3 supplications
Duas for the Adhan
When you hear the adhan, repeat its words after the muezzin, then send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ and say the dua below: “whoever says it, my intercession will be due for him on the Day of Resurrection” (Sahih al-Bukhari).
Answering the muezzin
يَقُولُ مِثْلَ مَا يَقُولُ الْمُؤَذِّنُ، إِلَّا عِنْدَ «حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ» وَ«حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ» فَيَقُولُ: لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah.
Repeat each phrase after the muezzin, except at “Hayya ‘alas-salah” and “Hayya ‘alal-falah”, where you say: there is no power nor strength except with Allah.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari; Sahih Muslim
After the testimony in the adhan
وَأَنَا أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولًا، وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا
Wa ana ashhadu an la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, wa anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluh, raditu billahi rabba, wa bi-Muhammadin rasula, wa bil-islami dina.
And I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, without partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Muhammad as Messenger and with Islam as religion. His sins are forgiven.
Source: Sahih Muslim
The dua after the adhan
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ، وَالصَّلَاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ، آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ، وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ
Allahumma rabba hadhihid-da‘watit-tammah, was-salatil-qa’imah, ati Muhammadanil-wasilata wal-fadilah, wab‘athhu maqaman mahmudanil-ladhi wa‘adtah.
O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and of the prayer about to be established, grant Muhammad al-Wasilah and excellence, and raise him to the praised station You have promised him. Then make du‘a for yourself: the supplication between the adhan and the iqamah is not rejected.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari
Answering the adhan step by step
- Repeat each phrase after the muezzin as he says it.
- At “Hayya ‘alas-salah” and “Hayya ‘alal-falah”, say “La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah” (Muslim).
- At Fajr, answer “As-salatu khayrun minan-nawm” with the same words.
- When the adhan ends, send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ, then say the dua of al-wasilah: his intercession becomes due for you (al-Bukhari).
- Then ask Allah for what you need: the dua between the adhan and the iqamah is not rejected (Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi).
The reward of the call and of answering it
The Prophet ﷺ said that the muezzins will have the longest necks on the Day of Resurrection (Muslim), a sign of their honour. Those who answer share in this good: whoever repeats the adhan sincerely, saying “La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah” at the two calls to come, enters Paradise (Muslim).
He also said: “Whoever says, on hearing the muezzin, ‘I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone without partner and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger; I am pleased with Allah as Lord, with Muhammad as Messenger and with Islam as religion’, his sins are forgiven” (Muslim). The time between the adhan and the iqamah is then a time of answered du‘a.
Meaning of the du‘a of al-wasilah
“O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and the prayer to be established, grant Muhammad al-wasilah and excellence, and raise him to the praised station You promised him.” The perfect call is the adhan; al-wasilah is a rank in Paradise fitting for only one servant; the praised station is the great intercession. Whoever says it is assured of the Prophet’s ﷺ intercession on the Day of Resurrection (al-Bukhari).
Practical tips
- Lower the music or conversation when the adhan starts.
- Repeat each phrase quietly after the muezzin.
- Keep the du‘a of al-wasilah memorised for after the adhan.
- Use the minutes before the iqamah for personal du‘a.
- Use an app that plays the adhan if you live far from a mosque.
Duas for the Adhan: questions and answers
Do I answer the adhan on radio or television?
Many scholars say a live broadcast is answered like any adhan, while a recording played outside the prayer time is not.
Should I stop reading the Qur’an to answer the adhan?
Many scholars recommend pausing to answer, because the answer is for a limited time while recitation can resume afterwards.