Supplication after the adhan: responses and Arabic wording
How should you respond to the muezzin, and what should you say after the adhan? Three hadiths explain the responses, sending blessings upon the Prophet and the transmitted supplication.
The adhan calls people to prayer and contains words to which the listener responds. The formula “Allahumma rabba hadhihi-d-da‘wati-t-tammah” comes after this call; it does not replace the responses spoken during it.
The three accounts below distinguish the words to repeat, the response to the invitations to prayer and success, and then the supplication for the Prophet ﷺ.
Article contents
How should you respond during the adhan?
The context of the narration
‘Umar ibn al-Khattab reports how the Prophet ﷺ describes the responses to the call of the muezzin, the person who pronounces the adhan. The listener repeats the proclamations of Allah’s greatness and the testimonies of faith. For the invitations to prayer and success, the text gives this response:ثُمَّ قَالَ حَىَّ عَلَى الصَّلاَةِ . قَالَ لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ . ثُمَّ قَالَ حَىَّ عَلَى الْفَلاَحِ . قَالَ لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ
“Then he says: “Come to prayer”; the listener says: “There is no might nor power except through Allah.” Then he says: “Come to success”; the listener says: “There is no might nor power except through Allah.””
Understanding this hadith
The response to “Hayya ‘ala-s-salah” and “Hayya ‘ala-l-falah” is therefore “La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah”. It expresses the need for Allah’s help to answer the call. The other proclamations mentioned in this account are repeated after the muezzin.
The hadith ends with the testimony that there is no deity except Allah and the promise of Paradise to the one who responds from the heart. Attention to the meaning thus accompanies the words spoken.
Sending blessings upon the Prophet, then asking for al-wasilah
The context of the narration
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As heard the Prophet ﷺ explain what follows the response to the muezzin. The Prophet himself explains the meaning of al-wasilah:“When you hear the muezzin, say what he says, then send blessings upon me. Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allah blesses him ten times for it. Then ask Allah to grant me al-wasilah: it is a rank in Paradise fitting for only one of Allah’s servants, and I hope to be that one. Whoever asks for al-wasilah for me will receive intercession.”
Read the Arabic text
إِذَا سَمِعْتُمُ الْمُؤَذِّنَ فَقُولُوا مِثْلَ مَا يَقُولُ ثُمَّ صَلُّوا عَلَىَّ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَىَّ صَلاَةً صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ بِهَا عَشْرًا ثُمَّ سَلُوا اللَّهَ لِيَ الْوَسِيلَةَ فَإِنَّهَا مَنْزِلَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لاَ تَنْبَغِي إِلاَّ لِعَبْدٍ مِنْ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ وَأَرْجُو أَنْ أَكُونَ أَنَا هُوَ فَمَنْ سَأَلَ لِيَ الْوَسِيلَةَ حَلَّتْ لَهُ الشَّفَاعَةُ
Understanding this hadith
The account distinguishes three moments: responding to the call, sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, then asking Allah to grant him al-wasilah. The specific response to the invitations, quoted in the previous passage, clarifies how to understand the general instruction to repeat.
Al-wasilah here is not a material favour requested for oneself. The Prophet describes it as a rank in Paradise reserved for a single servant. Intercession is the benefit announced for the person who makes this request for him.
Also read: learning the wording for sending blessings upon the Prophet.
The supplication after the adhan in Arabic and English
The context of the narration
Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah reports the wording taught by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to whoever hears the call. The account announces his intercession on the Day of Resurrection for the person who says it. Here is the supplication:اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ وَالصَّلاَةِ الْقَائِمَةِ آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ
“O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and of the prayer that is about to be established, grant Muhammad al-wasilah and eminence, and raise him to the praised station You have promised him.”
Understanding this hadith
The wording connects the call that has been heard with the prayer about to be performed. It then asks for Muhammad ﷺ to be granted al-wasilah, explained in Muslim 384, followed by eminence and the praised station promised by Allah.
To memorise it, first learn the address to Allah: “Lord of this perfect call and of the prayer that is about to be established”. Then learn the requests, keeping them in order. Rereading the text while learning helps avoid unintentionally adding words from another formula.
After the call, there is also the preparation for the prayer just announced: pause what can wait, perform ablution if needed and go to your place of prayer.
In practice
- You confuse the responsesRemember the response shared by both invitations: La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah.Read the responses again
- You want to understand al-wasilahRead the definition given in the hadith before memorising the supplication.Understand al-wasilah
- You are learning the final wordingLearn the address to Allah separately, then the requests for the Prophet.Read the wording
Sources
- Sahih Muslim · 385How should you respond during the adhan?
- Sahih Muslim · 384Sending blessings upon the Prophet, then asking for al-wasilah
- Sahih al-Bukhari · 614The supplication after the adhan in Arabic and English