Dua After Adhan: What to Say When You Hear the Call to Prayer (Arabic and Meaning)

Five times a day, the adhan offers you a deal that sounds almost too generous: listen, repeat a few words, send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ, and say one short dua, and his intercession on the Day of Judgement becomes yours. Most of us hear the adhan (from the mosque, an app or a phone notification) and carry on with whatever we’re doing. This guide shows you exactly what to say from the first “Allahu akbar” to the end, with the dua after adhan in Arabic, transliteration and meaning, the evidence for each step, and a note on the words people often add that aren’t in the authentic narrations.

Quick answer: After the adhan, send salawat on the Prophet ﷺ and then say: “Allahumma Rabba hadhihid-da’watit-tammah, was-salatil-qa’imah, ati Muhammadanil-wasilata wal-fadilah, wab’athhu maqamam-mahmudanil-ladhi wa’adtah” (Sahih al-Bukhari 614).

Step 1: Repeat After the Mu’adhdhin

The Prophet ﷺ said: “When you hear the call, say what the mu’adhdhin says” (Sahih al-Bukhari 611). So you repeat each phrase quietly after him, with two exceptions:

The exception comes from the hadith of Umar, in which the Prophet ﷺ said that whoever responds this way sincerely from the heart will enter Paradise (Sahih Muslim 385). When the call says “Come to prayer”, you answer “There is no power and no strength except with Allah”. In other words, I can only come if Allah enables me.

For Fajr: when the mu’adhdhin says “As-salatu khayrun minan-nawm” (prayer is better than sleep), most scholars say you repeat the same words. The phrase “sadaqta wa bararta”, which some people say instead, has no authentic basis.

Step 2: Affirm Your Faith

Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas reported that the Prophet ﷺ said whoever says the following when hearing the mu’adhdhin, his sins will be forgiven:

Many scholars say this after the mu’adhdhin’s shahadah, and others after the adhan ends. Both are fine.

Step 3: Send Salawat on the Prophet ﷺ

The Prophet ﷺ said: “When you hear the mu’adhdhin, say what he says, then send salawat upon me, for whoever sends one salawat upon me, Allah sends ten upon him. Then ask Allah to grant me al-wasilah…” (Sahih Muslim 384).

The best form is Durood Ibrahim, the same salawat you recite in every prayer. Our guide to Durood Ibrahim has it in full with meaning. A short Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad also fulfils it.

Step 4: The Dua After Adhan

Jabir ibn Abdullah reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever says, when he hears the call, the following, my intercession will be his on the Day of Resurrection”:

What is al-wasilah?

The Prophet ﷺ explained that al-wasilah “is a rank in Paradise that is fitting for only one of Allah’s servants, and I hope that I will be him. Whoever asks Allah for al-wasilah for me, intercession will be due for him” (Sahih Muslim 384). The “praised station” (al-maqam al-mahmud) is the station of the great intercession on the Day of Judgement (Quran 17:79).

Think about the exchange: you ask Allah for the highest rank for the Prophet ﷺ, and in return you are promised his intercession. It’s one of the most generous offers in the whole Sunnah, available five times a day.

Additions that are not in the authentic narration

You’ll often hear two extra phrases added:

• “wad-darajatar-rafi’ah” (“and the lofty rank”): hadith scholars, including Ibn Hajar, noted that this phrase is not found in the narrations of the hadith.
• “innaka la tukhliful-mi’ad” (“You never break Your promise”): this appears in a narration recorded by al-Bayhaqi, and scholars differ over whether it is authentic.

The wording in Sahih al-Bukhari, shown above, is the safest to memorise.

Step 5: Make Your Own Dua Before the Iqamah

The time between the adhan and the iqamah is special. The Prophet ﷺ said: “A dua made between the adhan and the iqamah is not rejected” (Sunan Abi Dawud 521; Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 212).

So after the dua above, use those minutes for your own needs: while you make wudu (see our step-by-step wudu guide), walk to the mosque, or sit waiting for the prayer. Many people keep a short list of personal duas for exactly this window.

Practical Questions

Do I respond to the adhan from an app or a recording?

Many Muslims in the UK and Europe live where the adhan isn’t called aloud, so apps and livestreams are how we hear it. Scholars differ. Some say the reward is tied to a live adhan being called for the prayer, and others say responding is good in any case. There is no harm in responding, and it keeps your heart attached to the prayer times.

What if I’m busy when the adhan is called?

You don’t need to stop what you’re doing, but try to repeat the words quietly while you carry on. If you missed the responses, you can still send salawat and say the dua after the adhan ends.

Do women respond to the adhan too?

Yes. The instruction “say what the mu’adhdhin says” is general, for men and women.

What about the iqamah?

Many scholars recommend responding to the iqamah in the same way as the adhan, though the narrations about it specifically are weaker. Either way, the priority at the iqamah is to join the prayer.

Related Guides

• Dua for forgiveness
• How to pray tahajjud
• Dua for protection

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the dua after adhan?

Allahumma Rabba hadhihid-da’watit-tammah, was-salatil-qa’imah, ati Muhammadanil-wasilata wal-fadilah, wab’athhu maqamam-mahmudanil-ladhi wa’adtah (Sahih al-Bukhari 614).

What is the reward for saying the dua after adhan?

The Prophet ﷺ said his intercession will be due for whoever says it (Sahih al-Bukhari 614).

What do you say when the mu’adhdhin says “Hayya ‘alas-salah”?

Say La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah, “There is no power and no strength except with Allah” (Sahih Muslim 385).

Is “wad-darajatar-rafi’ah” part of the dua?

No. That phrase is not found in the narrations of this hadith, according to hadith scholars. Use the wording from Sahih al-Bukhari.

Is dua between adhan and iqamah accepted?

Yes. The Prophet ﷺ said dua between the adhan and iqamah is not rejected (Abu Dawud 521).

What do I say during the Fajr adhan’s “as-salatu khayrun minan-nawm”?

Most scholars say to repeat the same words. “Sadaqta wa bararta” has no authentic basis.

Final Thoughts

The adhan lasts about two minutes. If you answer it the way the Prophet ﷺ taught (repeat, affirm, send salawat, say the dua, then ask for your own needs before the iqamah), those two minutes earn forgiveness, the Prophet’s intercession, and a dua that is not rejected. Five times a day. Start with the next adhan you hear.

On Fridays, the adhan is followed by the khutbah and Jumu’ah itself. See our guide on how to pray Jummah to make the most of it.