The Reward of Reviving Sunnaĥ: Reciting Durūd Before Ażān and Refuting the Bid'at Doubt

Earn the Reward of 100 Martyrs

A'lā Ḥaḍrat رَحْمَۃُاللّٰہِتَعَالٰیعَلَیْہِ says, 'Although the revival of Sunnaĥ is one of the specific duties of the scholars, there is a general commandment for such Muslims for whom it is possible. The Muslims of every city should revive the Sunnaĥ of uttering Ażān including the second Ażān of Jumu'aĥ outside the Masjid in their cities or at least in their Masjid and earn the reward of 100 martyrs. The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, 'Whoever holds onto my Sunnaĥ firmly at the time of Fasād (deviation from religion) of my Ummaĥ, he will attain the reward of 100 martyrs.'

(Az-Zuhd-ul-Kabir lil Baihaqi, pp. 118, Hadīš 207)

(Fatāwā Raḍawiyyah (Jad īd), pp. 402, 403, vol. 2)

This Ḥadīš has been narrated in the book 'Żuĥud' by Baiĥakī. For further details about this, go though the fifth volume of Fatāwā-e-Razavīyyaĥ called "Al-Ażān wal Iqāmaĥ." (Published by Rażā Foundation).

Recite this Durūd before Ażān

Prior to Ażān and Iqāmat, recite بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْم and the following four verses of Durūd Sharīf:

اَلصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَارَسُوْلَ الله وَعَلِيْكَ وَاَصْحَابِكَ يَاحَبِيْبَ الله

اَلصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَانَبِیَّ الله وَعَلِيْكَ وَاَصْحَابِكَ يَانَبِیَّ الله

For a pause between Durūd Sharīf and Ażān, make the following announcement:

"In the honour of Ażān, stop talking and other activities and earn hoard of good deeds by replying to Ażān."

Then, utter Ażān. Likewise, make the following announcement between Durūd and Iqāmat: 'Make the intention of I'tikāf, if you have a mobile phone, please switch it off.' I have made the Madanī request of reciting Tasmiyaĥ and Durūd Sharīf before Ażān and Iqāmat in the desire of earning perpetual reward. As for the suggestion of a pause (between Durūd Sharīf and Ażān/Iqāmat), it is taken from Fatāwā-e-Razavīyyaĥ. Therefore, replying to a question, Imām-e-Aĥl-e-Sunnat رَحْمَۃُاللّٰہِتَعَالٰیعَلَیْہِ said, "There is no harm in reciting Durūd Sharīf before Iqāmat but there should be a pause between them or the tone of Durūd Sharīf should be so different from that of Iqāmat (for example, the sound of Durūd Sharīf should be quieter than that of Iqāmat) that there should be a clear-cut distinction between them and people should not regard Durūd as a part of Iqāmat."

(Fatāwā Raḍawiyyah (Jad īd), pp. 386, vol. 5)

Satanic Whisper

As Durūd Sharīf did not use to be recited prior to Ażān during the apparent life of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم as well as in the reign of the first four blessed caliphs, doing that is a misleading innovation and a sin. مَعَاذَاللّٰہ

Rebuttal of this Satanic Whisper

If the principle is accepted that doing any such act not done in that blessed era is a misleading innovation and a sin, the whole existing system will be distorted. Just 12 examples out of innumerable ones are being presented making it clear that these acts were not performed in that era, but have been adopted by every one in the present era.

1.     Ḥajjāj Bin Yūsuf introduced diacritical marks in the Holy Qurān in the year 95A.H.

2.     He also introduced the use of full stops at the end of each Āyaĥ.

3.     Publication of the Holy Qurān in printed form

4.     In past, there used to be no arch in the centre of the Masjid for the Imām to stand. During the reign of Walīd Marwānī, Sayyidunā 'Umar bin 'Abdul 'Azīz رَضِیَ اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ introduced it which is now found in every Masjid.

5.     Six Kalimāt (Articles of Faith).

6.     Şarf and Naḥw.

7.     Knowledge of Ḥadīš and its different kinds.

8.     Dars-e-Nizāmī.

9.     Four orders of Sharī'at and Ṭarīqat.

10. Verbal intention of Ṣalāĥ.

11. The pilgrimage of Ḥaj by air.

12. Jiĥād with the latest scientific weapons.

In the present era, no body regards any of the aforementioned acts as a sin despite the fact that they did not exist in that blessed era, so why only reciting Durūd Sharīf on the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم before Ażān and Iqāmat is considered a sin! Remember! The absence of the proof of impermissibility in any matter is itself a proof of its permissibility. Without doubt, every such new act which Sharī'aĥ did not prohibit is Mubah and permissible; and it is an undeniable fact that the recitation of Durūd Sharīf before Ażān was not forbidden in any Ḥadīš. Therefore, absence of prohibition automatically led to permission. The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم himself expressed the persuasion of innovating good things in Islam. Therefore, a Ḥadīš mentioned in the chapter 'Kitāb-ul-'Ilm' of Şaḥīḥ Muslim says:

مَنْ سَنَّ فِى الْاِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً فَعُمِلَ بِهَا بَعْدَهُ كُتِبَ لَه

مِثْلُ اَجْرِ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا وَلَا يَنْتَقِصُ مِنْ اُجُوْرِهِمْ شَیْء

"Whoever promoted any good method among the Muslims and after him it was acted upon, the reward of the followers will also be written in the book of deeds of the person who started it and the reward of the followers will not be reduced."

(Şaḥīḥ Muslim, pp. 1437, Hadīš 1017)

In other words, whoever promotes any good act in Islam deserves great reward. Similarly, without any doubt, the fortunate person who developed the trend of reciting Durūd before Ażān and Iqāmat also deserves perpetual reward. He as well as the Muslims acting on that act till the Day of Judgement will attain reward without any reduction in any one's reward.

Here, a question may arise in someone's mind as to what the following blessed Ḥadīš means: کُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ وَکُلُّ ضَلَالَةٍ فِی النَّار [Every innovation is a heterodoxy and every heterodoxy leads to hell].

(Şaḥīḥ ibn Khuzaymaĥ, pp. 143, vol. 3, Hadīš 1785)

What does this Ḥadīš imply?

Beyond doubt, the foregoing Ḥadīš is true. In fact, the word 'Bid'at' mentioned in the Ḥadīš refers to Bid'at-e-Sayyi'aĥ, (misleading innovation) and indeed every Bid'at that contradicts or removes a Sunnaĥ is a misleading innovation.

Therefore, Sayyidunā Sheikh 'Abdul Haq Muḥaddiš Diĥlvī رَحْمَۃُاللّٰہِتَعَالٰیعَلَیْہِ writes, "Any Bid'at that complies with the principles of Sunnaĥ and does not contradict the Sharī'aĥ or Sunnaĥ is a Bid'at-e-Ḥasanaĥ. The Bid'aĥ that contradicts Sharī'aĥ and Sunnaĥ is a Bid'at-e-Dalālat, i.e. a misleading innovation."

(Ash'at-ul-Lam'aāt, pp. 135, vol. 1)