Adhan Meaning: Words and Translation of the Call to Prayer

The adhan (adhān) is Islam’s call to prayer. It announces that a prescribed prayer time has begun and invites people to worship. Its words proclaim God’s greatness, affirm faith, and call people toward prayer.

What is the adhan?

A mu’adhdhin is the person who gives the adhan. Muslims hear it from mosques, and individuals may give it before praying together. The Qur’an refers to the call to prayer, including the call for Friday prayer (Al-Jumu‘ah 62:9).

The adhan does not itself begin the prayer. It announces its time. A shorter call, the iqamah (iqāmah), signals that the congregational prayer is about to start.

The origin of the adhan

Accounts of the adhan’s beginning describe a practical question in the early Muslim community: how should people know when to gather for prayer? A report in Sunan Abi Dawud says Abdullah ibn Zayd saw the call in a dream and that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told him to teach it to Bilal (Abu Dawud 512; graded weak by al-Albani). A separate report in Sahih al-Bukhari describes the community discussing how to call people to prayer and the Prophet instructing Bilal to proclaim it (Bukhari 604).

Bilal is remembered as an early Muslim and a mu’adhdhin for the Prophet. The dream was not presented as an independent source of worship for everyone to follow; the account says the Prophet approved the words and instructed Bilal to call them.

Adhan meaning: the words in English

Below are the familiar phrases of the Sunni adhan. Allāh is Arabic for God; ṣalāh means the prescribed prayer. Repetition and some wording details vary between traditions.

1. Allāhu akbar — “God is greatest.” This opens the call and is repeated.
2. Ashhadu an lā ilāha illā Allāh — “I bear witness that there is no god but God.”
3. Ashhadu anna Muḥammadan rasūlu Allāh — “I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”
4. Ḥayya ‘alaṣ-ṣalāh — “Come to prayer.”
5. Ḥayya ‘alal-falāḥ — “Come to success.” Here, falāḥ points to well-being and success through turning to God.
6. Allāhu akbar — “God is greatest.”
7. Lā ilāha illā Allāh — “There is no god but God.”

The calls to prayer and success are invitations, not statements that everyone hearing them is already at the mosque. The words bring attention back to faith before the prayer begins.

What is added to the Fajr adhan?

For Fajr, the dawn prayer, the familiar Sunni adhan includes Aṣ-ṣalātu khayrun min an-nawm — “Prayer is better than sleep.” It is said twice after “Come to success.” It is specific to the dawn call, when many listeners may still be asleep.

How does the Ja‘fari adhan differ?

In Ja‘fari Shia practice, the adhan includes Ḥayya ‘alā khayril-‘amal — “Come to the best of deeds.” Many Shia callers also say Ashhadu anna ‘Aliyyan waliyyu Allāh, affirming Ali’s special relationship to God. Ja‘fari scholars commonly distinguish this affirmation from the required phrases of the adhan.

The Sunni Fajr phrase “Prayer is better than sleep” is generally not treated as part of the Ja‘fari adhan. These are differences in liturgical practice; if you are joining a local congregation, you can follow its established call.

What is the iqamah?

The iqamah is the call immediately before a congregational prayer begins. It resembles the adhan but adds Qad qāmatiṣ-ṣalāh — “The prayer has begun.” Its wording and the number of times phrases are repeated differ across schools and communities.

The adhan tells you it is time to pray; the iqamah tells the congregation to stand ready for the prayer itself. Hearing an adhan does not mean you must assume the congregation has already started.

What do listeners say when they hear the adhan?

A well-known Prophetic instruction is to repeat what the mu’adhdhin says (Sahih al-Bukhari 611). In a narration recorded by Muslim, the listener responds to Ḥayya ‘alaṣ-ṣalāh and Ḥayya ‘alal-falāḥ with Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh — “There is no power and no strength except through God” (Sahih Muslim 385).

Many Muslims then send blessings on the Prophet and make a supplication, or du‘ā’, after the adhan. Practices can differ, including in response to the Fajr phrase and between Sunni and Shia communities. If you are learning, listening attentively and repeating the words you know is a simple place to start; ask a trusted local imam or scholar about your community’s practice.

How does the adhan relate to prayer times?

Each daily prayer has an appointed time. The adhan announces that a time has entered; it does not determine when that time begins. Prayer-time schedules use the sun’s position and a calculation method, so displayed times can vary by location and method.

You can check today’s prayer times for your location before planning your day. If a mosque’s adhan differs slightly from an app’s time, check the mosque’s timetable and your app settings rather than assuming one clock is wrong. Prayer-time notifications can remind you when a scheduled time arrives; they are reminders, not a live broadcast of your local mosque’s adhan.

For prayer itself, you may also need to face the qiblah, the direction of the Kaaba in Makkah. QiblaFind’s live Qibla compass helps you find that direction.

Frequently asked questions

What does “adhan” mean?

Adhan means an announcement or call. In Islamic worship, it is the spoken call that announces a prayer time and invites people to prayer.

Is the adhan the prayer?

No. The adhan comes before the prayer. The iqamah is given when a congregational prayer is about to begin.

Is the adhan said for every prayer?

The adhan is associated with the five daily prescribed prayers. Practices around giving it when praying alone, making up a missed prayer, or joining a congregation vary by school; ask a trusted local imam or scholar for guidance in your circumstances.

Why does the Fajr adhan mention sleep?

Fajr begins at dawn, when people may be sleeping. In the familiar Sunni call, “Prayer is better than sleep” invites listeners to rise for that prayer.

Can I use a prayer-time notification instead of hearing an adhan?

A notification can tell you the scheduled prayer time, especially when you cannot hear a mosque. It is a reminder, not the adhan itself; check that your location and prayer-time settings are correct.