The Book of Prayers

Ibn Umar reported: ‘When the Muslims first came to Medina, they would gather and wait for the prayers, but no one called them. One day they discussed this. Some said, “Let us use a bell like the Christians' bell.” Others said, “A horn like the Jews' horn.” Umar said, “Why not appoint a man to call people to prayer?” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Bilal, get up and call people to prayer.”’

Abu Mahdhura reported: ‘The Prophet (ﷺ) taught me this call to prayer: “Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. I testify that there is no god but Allah; I testify that there is no god but Allah. I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” Then he repeated: “I testify that there is no god but Allah; I testify that there is no god but Allah. I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Come to prayer, twice. Come to success, twice.”’ Ishaq added: ‘Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest; there is no god but Allah.’

Anas ibn Malik reported that when dawn broke, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would launch a raid after listening for the call to prayer. If he heard a call, he held back; otherwise, he would proceed. He heard a man say Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, and said: That is the natural way. Then the man said: I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, I bear witness that there is no god but Allah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: You have been saved from the Fire. They looked and found that the man was a goatherd.

Abu Said al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: When you hear the call to prayer, repeat what the caller says.

Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As reported that he heard the Prophet ﷺ say: When you hear the caller to prayer, repeat what he says, then invoke blessings upon me, for whoever invokes blessings upon me once, Allah will bless him ten times. Then ask Allah to grant me al-Wasilah, a station in Paradise that is fitting for only one servant of Allah, and I hope to be that servant. Whoever asks Allah to grant me al-Wasilah will be eligible for my intercession.

Umar ibn al-Khattab reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: When the caller says Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, and one of you repeats Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar; then he says I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and the listener repeats it; then he says I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and the listener repeats it; then he says Come to prayer, and the listener says There is no might or power except through Allah; then he says Come to success, and the listener says There is no might or power except through Allah; then he says Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, and the listener repeats it; then he says There is no god but Allah, and the listener repeats it from his heart, he will enter Paradise.

Saad ibn Abi Waqqas reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whoever, upon hearing the caller to prayer, says 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, Muhammad as Messenger, and Islam as religion, will be forgiven his sins. Ibn Rumh said in his narration: Whoever says this when he hears the caller, and I bear witness. Qutaybah did not mention and I bear witness.

Talhah ibn Yahya reported from his uncle: I was with Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan when the caller came to invite him to prayer. Muawiyah said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, The callers to prayer will have the longest necks among people on the Day of Resurrection. Another chain reports the same from Muawiyah.