✨The Athan
When the Prophet ﷺ came to Medina and built a mosque and established prayer, there was no athan. Rather, the Muslims used to wait for the time of prayer and gather in the masjed.
So the Messenger of Allah was concerned with how to gather the people for prayer, and the Muslims were concerned as a result 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 Magians 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.
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 ﷺ. 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: 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.
When the morning came, I went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ 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 ﷺ said: To Allah is all praise. [Sahih Abu Dawood 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 athan 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 athan (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.
The words of athan are proclaimed. If you missed out in times passed then strive in times that will come. And if you have erred, then expiate. And erase a period with another period. For good deeds wipe away bad deeds. And a minute left in life is the greatest hope in the mercy of 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 athan. Abu Saeed Al Khudree, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid:
When you hear the call, repeat what the Muadhin (caller to prayer) says.[Bukhari 611, Muslim 383]
And Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet heard a man saying:
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, so he said, Upon the innate 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]
And Saad bin Abee Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
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]
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]
And Jaber bin AbdAllah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Whoever says when he hears the call to prayer, O Allah , Lord of this perfect call and established prayer. Grant Muhammad the intercession and favor, and raise him to the honored station You have promised him, will have my intercession on the Day of Resurrection. [Bukhari 614]
With the Athan, there are four sunnahs and five virtues. The first sunnah is to say what the muadhen says. The second is to be pleased with Allah as Lord, and Mohammad as a messenger and Islam as a religion. The third sunnah is to send salat on the Prophet ﷺ. The fourth sunnah is to ask Al-Wasilah (a rank in Paradise) for the Prophet ﷺ.
As far as the five virtues, the first is that paradise is obligated. The second virtue is being saved from the fire. The third is having sins forgiven. And the fourth virtue is receiving the Prophet’s intercession. And the fifth 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:
A man said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , Oh Messenger of Allah, those calling to prayer surpass us because of their calling athan. 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]
Oh Muslims:
Allah Almighty says:
Fussilat (41) 33: And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allāh and does righteousness and says, “Indeed, I am of the Muslims.”
Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said that this verse was revealed concerning the callers to prayer. And the meaning is that they are included in this verse. And who is more rightful than the caller to the prayer for the title of inviter to Allah, and he invites each day to the tawhid of Allah and to the prayer?! And they are the two greatest pillars of this religion.
And what call is more complete than the athan about which the Prophet ﷺ said:
O Allah , Lord of this perfect call.
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 honor, 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 honors the caller to prayer on the Day of Resurrection in that he will see everything that heard his voice. The Prophet ﷺ said:
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 athan and racing for it the Prophet ﷺ said:
If people knew what was in calling Adhan and the first row (of prayer), and had nothing but drawing lots to secure these privileges, they would draw lots.[Bukhari 615, Muslim 437]
Omar, may Allah be pleased with him, said that if I was able to handle making adhan along with the caliphate, I would have made adhan.
And Saad bin Abee Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, 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 ordained in residence and travel. And for individuals and congregations. And for prayers offered on time and those made up.
And the sunnah is that the caller to prayer have a powerful and pleasant voice. And is trustworthy and knowledgeable of the prayer timings.
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 athan and hastening while calling the iqama.
So account for the reward in adhan. And seek the reward for making athan while in the wilderness or desert. And seek the reward for making adhan in wide open spaces. For how many doors of goodness were opened by it and guidance attained through it?!
Oh Allah make us among those who strive in all avenues of good and virtue. Indeed Allah is All Hearing Answering.
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