Establishment of the Islamic Call to Prayer

Sahih Muslim 377
Ibn Umar reported: When the Muslims came to Medina, they gathered and sought to know the time of prayer but no one summoned them. One day they discussed the matter, and some of them said: Use something like the bell of the Christians and some of them said: Use horn like that of the Jews. Umar said: Why may not a be appointed who should call (people) to prayer? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: O Bilal, get up and summon (the people) to prayer.

• This hadith shows how the Adhan (call to prayer) was established in Islam. When the Muslims in Medina wanted a way to announce prayer times, they initially considered methods used by other religious groups, such as bells (like Christians) or horns (like Jews). However, the Prophet (ﷺ) did not approve of these methods. Instead, Umar (RA) suggested appointing someone to call the people to prayer, and the Prophet (ﷺ) agreed. He then instructed Bilal (RA) to perform the first Adhan, establishing it as the Islamic way to summon believers to prayer.

  Key Takeaways:

  ✅ The Prophet did not adopt Christian or Jewish methods.
  ✅ He approved a unique and Islamic way of calling to prayer.
  ✅ Bilal (RA) was chosen as the first Mu’adhin (caller to prayer).

  This hadith highlights how the Adhan was divinely inspired and set apart as a distinct practice in Islam.