Jundub al-Qasri reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When anyone prays the morning prayer he is in God’s protection; so see that God does not call you to account for withdrawing in any respect from His protection, for if He does this to anyone for any cause He will catch him and turn him over on his face in the fire of Jahannam.”
Muslim transmitted it. Some MSS. of al-Masabih have al-Qushair instead of al-Qasri.
Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If people knew what blessing lies in the call to prayer and in the first row, then could do nothing but cast lots for it, they would do so; if they know what blessing lies in going to prayer early, they would race to do it i and if they knew what blessing lies in the prayer after nightfall and the morning prayer, they would come to them even if they had to crawl to do so.”
He also reported God’s Messenger as saying, "No prayer is more burdensome to the hypocrites than the dawn and the evening prayer; but if they know what blessing lies in them, they would come to them even if they had to crawl to do so.”
‘Uthman reported God’s Messenger as saying, "If anyone prays the evening prayer in company, it is as though he had remained awake in prayer half the night; but if anyone prays the Morning Prayer in company, it is as though he had prayed the whole night.”
Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, "Do not let the Bedouin take away from you the name of your prayer al-maghrib (sunset) which the Bedouin call al-'isha (evening); and do not let the Bedouin take away from you the name of your prayer al-‘isha, for it is mentioned as al-‘isha in God’s Book,1 and for they use the verb from the root ‘atama of milking camels at nightfall.”
‘Ali reported God’s Messenger as saying at the battle of the Trench,2 "They have restrained us from the middle prayer,3 the afternoon prayer. God fill their houses and their graves with fire!”
2. The siege of Medina by Quraish in 5 A.H.
3. Cf. (Al-Qur’an, 2:238.)
Concerning God’s words, “The recitation of the dawn is witnessed,” (Al-Qur’an, 17:78). Abu Huraira quoted the Prophet as saying, "The angels of the night and the angels of the day are present at it.”
Zaib b. Thabit said that God’s Messenger used to pray the noon prayer in the extreme heat, observing no prayer more severe to his companions than it. Then was revealed, “And observe carefully the prayers and the middle prayer”; (Al-Qur’an, 2:238) and he said, “Before it there are two times of prayer and after it there are two times of prayer.”
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.”
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.
Abu Mahdhura said that God's Messenger himself taught him how to make the call to prayer, telling him to say, “God is most great. God is most great. God is most great. God is most great. 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”; then to repeat, “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. God is most great. God is most great. There is no god but God.”
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.”
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.”
Jabir stated that God’s Messenger said to Bilal, “When you call the adhan speak deliberately, when you utter the iqama speak quickly, and leave between your adhan and your iqama time for one who eats to finish his food and one who drinks to finish his drink, and one who needs to relieve himself to do so. And do not get up to pray* till you see me do so.”
* This sentence is addressed not only to Bilal, as the plural is used.
Tirmidhi transmitted it and said, “I know it only from the tradition of ‘Abd al-Mun‘im, and it is an unknown isnad”
God's Messenger ordered me to call the adhan for the dawn prayer and I did so. Then Bilal wanted to utter the iqama, but God’s Messenger said to him, “The man of Suda' has called the adhan, and he who calls the adhan utters the iqama.”
