Will you give information about the prayer of adhan? The Prayer of Adhan both in Arabic and English...

Will you give information about the prayer of adhan? The Prayer of Adhan both in Arabic and English...

Dear Brother / Sister,

According to what is narrated from Jabir radiyallahu anh, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"If a person reads the following dua (prayer) when he hears adhan, intercession for me will be permitted for him on the Day of Resurrection:

'Allahumma rabba hadhihi-d-da' wat-it-tammah was-salatil qaimah, ati Muhammadanil-wasilata wal-fadilata, wab' athhu maqaman mahmudan alladhi wa' adtahu. Innaka la tukhliful miad.'" [Bukhari, Adhan 8, Tafsiru sura (17), 11. see also Abu Dawud, Salat 37; Tirmidhi, Mawaqit 43; Nasai, Adhan 38; Ibn Majah, Adhan 4]

The meaning of this prayer is as follows:

"(O Allah! Lord of this perfect call and of the regular prayer which is going to be established! Give Muhammad the right of intercession(shafa'ah) and superiority and send him (on the Day of Judgment) to the best and the highest place in Paradise which You promised him. You never break Your promise."

According to what Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqas radiyallahu anh narrates, the Prophet (pbuh) said,

"If a person hears the muezzin and says, 'I witness that there is no god but Allah, who is single and who has no partners, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger; I am content with Allah as my Lord Muhammad as my Messenger and Islam as my religion', his sins are forgiven." (Muslim, Salat 13. see also Tirmidhi, Salat 42; Nasai, Adhan 38; Ibn Majah, Adhan 4)

What is meant by the phrase "when he hears adhan" mentioned in both hadiths is after listening to the whole adhan. For, a person who hears adhan needs to repeat what the muezzin says; it is ordered by the Messenger of Allah. After adhan ends, salawat is uttered for the Prophet and the prayer of adhan is read.

What is commonly known and read is the prayer mentioned in the first hadith but the second hadith is evidence that other prayers can also be read. It is also possible to read another prayer narrated from the Prophet (pbuh) and existing in hadith books.

In the narration of Bayhaqi, the following phrase exists at the end of the prayer: "Innaka la tukhlifu'l-miad = You never break Your promise." We add this phrase to our prayers. The explanation of this common prayer is as follows:

The word "da'wah (call)" here is the words of adhan. As it was explained earlier, this is call to oneness (tawhid). The meaning of "tammah (perfect/full)" is that it includes kalima at-tawhid and kalima ash-shahada. Another aspect of being perfect is that its words and content will be protected without being changed or altered until the Day of Judgment and that its principles of creed will never change.

The meaning of "wasilah (means)" here is a very high place in Paradise as it is indicated in the previous hadith. "Fadilah (superiority)" is the name of a high rank, which is a degree higher than those of other creatures.  "Maqam al- mahmud" means a place/station that deserves to be praised and exalted by all tongues. Everybody, from the first created man to the last one, praises and exalts the one in that station. Maqam al-mahmud is the place of intercession, which was granted to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). It is the station described by the Quran as follows:

"…soon will thy Lord raise thee to a station of Praise and Glory " (al-Isra, 17/79)

According to the explanation of Ibn Abbas, maqam al-mahmud is described as follows:

"It is such a station that the ones who came before you and the ones to come after you will praise you there; you are in front of all creatures there. You intercede and your intercession is accepted. There will nobody who will not be under your banner." (Ali al-Qari, al-Mirqat, II/353).

The Prophet (pbuh) mentioned this station in various hadiths and described it.

As we mentioned before, adhan is a religious declaration and call containing basic principles of Islam. A believer who listens to it and repeats it by believing heartily prays Allah after each adhan since he is in the true path, has a sound belief and righteous deeds. A Muslim who understands the nature and contents of this prayer (dua) even in summary cannot help doing this righteous deed (saying this prayer). To strengthen this, iqamah is uttered before each fard prayer in addition to adhan.

What we learn from the hadiths

1. It is a virtuous sunnah to listen to adhan by repeating the words of the muezzin and to say a prayer after it ends.
2. Times of adhan are times when prayers are not rejected; therefore, it is regarded a virtuous to deed to say a prayer after each adhan.
3. To keep praying after adhan is a means of attaining good things and the intercession of the Prophet.  
4. After adhan ends, one of the prayers taught by the Prophet should be read as the prayer of adhan.
5. Wasilah, fadilah and maqam al-mahmud are superior ranks and stations peculiar to Hz. Muhammad (pbuh).

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