Sending Durûd with adhân

`Abdullâh ibn Amr (radiyallâhu `anhu) relates that the Holy Prophet (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) states: "idhâ sami`tumul-mu'adhdhina fa qûlû mithla mâ yaqûlu thumma Sallû `alayya fa'innhû man Sallâ `alayya Salâtan Sallallâhu `alayh bihâ `ashran thumma sallullâhu liyal-wasîlata fa'innahâ manzilatu fil-jannati lâ tanbighî illâ li`abadin min `ibâdillâhi wa arjû an akûna ana huwa faman sa'la liyal-wasîlata Hallat lahush-shafâ`atu."

"When you listen to the Mu'adhdhin, say as he says, then send blessings upon me. Who so ever sends blessings upon me once, Allah sends upon him ten mercies. Then ask Allah to grant me intercession, which is a station of paradise granted to only one servant and I feel that I will be the one for that. So whoever asks for me to be granted intercession, my intercession will become permitted for him." (Sahîh Muslim, 1/166)

This Hadith shows that those listening to the adhân, should repeat the words of the mu'adhdhin. Say "Hayya `alaS-Salâh" and "Hayya `alal-falâH" when the mu'adhdhin says so or say "lâ Hawla wa lâ quwwata illâ billâh" which is according to another Hadith. It would be better to do both so that both Hadiths can be acted upon.

From this, it has been established that sending durûd upon the Holy Prophet (saw) after the adhân and before du`â has been ordered by him and is a sunnah. The Hadith elaborates that durûd should be sent first and then du`a be made to ask Allah to grant him intercession.

Abû Hurayrah (radiyallâhu `anhu) relates that the Holy Prophet (saw) said: "Any good words which are not started with the remembrance of Allah and salutations being sent upon me are pointless and devoid of all blessings (barakah)." (Ibn al-Qayyim, Jalâ'ul-Afhâm, p. 365)

Adhân are good words and so sending durûd upon the Prophet (saw) before it is established by this saying of the Holy Prophet (saw) himself. Not only that, but this also shows that it is rewarding.

`Allâma Ibn Qayyim in his famous book, "Jalâ'ul-Afhâm" wrote a chapter about the times when durûd and salâms should be sent: "the sixth occasion when durûd should be sent upon the Holy Prophet (saw) is after the mu'adhdhin is heard giving the adhân and before the iqâmah" (Ibn Qayyim Jalâ'ul-Afhâm, p. 308)

`Allâma Imâm Hâfiz Sakhâwî (r) in his famous book, "al-Qawlul-Badî`" has also written a chapter: Chapter 5: Specific times when durûd should be sent (al-bâbul-khâmis fiS-Salawât `alayhi fî awqâtin makhSûsah). In there, he states: "After the mu'adhdhin is heard giving the adhân" and "during and after salât and when establishing it." This `Allâma Imâm Hâfiz Sakhâwî (r) states: "with the adhâns of the five times prayers - before the adhâns of the Fajr, Jumu`ah and Maghrib prayers and there is a difference of opinion about sending salât and salâm after the Zuhr, `Asr and `Ishâ' adhâns." "Is this mustahab (commendable), makrûh (disliked), a bid`a (innovation) or Mashrû` (according to Shrî`ah)? For it being mustahab one somply has to use the words
of the Qur'ân: 'do virtuous acts' which everyone knows. Undoubtedly, reciting salât and salâm is (a
virtuous act) and a means to come close to Allah.

There are many Hadiths mentioned in the sections of du`â which give the details of the merits of sending salat and salam. Regarding sending durud after the adhan, in the last portion of the night or close to Fajr time, is in reality a bid`a Hasana (good innovation) and the one doing this with a good intention will get rewards for it." (Sakhâwî, al-Qawlul-Badî`, p. 193)

It is sad that in our time, some people prevent us from doing this, telling us that it is a bid`a even
though the Hadith mentioned above commands us to do it. Also, in most of the Arab countries, they recite: "as-salâtu was-salâmu `alayka yâ rasûlallâh" before and after the adhân. This servant [`Allâma Muhammad Shafî` Owkarwî (r)] has himself witnessed and written down in my book, "Râh-e-`Aqidat" of this being done in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan etc. This used to be done in Makka Mukarrama and Madina Tayyiba before the coming of the Najdî government.

Qutb-i-Rabbâni Hadrat Imam `Abdul-Wahhâb Sha`rânî (`alayhi rahmatur-rabbânî) states: "kâna fî ayyâmir-rawâfiDî bi miSri shara`ut-taslîma `alal-khalîfati wa wu zarâ'ihî ba`dal-adhâna ilâ an
tuwuffiyal-Hâkim bi'amrillâhi wa wallaw ukhtahû fasallamû `alayhâ wa `alâ wuza râ'ihâ minan-nisâ'i
falammâ tawalal-mulkul-`âdil SalâHud-dîn inbi ayyûb fa'abTala hâdhihil-bad`a wa amaral-mu'adhdhinîna biS-Salâti wat-taslîmi `alaa rasulillâhi Sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam badala tilkal-bid`ata wa amara bihâ ahlul-amSâra wal-qurâ' fa jazâ'ahullâhu khayran." "In the days of the Rawâfid[1] rulers, in Egypt the law stated that salâm was to be sent upon the khalîfa of the time and his governors after the adhan. When Ruler, Bi-Amrullâh died and his sister became ruler,
salâm had to be sent upon her and her female governors. But when the righteous sultan, Salâhuddîn Ayyûbî (r) became leader, he removed this bid`a (reprehensible innovation) and replaced it with the order for the mu'adhdhins of every city and district to send salât and salâm upon the Holy Messenger (saw). Allah reward him with good for doing this."
(`Abdul-Wahhâb ash-Sha`rânî, Kashful-Ghumma, p. 98)

[1] Rawâfid: Extremist Shi`ahs.

Source:
Muhammad Shafî` Owkarwî, Anwâr-e-Risâlat, Hissa awwal
(Diyâ'ul-Qur'ân Publishers, Lahore).

Translated by `abd Da`if: Rafiq Ahmad