How The Adhaan Started

[Shehzad Sattar]

Abu Umair b.Anas reported on the authority of his uncle who was from the Ansar (the helpers of the Prophet): The Prophet (may peace be upon him) was anxious as to how to gather the people for prayer. The people told him: Hoist a flag at the time of prayer; when they see it, they will inform one another. But he (the Prophet) did not like it. Then someone mentioned to him the horn. Ziyad said: A horn of the Jews. He (the Prophet) did not like it. He said: This is the matter of the Jews. Then they mentioned to him the bell of the Christians. He said: This is the matter of the Christians. Abd Allah b. Zaid returned anxiously from there because of the anxiety of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him). He was then taught the call to prayer in his dream. Next day he came to the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) and informed him about it. He said: Apostle of Allah, I was between sleep and wakefulness; all of a sudden a newcomer came (to me) and taught me the call to prayer. Umar b.al-Khattab had also seen it in his dream before, but he kept it hidden for twenty days. The Prophet (may peace be upon him) said to me (Umar): What did prevent you from saying it to me? He said: Abd Allah b.Zaid had already told you about it before me: hence I was ashamed. Then the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Bilal, stand up, and see what Abd Allah b.Zaid tells you (to do), then do it. Bilal then called to prayer.

(Abu Dawud: Eng Trans: vol 1 hadith no 498 pg 126)

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Abd Allah b.Zaid reported: When the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) ordered a bell to be made so that it might be struck to gather the people for prayer, a man carrying a bell in his hand appeared to me while I was asleep, and I said: Servant of Abd Allah, will you sell the bell? He asked: What will you do with it? I replied: We shall use it to call the people to prayer. He said: Should I not suggest you something better than that. I replied: Certainly. Then he told me to say: Allah is most great, Allah is most great, Allah is most great, Allah is most great. I testify that there is no god but Allah; I testify that there is no god but Allah. I testify that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah. I testify that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah. Come to prayer, Come to prayer; Come to salvation, Come to salvation. Allah is most great, Allah is most great: There is no god but Allah. He then moved backward a few steps and said: When you utter the iqamah, you should say: Allah is most great, Allah is most great. I testify that there is no god but Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah. Come to pray, Come to salvation. The time for prayer has come, the time for prayer has come; Allah is most great, Allah is most great. There is no god but Allah. When the morning came, I came to the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) and informed him of what I had seen in the dream. He said: It is a genuine vision, if Allah will; so get up along with Bilal and teach him what you saw in the vision, and he should then use it to call people to prayer, for he has a louder voice than you have. So I got up along with Bilal and began to teach it to him and he used it in making the call to prayer. Umar b.al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with him) heard it while he was in his house and came out trailing his cloak and said: Apostle of Allah, by Him Who has sent you with the truth, I have also seen the kind of thing as has been shown to him. The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: To Allah be the praise.

(Abu Dawud: Eng Trans: vol 1 hadith no 499 pg 127)

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Narrated Anas: Bilal was ordered to repeat the wording of the Adhan for prayers twice, and to pronounce the wording of the Iqama once except "Qad-qamat-is-salat".

(Sahih al-Bukhari: Eng Trans, hadith no 605)