Question # 535: Aslamualaykum. Dear Brother, Whenever I went to the Masjid and would hear the Iqama. I would sometimes hear some people give each part or phrase only once and sometimes some give each part or phrase twice in the Iqama. Inshallah, could you please answer which is correct? Jazakallah khair.

bismi-llahi r-raḥmani r-raḥīm,

Assalamu ‘laikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

All praise and thanks are due to Allah (سبحانه و تعالى), and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم).

Dear questioner,

First of all, we implore Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) to help us serve His cause and render our work for His sake.

Shorter Answer: All Muslim scholars agree that the words of Iqamah are the same as those of the Adhan except the words ‘Qad Qamatis Salah‘ (twice), which are added to Iqamah. However, they disagreed as far as repeating the words of Iqamah is concerned. Saying each phrase once, apart from the Takbeer “Allahu Akbar” at the beginning and the end, which is said twice, and the phrase ‘Qad qamatis Salah’, which is also said twice (11 phrases in all), is the madhhab of Shafi’is and Hanbalis, and is also the opinion of the Malikis, but they also say ‘Qad qamatis Salah’ only once. As for Hanafis, the phrases of the iqamah are exactly like the phrases of the adhan, with the addition of the phrase ‘Qad qamatis Salah’ twice (17 phrases in all). Both sides of the scholars have their authentic proofs and pieces of evidence for their claims. In summary, everything that is proven from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) is Sunnah and should be followed. So, there is nothing wrong with the mu’adhdhin reciting the iqamah either way. In fact, it is better to do it one way sometimes and the other way sometimes so that the entire Sunnah can be followed, and nothing is abandoned that has been narrated in authentic ahadith. Finally, the difference of opinion on such matters should not lead to hatred or dispute among the Muslim Ummah, as such matters are subject to Ijtihad.

Long Answer: All Muslim scholars are agreed that the words of Iqamah are the same as those of the Adhan except for the words ‘Qad Qamatis Salah‘ (twice), which are added to Iqamah. Also, they agree that the sequence of the words in Iqamah is also the same as in the Adhan.

Saying each phrase once, apart from the Takbeer “Allahu Akbar” at the beginning and the end, which is said twice, and the phrase ‘Qad qamatis Salah’ (prayer is about to begin), which is also said twice. So, the number of phrases is eleven in total… This is the Iqamah of Bilal (رضي الله عنه), the mu’adhdhin of the Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم). [Following are some of the ahadith supporting the above:]

  • According to the hadith of ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd about the adhan: “He said: Then he went a short distance away from me, and said, “When the prayer is about to start, say, Allahu akbar Allah akbar, ash-hadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allah, ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasool-Allah. Hayya ‘ala’l-salaah, hayya ‘ala’l-falaah. Qad qaamat il-salaah, qad qaamat il-salaah. Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, laa ilaha ill-Allah (Allah is most Great, Allah is most Great. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Come to prayer, come to success. The prayer is about to begin; the prayer is about to begin. Allah is most Great; Allah is most Great. There is no god but Allah).” When morning came, I went to the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) and told him what I had seen. He said, “This is a true dream, in sha Allah.”” (Narrated by Abu Dawood. Al-Albani said: (It is) hasan saheeh)
  • It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik (رضي الله عنه) said: Bilal (رضي الله عنه) was ordered to say the phrases of the adhan twice and the phrases of the iqamah (Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim)
  • It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنه) said: In the adhan at the time of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم), each phrase was said twice, and in the iqamah each phrase was said once, except that he would say: Qad qaamat is-salaah, qad qaamat is-salaah (prayer is about to begin, prayer is about to begin). (Narrated by Ahmad and Abu Dawood; classed as saheeh by al-Albani in Saheeh Abi Dawood)
  • Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنه) said: “The words of the Adhan were repeated twice during the era of the Prophet of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم), and the words of Iqamah were said once, with no repetition except for the expression: “Qad qamatis Salah” which was repeated twice. (Ahmad and an-Nasa’i)

However, [there is a disagreement among the scholars] as far as repeating the words of Iqamah is concerned. The details are as follows:

Saying the first Takbeer “Allahu Akbar” twice according to three schools of jurisprudence and four times according to the Hanafi School of jurisprudence. The words “Ashhadu Anllaa Ilaaha Illa Allah, Wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammadan Rasoolullah”, “Hayyi ‘Ala as-Salah”, “Hayyi ‘Alal Falaah” are pronounced once according to the three schools of jurisprudence while Hanafi School of jurisprudence is of the opinion that they are pronounced twice.

The expression ‘Qad qamatis Salah’ is repeated twice according to the three schools of jurisprudence while the Maliki School of jurisprudence is of the opinion that it should be pronounced only once.

[As for] the last Takbeer “Allahu Akbar”, [there is no disagreement among the Four Schools of jurisprudence,] it is repeated twice and “La Ilaaha Illa Allah” only once.

The [Hanafis] scholars also have some proof and pieces of evidence for their claims. For example:

  • The phrases of the iqamah are exactly like the phrases of the adhan, with the addition of the phrase Qad qaamat is-salaah (prayer is about to begin), which is said twice. So, the number of phrases is seventeen in all. This is the view of the Hanafis and some of the Shafi‘is. (Al-Mabsoot)
  • It was narrated that Abu Mahdhoorah (رضي الله عنه) said: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) taught me the iqamah with seventeen phrases: “Allaahu akbar, Allaah akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaah akbar; ash-hadu an laa ilaah ill-Allaah, ash-hadu an laa ilaah ill-Allaah; ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasool-Allaah, ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasool-Allaah; hayya ‘ala as-salaah, hayya ‘ala as-salaah; hayya ‘ala’l-falaah, hayya ‘ala’l-falaah; qad qaamat is-salaah, qad qaamat is-salaah; Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar; Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood and at-Tirmidhi; classed as saheeh by al-Albani)

[In summary,] everything that is proven from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) is Sunnah and should be followed. So, there is nothing wrong with the mu’adhdhin reciting the iqamah of Bilal (رضي الله عنه) or the iqamah of Abu Mahdhoor (رضي الله عنه), although what is better is to do one sometimes and the other sometimes, so that the entire Sunnah will have been followed. Finally, we draw the attention of our brothers to the fact that the difference of opinion on such matters should not lead to hatred or dispute. …[These] matters that are subject to Ijtihad should not be a reason for dispute among the Muslim Ummah.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said, after noting that the ahadith indicate that saying the iqamah in both forms is permissible: “As that is the case, the correct view is the view of ahl al-hadeeth and those who agreed with them, which is to accept everything that has been proven concerning that from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) and not to reject any of it, because varying the format of the adhan and iqamah is like varying the format of recitations and tashahhuds and the like. No one has the right to reject any precedent or Sunnah that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) established for his ummah. As for those who have gone so far as to disagree and split to the point of forming friendships, feeling enmity, and fighting on the basis of such matters in which either of the two versions is acceptable, they come under the heading of those who divide their religion and break up into sects. To follow the Sunnah properly in such cases means doing it one way sometimes and the other way sometimes, one way in some place and another way in another place, because abandoning what has been narrated in the Sunnah and adhering to something else may lead to what is Sunnah being regarded as an innovation and what is mustahabb being regarded as obligatory, which would lead to division and differences if others follow the other way. The Muslim should pay attention to general principles, which include adhering to the Sunnah and the main body of Muslims (as-Sunnah wa’l-jama‘ah), especially with regard to matters such as prayer in congregation.” (Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa)

He also said: No one has the right to take the words of one of the scholars as a slogan that must be followed and forbid anything else that is mentioned in the Sunnah; rather everything that is mentioned in the Sunnah is broad in scope, such as the adhan and iqamah. The one who says the phrases of the iqamah twice has done well, and the one who says them once has done well, but the one who regards the one way as being obligatory but not the other is mistaken and has gone astray. And the one who regards as a friend the one who does it one way but not the other just because of that is also mistaken and has gone astray.” (Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa)

(Unless stated otherwise, the above reply is based on various answers on similar topics provided by:

  • Islamqa.info; and
  • Islamweb.net, a website belonging to the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in the State of Qatar)

Allahu A’lam (Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) knows best) and all Perfections belong to Allah, and all mistakes belong to me alone. May Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) forgive me, Ameen.

Wassalaam