Answer
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
What should a Muslim do during the adhan?
- Repeat the words of the adhan after the muezzin
- Avoid saying unrelated dhikr during the adhan
- After adhan, say the recommended supplication
- Make personal dua, which is more likely to be accepted
In his response to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states,
Islam Encourages Balance in Worship
Islam is a religion of balance and, as such, there is a time for everything. At the time of prayer, there is no dhikr (remembrance of Allah) better than prayer itself.
The Best Dhikr During the Adhan
Likewise, at the time of the adhan there is no better dhikr than repeating the words of the adhan after the mu’azzin.
Supplication After Adhan Is Prescribed in Hadith
Once the adhan is over, we should offer the supplication prescribed for the occasion as has been reported in the sources.
Hadith on Repeating the Adhan with the Muezzin
It has been reported by both Al-Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Abu Said Al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “When the muezzin calls to Prayer, you should repeat the words after him.”
Recommended Supplication After the Adhan Ends
In another Hadith, it is reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) advised us to say the following supplication at the conclusion of the adhan,
“Allahumma rabba hadhihi ad-da`wati at-tammah wa as-salati al-qa’imah ati Muhammadan al-wasilata wa al-fadhilata wa ib`athhu maqaman mahmudan alladhi wa`tahu.”
“O Allah, the Lord of this perfect Call and the Prayer we are about to offer! Grant Muhammad the privilege (of intercession) and honor, and raise him up to the eminent position that You have promised him.”
We further read in another Hadith that we may then engage in any supplication or prayer we may wish afterwards and also that the prayers offered then are worthy of being answered by Allah.
To conclude, we are not supposed to engage in the dhikr you mentioned instead of responding to the muezzin, but we may say them afterwards.
Refer to the following fatwas for expanded insights:
- Did Prophet Muhammad Ever Give the Adhan? Find Out
- What Is Proper Etiquette for the Adhan and Ending Fasting?
- Do I Have to Make Adhan When Praying Alone?
- Do You Have to Say Adhan when Praying Alone? Discover the Virtues of Adhan in Islam
Almighty Allah knows best.
Editor’s note: This fatwa is from Ask the Scholar’s archive and was originally published at an earlier date.