467. Talking During The Adhaan

By Asma bint Shameem 

QUESTION?

I “heard” that it’s not allowed to talk during adhaan. We should ‘drop everything’, even reading the Qur’aan. And if someone talks, they will not be able to say the shahadah at the time of death. 

Is that correct?

 ANSWER

There’s NOTHING in the Sharee’ah to indicate that. 

NO Aayah in the Qur’aan. 

NO hadeeth of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam. 

NO statement of the Sahaabah. 

Actually that’s talking about Allaah’s Deen *without knowledge* and that’s a VERY SERIOUS SIN.

Allaah says:

"Who is greater in evil than he, who, without knowledge, invents a lie about Allah to mislead people? Allah does not guide the evildoers." (An'aam: 144)

In fact, there’s clear evidence that IT IS ALLOWED to talk during the adhaan. 

The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) did NOT make it obligatory to keep quite during the adhaan.

 

Proof:

1. Maalik ibn al-Huwayrith radhi Allaahu anhu came to the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) along with some other people to learn about Islaam. 

The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) taught them various things among which he said:

“When the time for prayer comes, let one of you give the adhaan and let the oldest of you lead you in prayer.” (al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasaa’i --saheeh by al-Albaani)

 

Here the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) is teaching them basic things about adhaan, iqaamah and the prayer. 

If speaking during the adhaan was something so bad, something so evil that a person would be denied the Shahaadah on his death bed, do you really think that the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) would not have taught them that?

Would he forget to mention something so important?

Of course not. 

The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) was most eager to help us and teach us the best, whatever would save us from Hellfire and take us to Jannah. 

And he taught us everything we needed to succeed in this dunya and Aakhirah. 

 

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

"Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta'ala did not send a Prophet but obliged him to lead his people to the best way which is known to him, and warn them against the worst which is known to him." (Muslim)

 

2. During adhaan, the ONLY thing the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) instructed the Sahaabah to do was to repeat the words of the mu’adhdhin. 

Sure, there is great reward in repeating the words of the adhaan but  that, too, is *recommended* and NOT obligatory according to the majority of the Ulama.

 

 Imaam-Nawawi said: 

"Our view is that repeating (the words of the adhaan) is Sunnah, not obligatory. This is the view of the majority of scholars."  (al-Majmoo’)

Imam Ahmad said: 

"If he does not repeat his words there is nothing wrong with that." (al-Mughni)

Imaam Maalik said:

"At the time of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab they would pray on Friday until ‘Umar came out. 

When ‘Umar came out and sat on the minbar and the mu’adhdhin gave the adhaan, Tha’labah said: “We would sit and talk, then when the muezzins fell silent and ‘Umar stood up to deliver the khutbah, we would listen attentively and none of us would speak."  [al-Muwatta’ (1/103)]

Shaykh al-Albaani said: 

"This report indicates that it is not obligatory to repeat the words of the mu’adhdhin, because what was done at the time of ‘Umar was that people SPOKE during the adhaan, and ‘Umar *did not say anything about that.* 

I have often been asked about the evidence that repeating the words of the adhaan is not obligatory, and I have replied in this manner." 

[Tamaam al-Minnah (340)]

3. If it was obligatory to keep quite and drop everything you were doing and even stop reading the Qur'aan as they claim, wouldn't Umar (Radhi Allaahu Anhu) have said anything to the people?

Surely, he would have instructed them to do so.

4. Also. the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) allowed the one who intends to fast, to continue to drink as long as the Adhaan is going on, if he did not get his fill. 

The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) said: 

“If one of you hears the call (to prayer) and the vessel is still in his hand, let him not put it down until he finished with it.” (Ahmad, Abu Dawood; saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood).

*Think about it...* 

If one is supposed to stop dead in his tracks when he hears the adhaan, not say anything, not do anything, then surely, he could not have eaten or drunk anything, could he have?

5. Yes it’s true, it is disliked to talk about worldly matters in the masjid *generally speaking*, but again, that has nothing to do with not talking or dropping everything you are doing as soon as you hear the adhaan.

May Allaah guide us and enable us to truly understand and implement this beautiful Deen in our lives. Ameen 

And Allaah knows best.