The Correct Method of Replying to Ażān & Iqāmat: Fourteen Madanī Pearls

The Method of Replying to Ażān and Iqāmat

The Mūażżin should utter the Kalimāt of Ażān with pauses. اَللّٰهُ اَکْبَرُ اَللّٰهُ اَکْبَر (when uttered together without a pause) are considered one Kalimaĥ. After uttering this, he should take a pause for the amount of time in which the replier can reply. Not taking the pause is Makrūĥ and therefore, repeating such Ażān is Mustaḥab.

(Dur-re-Mukhtār, pp. 66, vol. 2, Rad-dul-Muḥtār, pp. 66, vol. 2)

The replier should say اَللّٰهُ اَکْبَرُ اَللّٰهُ اَکْبَر during the pause of the Mūażżin, i.e. when the Mūażżin is silent. He should reply to the other Kalimāt in the same way. When the Mūażżin says اَشْهَدُ أَنَّ the first time, the replier should say:

صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰه

May Allāĥ's Durūd upon you Yā Rasūlallāĥ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم!

When the Mūażżin utters these words again, the replier should say:

قُرَّةُ عَيْنِيْ بِكَ يَارَسُوْلَ اللّٰه

Yā Rasūlallāĥ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! You are the solace of my eyes.

Each time, make thumb nails touch eyes and say:

اَللّٰهُمَّ مَتِّعْنِيْ بِالسَّمْعِ وَالْبَصَر

Yā Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Benefit me from my faculties of listening and seeing.

Whoever does this, the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم will make him enter Heaven accompanying him.

(Rad-dul-Muḥtār, pp. 84, vol. 2)

In reply to حَىَّ عَلَی الصَّلٰوة and حَىَّ عَلَی الْفَلَاح say لَاحَوْلَ وَلَاقُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّٰه each time, and it is better to say both (what the Mūażżin says as well as لَاحَوْلَ) and also add:

مَا شَآءَاللّٰہُ کَانَ وَمَالَمْ يَشَاءَ لَمْ يَکُنْ

Whatever Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ wanted happened and whatever He did not want did not happen.

(Dur-re-Mukhtār-o-Rad-dul-Muḥtār, pp. 82, vol. 2) (Fatāwa-e-'Ālamgīrī, pp. 57, vol. 1)

In reply to اَلصَّلٰوةُ خَيْرٌ مِّنَ النَّوْم, say:

صَدَقْتَ وَبَرَرْتَ وَبِالْحَقِّ نَطَقْتَ

You are true and pious and have said right.

(Dur-re-Mukhtār-o-Rad-dul-Muḥtār, pp. 83, vol. 2)

Replying to Iqāmat is Mustaḥab. Its reply is similar to that of Ażān. The only difference is that in reply to قَدْقَامَتِ الصَّلٰوة the replier should say:

اَقَامَهَا اللّٰهُ وَاَدَامَهَا مَادَامَتِ السَّمٰوٰتُ وَالْاَرْض

May Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ persist it until sky and earth exist!

(Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 473, vol. 1) (Fatāwa-e-'Ālamgīrī, pp. 57, vol. 1)

Fourteen Madanī Pearls of Ażān

1.     If the primary Jamā'at of five Farḍ Ṣalāĥ including Jumu'aĥ is held in the Masjid at stipulated time, it is Sunnat-e-Mūakkadaĥ to utter Ażān for them, and its emphasis is like that of Wājib. If Ażān is not uttered, all the people over there will be sinner.

(Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 464, vol. 1)

2.     If somebody offers Ṣalāĥ at home in the city, the Ażān of the local Masjid will be enough but it is Mustaḥab to utter Ażān.

(Rad-dul-Muḥtār, pp. 62, 78, vol. 2)

3.     If somebody is out of the city or in a village, orchard or farm, the Ażān of the city/village will be enough provided these places are near the city/village; but it is better to say Ażān. However, if these places are not near, that Ażān will not be enough. Here, nearness means that the voice of Ażān (given in city / village) could reach there.

(Fatāwā-e-'Ālamgīrī, pp. 54, vol. 1)

4.     If a traveller did not utter Ażān or Iqāmat or both, it is Makrūĥ; if he utters only Iqāmat, there is no repugnance, but it is better to say Ażān also, whether he is alone or with other companions.

(Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 471, vol. 1) (Dur-re-Mukhtār-o-Rad-dul-Muḥtār, pp. 78, vol. 2)

5.     Utter Ażān after the time has started. If it is uttered before the time begins or if the time starts during the Ażān, the Ażān should be repeated in both the cases.

(Hiddāyah, pp. 45, vol. 1)

The Mūażżin should make a habit of ascertaining the timings of Ṣalāĥ with the help of timetable. At some places, the Mūażżin starts uttering Ażān before the time begins. It is a Madanī request to the Imāms as well as the Masjid committee to keep an eye on this matter.

6.     It is Makrūĥ for women to say Ażān and Iqāmat whether they are offering Ṣalāĥ (within its time) or Qaḍā (after the elapsing of its stipulated time).

(Dur-re-Mukhtār, pp. 72, vol. 2)

7.     It is impermissible for women to offer Ṣalāĥ with Jamā'at.

(Dur-re-Mukhtār, pp. 367, vol. 2, Baĥār-e-Sharī'at pp. 584, vol. 1)

8.     A clever child can also utter Ażān.

(Dur-re-Mukhtār, pp. 75, vol. 2)

9.     Though uttering Ażān without Wuḍū is valid, it is Makrūĥ to do so.

(Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 466, vol. 1, Marāqil Jalāĥ, pp. 64)

10. The Ażān uttered by a eunuch, transgressor even if he is a scholar, an intoxicated person, a mad person, the one on whom Ghusl is due and unwise child is Makrūĥ. Therefore, the Ażān uttered by any of the aforementioned people should be repeated.

(Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 466, vol. 1, Dur-re-Mukhtār, pp. 75, vol. 2)

11. It is better if the Mūażżin is Imām as well.

(Dur-re-Mukhtār, pp. 88, vol. 2)

12. Ażān should be uttered aloud outside the Masjid facing the Qiblaĥ with the fingers inside the ears but raising the voice of Ażān beyond one's strength is Makrūĥ.

(Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 468, 469, vol. 1, 'Alamgīrī, pp. 55, vol. 1)

13. Say حَىَّ عَلَی الصَّلٰوة having turned face towards the right side and حَىَّ عَلَی الْفَلَاح towards the left side even if the Ażān is not for Ṣalāĥ e.g. the Ażān uttered into the ear of a newly born baby. Turn only the face, not the whole body.

*(Dur-re-Mukhtār, pp. 66, vol. 2, Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 469,vol. 1)*

14. Some Mūażżinīn start moving their face slightly having uttered the word حَىَّ. It is not correct. The correct method is to first turn face to the right or left side completely and then start saying the word حَىَّ.

15. It is Mustaḥab to say اَلصَّلٰوةُ خَيْرٌ مِّنَ النَّوْم after حَىَّ عَلَی الْفَلَاح in Fajr Ażān.

(Dur-re-Mukhtār, pp. 67, vol. 2)

If it is not uttered, Ażān will still be valid.

(Qānūn-e-Sharī'at, pp. 89)