What Is the Reward for a Mu’adhdhin in Islam?

The Reward for a Mu’adhdhin

In the Sunnah, there are reports that indicate that the Mu’adhdhin (one who calls the Adhan) has a status the like of which no one else will have. For example:

• It was narrated from `Abd Ar-Rahman ibn `Abdullah ibn `Abd Ar-Rahman ibn Abu Sa`sa`ah Al-Ansari, that his father told him that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: I see that you love sheep and the countryside. When you are with your sheep or in your countryside and the time for prayer comes, then raise your voice with the call to prayer, for no jinn, human or anything else hears the voice of the Mu’adhdhin  as far as it reaches, but he (or it) will testify for him on the Day of Resurrection. Abu Sa`id said: I heard that from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 584)
• It was narrated that Mu`awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The Mu’adhdhins will have the longest necks of the people on the Day of Resurrection.” (Narrated by Muslim, 387)

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

It was said that this means that they will be the people who most expect the mercy of Allah, because the one who is expecting something cranes his neck to see what he is longing for. Or it may refer to the abundance of what they will see of reward. An-Nadr ibn Shamil said: When the sweat comes up to people’s faces on the Day of Resurrection, they will crane their necks lest that torment and sweat reach them. And it was said that it means that they will be masters and leaders, as the Arabs describe leaders as having long necks. And it was said that it means they will have more followers. Ibn Al-`Arabi said: it means the people who have the most good deeds to their credit. Al-Qadi `Iyad and others said: some of them narrated it as I`naqan (instead of A`naqan, meaning necks), meaning that they will be the swiftest to enter Paradise. (End quote from Sharh Muslim, 4/91, 92)

• It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “If the people knew what there is in the call to prayer and the first row, and they had no other way but drawing lots, then they would draw lots.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 590 and Muslim, 437)

The meaning of this Hadith is that if the people knew what there is of great and abundant reward in the call to prayer and the first row, and they could not find any way to do the Adhan and determine who would stand in the front row except by drawing lots, then they would do that; they would draw lots in order to attain its virtue.

• It was narrated from Al-Bara’ ibn `Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah and His angels send blessings upon the front row, and the Mu’adhdhin  is forgiven as far as his voice reaches, and whatever hears him, animate or inanimate, confirms what he says, and he will have a reward like that of those who pray with him.” (Narrated by An-Nasa’i, 646; classed as authentic by Al-Mundhiri and Al-Albani, as it says in Sahih At-Targhib, 23)

The Reward for Iqamah

With regard to the reward for the Iqamah, this is included in the Hadiths quoted above concerning the virtue of the Adhan, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) called the Iqamah an “Adhan”, as in the Hadith: “Between every two calls there should be a prayer.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 598 and Muslim, 838)

Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The words “every two calls” mean the Adhan and Iqamah. (End quote)

There is also a Hadith which speaks specifically of the virtue of the Iqamah:

It was narrated from Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever gives the call to prayer for twelve years will be guaranteed Paradise, and for each day sixty Hasanat will be recorded for him by virtue of his Adhan, and thirty Hasanat by virtue of his Iqamah.” (Narrated by Ibn Majah, 728; classed as authentic by Al-Mundhiri and Al-Albani, as stated in Sahih At-Targhib, 248)

And Allah knows best.