What are the adhan and iqamah? When and how were they legitimized?

Adhan and iqamah are among the Sunnahs of the obligatory prayers. The basis for reciting the adhan as a call to obligatory prayers is found in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. The Qur'an states: “When you call to prayer, they take it in ridicule and amusement.” (al-Ma'idah, 5/58); “O you who believe! When the call is made for prayer on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah…” (al-Jumu'ah, 62/9). The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) also said, “When the time for prayer comes, let one of you call the adhan.” (Bukhari, Adhan, 17-18, 49 [628, 631, 685]; Muslim, Masajid, 292 [674]).

Although prayer was made obligatory during the Meccan period, the adhan was put into practice after the Hijrah. After the Prophet (peace be upon him) migrated to Medina, and the construction of the Prophet’s Mosque was completed and congregational prayers began to be performed regularly, the Prophet (peace be upon him) consulted his companions on how to announce the prayer times. At that time, the form of today’s adhan was taught to the Prophet (peace be upon him) by revelation and to some companions, including Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him), in their dreams. (Abu Dawud, Salah, 27-28 [498-499]; Ibn Majah, Adhan, 1 [706-707]); see Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, 1/383)

The adhan is a symbol (sha‘a’ir) of Islam and is a confirmed Sunnah. Through the adhan, people are informed of the time for prayer, and it is proclaimed that Allah is uniquely great, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) is His servant and messenger, and that prayer is the path to salvation. Imam Muhammad said, “If the people of a town entirely abandon the adhan, I would fight them.” (Kasani, Bada’i‘, 1/146).

The iqamah, on the other hand, is the set of words similar to the adhan, recited before the obligatory prayers to announce that the prayer is about to begin. Unlike the adhan, after the phrase “hayya ‘ala al-falah,” the phrase “qad qamati’s-salah” is added. According to reports, the iqamah was also taught to the aforementioned companions in the same dream. (Abu Dawud, Salah, 28 [499, 507])

Source: T.C. Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, Din İşleri Yüksek Kurulu