This article explains the rulings of the adhan and iqamah according to the Hanbali madhhab. The rulings are summarized from Bidayat al-ʿAbid wa-Kifayat al-Zahid by Shaykh ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn ʿAbd Allah al-Baʿli and Sharh Muntaha al-Iradat by Shaykh Mansur ibn Yunus al-Buhuti, may Allah have mercy on them both.

To learn more in-depth about the Salah, read this article.

The Adhan and Iqamah

The adhan announces the entrance of a prayer time, while the iqamah announces the immediate commencement of the congregational prayer. The adhan is more virtuous than the iqamah due to its greater reward and because it is one of the manifest symbols of Islam.

To learn more in-depth about the Salah, read this article.

Legal Ruling

The adhan and iqamah are a communal obligation (fard kifayah) for the five daily prayers upon free Muslim men residing in towns and cities.

They are recommended for:

A person praying alone.
A traveler.
Missed prayers (qadaʾ).

They are not legislated for:

Women.
Funeral prayers.
Tarawih.

For the Eid, eclipse, and rain prayers, the congregation is called with “As-Salatu Jamiʿah”, not the adhan.

Conditions for a Valid Adhan

A valid adhan requires:

The phrases to be recited in the correct order.
Continuity without long interruptions.
Intention from the beginning.
A single caller.
The caller must be:
- Muslim.
- Male.
- Sane.
- Of the age of discernment.
- Able to speak.
- Apparently upright (ʿadl).
The adhan must be called after the prayer time begins, except for Fajr.
The wording must be recited in Arabic and loud enough to fulfill its purpose of notifying others.

The Muʾadhdhin

It is recommended that the muʾadhdhin be:

Loud-voiced.
Trustworthy.
Knowledgeable of the prayer times.
Standing.
In a state of purification.
Facing the qiblah.
On an elevated place.
Placing the index fingers in the ears.
Turning to the right while saying “Hayya ʿalaṣ-Salah” and to the left while saying “Hayya ʿala-l-Falah.”

Fajr Adhan

The Fajr adhan may be given after the middle of the night, before the entrance of true dawn.
It is recommended to add “As-Salatu khayrun mina-n-nawm” twice after the two ḥayʿalahs.

Wording of the Adhan and Iqamah

According to the Hanbali school:

The preferred adhan consists of 15½ phrases, without repeating the testimony of faith (tarjiʿ).

الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله أشهد أن محمدًا رسول الله أشهد أن محمدًا رسول الله حي على الصلاة حي على الصلاة حي على الفلاح حي على الفلاح الله أكبر الله أكبر لا إله إلا الله

Allahu akbar Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar Allahu akbar, ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah, ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah, ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah, ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah, hayya ʿalaṣ-Salah, hayya ʿalaṣ-Salah, hayya ʿalal-Falah, hayya ʿalal-Falah, Allahu akbar Allahu akbar, la ilaha illa Allah.
The preferred iqamah consists of 11 phrases, without doubling its statements.

الله أكبر الله أكبر أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله أشهد أن محمدًا رسول الله حي على الصلاة حي على الفلاح قد قامت الصلاة الله أكبر الله أكبر لا إله إلا الله Allahu akbar Allahu akbar, ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah, ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah, hayya ʿalaṣ-Salah, hayya ʿalal-Falah, qad qamatiṣ-Salah, Allahu akbar Allahu akbar, la ilaha illa Allah.
Both repeating the testimonies in the adhan and doubling the phrases of the iqamah are permissible.

Recommended Etiquette

It is recommended to:

Call the adhan at the beginning of the prayer time.
Recite the adhan slowly and the iqamah more quickly.
Pause briefly between each phrase.
Leave a short interval between the adhan and iqamah.
Have the same person perform both the adhan and iqamah whenever possible.

Responding to the Adhan

Whoever hears the adhan should:

Repeat the caller’s words.
Say “La hawla wa-la quwwata illa billah” after the two ḥayʿalahs.
Say “Sadaqta wa-bararta” after “As-Salatu khayrun mina-n-nawm.”
Send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ.
Recite the supplication asking Allah to grant him al-Wasilah.

اللهم رب هذه الدعوة التامة والصلاة القائمة آت محمدًا الوسيلة والفضيلة وابعثه مقامًا محمودًا الذي وعدته Allahumma rabba hadhihi d-daʿwati t-tammah, waṣ-ṣalati l-qaʾimah, ati Muhammadan al-Wasilah wal-Faḍilah, wabʿathhu maqaman maḥmudan alladhi waʿadtah.
Make duʿaʾ between the adhan and iqamah, as this is a time when supplications are answered.

Leaving the Mosque After the Adhan

Once the adhan has begun, it is prohibited to leave the mosque unless:

There is a valid excuse.
One intends to return before the congregational prayer begins.

This ruling also applies to someone who enters the mosque after the adhan has already finished.

Newborn

It is recommended to:

Call the adhan in the right ear of a newborn.
Call the iqamah in the left ear.

The Adhan and Iqamah According to the Hanbali Madhhab