Virtues & Meaning of the Adhan

The Adhan is a reminder of our faith, a call to prayer, a promise that we should ‘Come to Salah, Come to Success’. South Africa is one of the countries that are blessed to be able to call out the melodious Adhan over the loudspeakers of the masaajids. It is something many of us in South Africa take for granted. Our masajid are recognised as religious spaces and do not have to be camouflaged as rooms or apartments, as is the case in many parts of the western world.

If you have been hearing the adhan all your life and have never taken time to ponder over it’s words – Keep Reading 🙂

Virtues of the Adhan

• Narrated Abu-Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) that Allah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “If the people knew (the reward of) pronouncing the Adhan and for standing in the first row [in congregational Salat (prayers)] and found no other way to get that by drawing lots. They would draw lots, and if they knew (the reward of) the Dhuhr prayer (in early moments of its stated time) they would race for it (go early) and if they knew the reward of ‘Isha and Fajr (morning) prayers in congregation, they would come to offer them even if they had to crawl.” [Al-Bukhari]

• Anas Bin Malik (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated, “The Messenger of Allah (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said to attack the enemy at dawn. He would listen to the Adhan, so if he heard it, he would stop, otherwise he would charge. Once on hearing a man say: “Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,” the Messenger of Allah (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) remarked: “He is following al-Fitrah (Islam)”. He then heard them say: “I testify that there is no true god but Allah, there is no true god but Allah,”  The Messenger of Allah (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “You have come out of fire (of Hell).” They looked and found that he was a shepherd.” [Sahih Muslim]

• Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “When the Adhan is pronounced, satan takes to his heels and passes wind to avoid hearing the Adhan. When the Adhan is over, he comes back, and again takes to his heels when the Iqamah is pronounced and after its completion, he returns to whisper into the heart of a person (to distract his attention from his prayer) and makes him remember things which he does not recall before until man forgets how many Rak’ahs he prayed.” [Sahih Muslim]