Dua After Azan in Arabic, Meaning & Hadith Benefits

The Azan (الأذان) is the Islamic call to prayer — a single human voice that, somewhere on earth, never stops. Five times a day, in over fifty languages and countless dialects of Arabic, it announces the same words the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught his companion Bilal more than 1,400 years ago.

This guide covers the full sunnah response to the adhan: the words to repeat during the call, the special dua to make after it, what to say between the adhan and iqamah, and the rewards Prophet Muhammad ﷺ promised to those who do — all sourced from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and Sunan Abi Dawud.

The Dua After Azan in Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

This is the dua to be recited immediately after the muezzin completes the adhan. Reciting it earns the Prophet’s ﷺ intercession on the Day of Judgment, as reported in Sahih al-Bukhari.

In Arabic

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ، وَالصَّلَاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ، آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ، وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ، إِنَّكَ لَا تُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ

Transliteration

“Allahumma Rabba hadhihi-d-da’wati-t-tammah, was-salati-l-qa’imah, ati Muhammadan al-wasilata wa-l-fadilah, wab’ath-hu maqaman mahmudan-il-ladhi wa’adtah, innaka la tukhliful mi’aad.”

English Meaning

“O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and the prayer about to be established, grant Muhammad the right of intercession and the highest rank, and raise him to the praised station that You promised him — verily You never break a promise.”

The hadith: The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever says, when he hears the call to prayer, [this dua], will have my intercession permitted for him on the Day of Resurrection.” [Sahih al-Bukhari 614]

The closing phrase “innaka la tukhliful mi’aad” (verily You never break a promise) is reported in al-Bayhaqi‘s al-Sunan al-Kubra (1908) and is recommended by many scholars as part of the recitation.

What to Do When You Hear the Adhan: The Sunnah Steps

The Prophet ﷺ taught a complete sequence for responding to the adhan. Each step is a separate sunnah with its own reward.

1. Repeat What the Muezzin Says

The Prophet ﷺ said: “When you hear the muezzin, repeat what he says.” [Sahih Muslim 384]

Repeat each phrase silently after the muezzin — except for two phrases, where you say something different:

• When the muezzin says “Hayya ‘ala-s-salah” (Come to prayer), reply: “La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah” (There is no power and no strength except with Allah).
• When he says “Hayya ‘ala-l-falah” (Come to success), reply with the same: “La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah.”

2. The Dua When the Shahada is Called

When the muezzin says the two testimonies of faith, the Prophet ﷺ taught a special response that earns forgiveness of past sins:

وَأَنَا أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولًا، وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا

“Wa ana ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Allah, wahdahu la sharika lah, wa anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluh. Raditu billahi Rabban, wa bi-Muhammadin rasulan, wa bi-l-Islami deenan.”

“And I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Muhammad as my Messenger, and with Islam as my religion.”

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever says this when he hears the muezzin — his sins will be forgiven.” [Sahih Muslim 386]

3. Send the Salawat Upon the Prophet ﷺ

Once the adhan is finished, send salawat upon the Prophet ﷺ before reciting the main dua:

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

“Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad wa-‘ala ali Muhammad.” — “O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.”

The hadith: “When you hear the muezzin, repeat what he says, then invoke salawat upon me — for everyone who invokes one salawat will receive ten blessings from Allah. Then ask Allah to grant me al-Wasila, a rank in Paradise fitting for only one of Allah’s servants — and I hope that I may be the one. Whoever asks that I be given al-Wasila, my intercession becomes permissible for him.” [Sahih Muslim 384]

4. Recite the Dua After Azan

This is the main dua we covered at the top of the article. Recite it immediately after the salawat — it is the dua that earns the Prophet’s ﷺ intercession on the Day of Resurrection.

5. Be Present and Considerate

Pause your conversation, lower your voice, and silence anything in your hand that makes noise. The adhan is a public reminder of Allah’s greatness — answering it with full attention is the proper adab (etiquette) of a believer.

Dua Between Adhan and Iqamah

The window between the adhan and the iqamah is one of the most blessed times in the day — and one of the most under-used by Muslims. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Du’a between the adhan and iqamah is not rejected, so make du’a.”

[Sunan Abi Dawud 521 — graded sahih]

What to do in this window

1. Make personal du’a — for yourself, your parents, anyone struggling. Du’a in this window has a specific promise of acceptance.
2. Send more salawat on the Prophet ﷺ — every salawat earns ten blessings from Allah.
3. Ask Allah for al-Wasila for the Prophet ﷺ — this guarantees his intercession on the Day of Judgment.
4. Pray two rak’ahs if it is before Fajr or Maghrib — the Prophet ﷺ encouraged voluntary prayer in this window (Sahih al-Bukhari 624).

Practical tip: install the islamtics app to receive an alert at adhan and a follow-up reminder a few minutes before iqamah, so you don’t miss the window.

The Words of the Adhan

The complete adhan, in order:

For the Fajr (dawn) prayer only, the muezzin adds, after “Hayya ‘ala-l-falah”:

الصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ (×2)

“As-salatu khayrun mina-n-nawm” — “Prayer is better than sleep.”

The Origin of the Adhan

In the early days of Islam in Madinah, the Prophet ﷺ and his companions were looking for a way to call Muslims to prayer. Some suggested a bell, like the Christians; others proposed a horn, like the Jews. Both were rejected as not befitting Islam.

That night, the companion Abdullah ibn Zayd رضي الله عنه saw a man in his dream teaching him the words of the adhan. Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه independently saw the same dream. When they reported it, the Prophet ﷺ said:

“It is a true dream, in shaa Allah. Go with Bilal and teach him these words, for his voice is more carrying than yours — let him call the adhan.”

[Sunan Abi Dawud 499 — graded sahih by al-Albani]

From that day, Bilal ibn Rabah رضي الله عنه became the first muezzin of Islam — and the call he gave from the rooftop of the Prophet’s mosque is the same one heard from minarets and apps around the world today.

Benefits and Rewards of the Dua After Azan

The Prophet ﷺ promised specific, named rewards for those who answer the adhan and recite the dua afterward:

• Intercession of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ on the Day of Judgment — promised explicitly in Sahih al-Bukhari 614.
• Forgiveness of past sins — for the dua said when the shahada is called (Sahih Muslim 386).
• Ten blessings from Allah for every salawat sent on the Prophet ﷺ (Sahih Muslim 384).
• Acceptance of personal du’a — du’a between adhan and iqamah is not rejected (Sunan Abi Dawud 521).
• A raised rank in Paradise — by asking for the Prophet’s ﷺ al-Wasila, you are remembered for asking for it.

Five obligatory prayers a day means five chances to earn each of these rewards — a complete cycle of forgiveness, blessing, and intercession built into the daily rhythm of a Muslim’s life.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Reciting the dua during the adhan, not after. The repetition of the muezzin’s words happens during; the dua comes once he is finished.
• Skipping the salawat. The hadith makes salawat a separate, named step before the main dua — don’t merge them.
• Ignoring the iqamah window. Most people walk away after answering the adhan. The most accepted du’a is the one made between adhan and iqamah.
• Talking through the adhan. The companions used to fall silent the moment the adhan began. Continuing a conversation breaks the adab.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the dua after azan?

The dua after azan is “Allahumma Rabba hadhihi-d-da’wati-t-tammah, was-salati-l-qa’imah, ati Muhammadan al-wasilata wa-l-fadilah, wab’ath-hu maqaman mahmudan-il-ladhi wa’adtah” — asking Allah to grant Prophet Muhammad ﷺ the station of intercession promised to him. It is recited immediately after the muezzin completes the adhan.

Is the dua after azan in Bukhari?

Yes. The dua is reported in Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 614), narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah رضي الله عنه. The Prophet ﷺ promised that whoever recites it after hearing the adhan will be granted his intercession on the Day of Judgment.

What do you say between the adhan and the iqamah?

Make personal du’a — the Prophet ﷺ said du’a in this window is never rejected (Sunan Abi Dawud 521). You can also send more salawat on the Prophet ﷺ, ask for al-Wasila, or pray two voluntary rak’ahs if it is before Fajr or Maghrib.

What is the reward for the dua after azan?

According to Sahih al-Bukhari, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever says this du’a after hearing the adhan, my intercession for him will become permissible on the Day of Resurrection.” Reciting it consistently also earns forgiveness of sins, ten blessings per salawat, and a raised rank in Paradise.

Should women recite the dua after azan?

Yes. The dua after azan is sunnah for both men and women whenever they hear the adhan — at the mosque, at home, or through a phone, app, or radio.

Can I make the dua after azan in any language?

The reported sunnah dua is in Arabic, and reciting it in Arabic carries the specific reward in the hadith. However, you can make any additional personal du’a in any language during the blessed window between the adhan and iqamah — that du’a is also promised acceptance.

Do I recite the dua if I hear adhan from an app or phone?

Yes. The reward applies whenever you hear the adhan — including from a recorded source like a smartphone app, a radio, or a livestream — as long as it is the actual call to a current prayer time, not a recording for entertainment.

Make This a Daily Habit

The dua after azan is one of the easiest, most rewarded acts in Islam — a 30-second sunnah, repeated five times a day, that earns the Prophet’s ﷺ intercession on the Day of Judgment. The hardest part is remembering. The islamtics Android app sends a gentle adhan reminder and shows the dua on your screen the moment the call begins, so the sunnah becomes automatic, not aspirational.