
A simple instruction: when you hear the one calling to prayer, repeat the words after him.
وعن جابر رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "من قال حين يسمع النداء: اللهم رب هذه الدعوة التامة، والصلاة القائمة، آت محمدًا الوسيلة والفضيلة، وابعثه مقامًا محمودًا الذي وعدته، حلت له شفاعتي يوم القيامة" ((رواه البخاري)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who says upon hearing the Adhan: 'Allahumma Rabba hadhihid-da'wati-ttammati, was-salatil-qa'imati, ati Muhammadanil-wasilata wal-fadhilata, wab'athu maqaman mahmuda nilladhi wa 'adtahu [O Allah, Rubb of this perfect call (Da'wah) and of the established prayer (As-Salat), grant Muhammad the Wasilah and superiority, and raise him up to a praiseworthy position which You have promised him] ', it becomes incumbent upon me to intercede for him on the Day of Resurrection." [Al- Bukhari].
In plain words
Saying this supplication after the adhan, asking Allah to give the Prophet the promised high station, earns the Prophet's intercession on the Day of Resurrection.
وعن سعد بن أبي وقاص رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال: "من قال حين يسمع المؤذن: أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، وأن محمدًا عبده ورسوله، رضيت بالله ربًا وبالإسلام دينًا، غفر له ذنبه" ((رواه الترمذي وقال حديث حسن)).
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who says after the Adhan: 'Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah Wah-dahu la sharika Lahu; wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa Rasuluhu, radhitu Billahi Rabban, wa bi Muhammadin Rasulan, wa bil Islami Dinan [I testify that there is no true god except Allah Alone; He has no partners and that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger; I am content with Allah as my Rubb, with Muhammad as my Messenger and with Islam as my Deen],' his sins will be forgiven." [Muslim].
In plain words
Whoever declares his faith and contentment with Allah, His Messenger, and Islam in these words after the adhan will have his sins forgiven.