We waited one night in expectation of God’s Messenger for the last prayer of the evening, and he came out to us when a third of the night had passed, or later; we did not know whether he had been occupied with family business, or something else. When he came out he said, “You are waiting for a time of prayer for which the followers of no other religion wait, and were it not that it would impose a burden on my people, I would normally pray with them at this time.” He then gave orders to the mu'adhdhin who declared that the time for prayer had come, and then prayed. Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir b. Samura said, “God’s Messenger used to observe the times of prayer more or less as you do, but he would delay the prayer after nightfall to a little after the time you observe it, and he would shorten the prayer.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Musa reported God’s Messenger as saying, “He who observes the two cool times of prayer (at dawn and after nightfall) will enter paradise.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Salman said that he heard God’s Messenger say, “He who goes out early to Morning Prayer goes out with the standard of faith, but he who goes out early to the market goes out with the standard of Iblis.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Anas said they mentioned kindling fire and the use of a bell, and mentioned the Jews and the Christians. Then Bilal was ordered to repeat the call to prayer twice and the statement that the time for prayer had come (al-iqama) once. Isma'il1 said that he mentioned it to Ayyub,2 and he said it was correct except regarding the iqama. (Bukhari and Muslim.)1. Bukhari (Adhan, 3) gives a shorter form of the tradition than that above, mentioning Ismail b. Ibrahim in his isnad and telling how he made the enquiry of Ayyub.2. Ayyub b. Abu Tamima.

Ibn ‘Umar said that in the time of God's Messenger the phrases in the adhan were uttered twice each and in the iqama once each, except for saying, ‘‘The time for prayer has come. The time for prayer has come.” Abu Dawud, Nasai and Darimi transmitted it.

When I asked God’s Messenger to teach me the sunna relating to the adhan he wiped the forepart of his head and said: You must say, “God is most great. God is most great. God is most great. God is most great,” raising your voice while saying these words. Then you must say, “I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger,” lowering your voice while saying these words. Then you must raise your voice in making the testimony, “I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. Come to prayer. Come to prayer. Come to salvation. Come to salvation”; and if it is the Morning Prayer you must say, “Prayer is better than sleep. Prayer is better than sleep. God’s is most great. God is most great. There is no god but God.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Bilal said, “God’s Messenger told me not to make the call to prayer twice for any of the prayers but the dawn prayer.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said that Abu Isra’il the transmitter is not considered by traditionists to be strong.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported God’s Messenger as saying, “All jinn, men, or any other creatures who hear the voice of the mu’adhdhin as far away as it is possible to hear it will testify on his behalf on the day of resurrection.”Bukhari transmitted it.

If anyone says when he hears the mu’adhdhin, “I testify that there is no god but God alone who has no partner and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger; I am satisfied with God as Lord, with Muhammad as Messenger, and with Islam as religion,” his sins will be forgiven him. Muslim transmitted it.

God is pleased with a shepherd on the top of a rock on a mountain who makes the call to prayer and prays. God says, “Look at this servant of Mine who makes the call to prayer, observes the prayer and fears Me. I forgive My servant and will cause him to enter paradise.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abu Umama, or one of the companions of God’s Messenger, said that Bilal began the iqama, and when he said, “The time for prayer has come,” God’s Messenger said, “May God establish it and cause it to continue!” During the whole of the iqama he made such responses as are found in ‘Umar’s tradition about the adhan.Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr told of a man who said, “Messenger of God, the mu'adhdhins excel us.”* To him God’s Messenger replied, ‘Say the same words as they say, and when you come to the end, if you make any petition it will be granted to you.” * This most probably means that they get a greater reward. The reply suggests how that may be counterbalanced.Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘A’isha said that when the Prophet heard the mu’adhdhin uttering the testimony, he said, “I too, I too.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Malik b. al-Huwairith said that he and a cousin of his came to the Prophet, who said, “When you two are on a journey, you should call the adhan and repeat the iqama, then the older of you should act as imam.” This is how Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “One prayer in this mosque of mine (i.e. the mosque in Medina) is better than a thousand elsewhere, except the sacred mosque.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Ibn ‘Umar said that the Prophet used to go to the mosque in Quba'* every Saturday, walking and riding, and he would pray two rak'as in it. * The village outside Medina where the Prophet stayed a few days before entering Medina at the time of the Hijra. Before leaving he laid the foundations of a mosque there. Al-Qur’an; 9:108 is said to refer to this mosque. In the preceding verse reference is made to another mosque which had been built in a spirit of opposition.(Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone goes out in the morning or in the evening to the mosque, God will prepare for him his food in paradise as often as he goes out in the morning or in the evening.”(Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas reported God's Messenger as saying, “If anyone forgets a stated prayer or oversleeps, expiation is made by observing it when he remembers it.” A version has “That is the only expiation for it.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Mu'adh b, Jabal reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Observe this prayer when it is dark, for by it you have been made superior to all the peoples, no people having observed it before you”. Abu Dawud transmitted it.