Question 293 - The Enlightening Answer Across the Ether, Vol 3

Supporters Response:

My noble brother, rely upon Allah with your whole heart and ask Him to show you the truth as truth so that you follow it, and falsehood as falsehood so that you avoid it. He is the Guide to the straight path. We ask Allah to reassure your heart and open it to the truth and the light. As for your question, here is its answer, excerpted from Sayyed al-Yamani’s book The Laws of Islam, from the Book of Prayer concerning the adhan and iqamah: ‘Concerning the adhan and iqamah: the discussion concerns four matters. ‘The first: that for which the adhan and iqamah are performed. They are obligatory for the five obligatory prayers, whether performed on time or made up, for one praying alone and one praying in congregation, and for a man and a woman. A woman, however, is required to say them quietly. They are more emphatic for the prayers recited aloud, and most emphatic for dawn and sunset prayer. The adhan is not performed for any supererogatory prayer or any obligatory prayer other than the five. Rather, the caller says, “Prayer,” three times. One who makes up the five prayers performs the adhan and iqamah for each one. If he performs the adhan for the first prayer of his sequence and then the iqamah for the rest, that suffices, although it is less virtuous. On Friday he performs the noon prayer with an adhan and iqamah and the afternoon prayer with an iqamah. The same applies to the noon and afternoon prayers at Arafat. If the Imam has prayed in congregation and others then arrive, it is disliked for them to perform the adhan and iqamah so long as the first congregation has not dispersed. If their rows have dispersed, the others perform the adhan and iqamah. If one praying alone performs the adhan and then wishes to pray in congregation, it is recommended for him to repeat the adhan and iqamah. ‘The second: concerning the caller to prayer. The following are required of him: reason, Islam, faith, and being male. Puberty is not required; it is sufficient that he possess discernment. It is recommended that he be just, have a strong voice, be able to see, know the prayer times, be in a state of purity, and stand upon an elevated place. It is permissible for a woman to call the adhan for women. If someone prays alone and forgetfully does not perform the adhan, he continues his prayer. The caller to prayer is paid from the public treasury if no one volunteers to perform it. ‘The third: concerning the manner of the adhan. The adhan is not performed until the time begins. It is permissible to perform it before dawn, but it must be repeated after dawn breaks. ‘The phrases of the adhan are: the takbir four times; the testimony to divine unity, “I testify that there is no god except Allah”; then to the messengership, “I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”; then to the authority, “I testify that Ali and the Imams from his descendants are Allah’s proofs”; then to guidance, “I testify that the Mahdi and the Mahdis from his descendants are Allah’s proofs.” Then he says, “Come to prayer”; then, “Come to success”; then, “Come to the best of deeds”; followed by the takbir and then the declaration that there is no god except Allah. Each phrase is said twice. The phrases of the iqamah are each said twice; “The prayer has been established” is added twice, and one occurrence of the declaration that there is no god except Allah is omitted at its end. ‘Maintaining the order is a condition for the validity of the adhan and iqamah. ‘Seven things are recommended in them: facing the qiblah; pausing at the ends of the phrases; proceeding slowly in the adhan; proceeding quickly in the iqamah; not speaking during them; separating them with two units of prayer, a sitting, or a prostration, except at sunset prayer, when it is preferable to separate them with a step or a pause; and raising the voice when the caller is male. All of these are more emphatic for the iqamah. Repetition in the adhan is disliked unless the intention is to announce. Likewise, saying, “Prayer is better than sleep,” is forbidden. ‘The fourth: concerning the rulings of the adhan. It contains issues: ‘First: If someone sleeps during the adhan or iqamah and then awakens, it is recommended that he start it again, although he may continue from where he stopped. The same applies if he loses consciousness. ‘Second: If someone performs the adhan and then apostatizes, it is permissible to count it and have someone else perform the iqamah. If he apostatizes during the adhan and then returns, he starts it again. ‘Third: It is recommended that one who hears the adhan repeat it quietly to himself. ‘Fourth: When the caller says, “The prayer has been established,” speaking is strongly disliked except concerning the organization of the worshippers. ‘Fifth: It is disliked for the caller to turn right and left. Rather, he remains facing the qiblah during his adhan. ‘Sixth: If people dispute over performing the adhan, the most knowledgeable is given precedence, then the most God-fearing. If they are equal, guidance is sought from Allah through the Quran. ‘Seventh: If they are a group, it is permissible for them all to perform the adhan. If there is ample time, it is preferable for them to perform it one after another. ‘Eighth: If the Imam hears the adhan of a caller, he may suffice with it for the congregational prayer even if that caller was praying alone. ‘Ninth: Whoever invalidates his state of purity during the adhan or iqamah purifies himself and continues the adhan. The same applies to the iqamah, although it is preferable that he repeat the iqamah after purifying himself. ‘Tenth: Whoever invalidates his state of purity during prayer purifies himself and repeats the prayer. He does not repeat the iqamah unless he speaks. ‘Eleventh: Whoever prays behind an Imam whom it is impermissible to follow performs the adhan and iqamah for himself. If he fears missing the prayer, he limits himself to two takbirs and the words, “The prayer has been established.” If the caller omits one of the phrases of the adhan, it is recommended that the person following the Imam utter it.’ The Scientific Committee Supporters of Imam al-Mahdi (may Allah establish him upon the earth)