Adhan and Iqamah: Phrases, Responses, and Conduct

Read the bilingual lesson for Adhan and Iqamah: Phrases, Responses, and Conduct and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. The Phrase Counts of Adhan and Iqamah

وَيُكَبِّرُ فِي أَوَّلِهِ أَرْبَعًا، وَيُثَنِّي تَكْبِيرَ آخِرِهِ كَبَاقِي أَلْفَاظِهِ ... وَيَزِيدُ بَعْدَ فَلَاحِ الْفَجْرِ: الصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ مَرَّتَيْنِ، وَبَعْدَ فَلَاحِ الْإِقَامَةِ: قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ مَرَّتَيْنِ

Ordinary Adhan has 15 phrases: 4 opening Takbirs; 2 Shahadah of Allah; 2 Shahadah of the Messenger; 2 Hayya 'alas-Salah; 2 Hayya 'alal-Falah; 2 final Takbirs; 1 Tahlil. Fajr adds الصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ twice, making 17. Iqamah follows the ordinary pattern and adds قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ twice, also making 17.

2. Tarassul in Adhan, Faster Iqamah

وَيَتَمَهَّلُ فِي الْأَذَانِ وَيُسْرِعُ فِي الْإِقَامَةِ

The Adhan is called with measured pauses and clarity; the Iqamah is delivered more quickly. The point is a distinct Sunnah style for each call, not careless or distorted pronunciation.

3. How the Listener Responds

وَإِذَا سَمِعَ الْمَسْنُونَ مِنْهُ أَمْسَكَ وَقَالَ مِثْلَهُ، وَحَوْقَلَ فِي الْحَيْعَلَتَيْنِ، وَقَالَ صَدَقْتَ وَبَرَرْتَ أَوْ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ عِنْدَ قَوْلِ الْمُؤَذِّنِ: الصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ

Normally repeat the Mu'adhin's words. At حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ and حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ, say لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ. At the Fajr addition, the text gives صَدَقْتَ وَبَرَرْتَ or another suitable remembrance such as مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ.

4. Supplication after the Adhan

ثُمَّ يَدْعُو بِالْوَسِيلَةِ فَيَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ آتِ سَيِّدَنَا مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ

After responding to the Adhan, the text teaches the well-known supplication asking Allah to grant the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ al-Wasilah, al-Fadilah and the praised station.

5. Physical Conduct of the Mu'adhin

وَيُسْتَحَبُّ ... أَنْ يَجْعَلَ إِصْبَعَيْهِ فِي أُذُنَيْهِ ... وَأَنْ يُحَوِّلَ وَجْهَهُ يَمِينًا بِالصَّلَاةِ وَيَسَارًا بِالْفَلَاحِ

It is recommended to place the fingers in the ears. During حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ the face is turned to the right; during حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ it is turned to the left. The source teaches turning the face; this level does not add an unsupported rigid rule about every movement of the chest and feet.

Practice questions

Question 1

How many phrases are in the ordinary Adhan, the Fajr Adhan, and the Iqamah under the counting taught here?

15, 17, 17.
15, 15, 17.
17, 17, 15.
19, 17, 17.

Question 2

The Sunnah style is to call the Adhan with measured pauses and the Iqamah more quickly.

True
False

Question 3

What is said in response to the two Hayya phrases?

The same Hayya phrase.
صَدَقْتَ وَبَرَرْتَ.
لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ.
Nothing may be said.

Question 4

At the Fajr phrase الصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ, the text gives صَدَقْتَ وَبَرَرْتَ as one response.

True
False

Question 5

Which physical action is specifically associated with the Adhan in the source passage?

Putting the fingers in the ears.
Lifting both feet from the ground.
Turning the whole body away from the Qiblah for every phrase.
Sitting throughout the call.

Question 6

During the Hayya phrases, the source teaches turning the face right for Salah and left for Falah.

True
False

Question 7

Match the Arabic terms of speed and conduct with their correct factual definitions supported by the text:

Question 8

Sort the following phrases into whether they belong exclusively to the Adhan, exclusively to the Iqamah, or are common to both:

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