2/31. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 498 — The Dream of the Adhan
How The Adhan Began
Hadith About the Origin of the Adhan and Bilal’s Call
Sunan Abi Dawud : 498
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 498
حَدَّثَنَا عَبَّادُ بْنُ مُوسَى الْخُتَّلِيُّ، وَزِيَادُ بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، - وَحَدِيثُ عَبَّادٍ أَتَمُّ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، - قَالَ زِيَادٌ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بِشْرٍ، - عَنْ أَبِي عُمَيْرِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ عُمُومَةٍ، لَهُ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ قَالَ اهْتَمَّ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِلصَّلاَةِ كَيْفَ يَجْمَعُ النَّاسَ لَهَا فَقِيلَ لَهُ انْصِبْ رَايَةً عِنْدَ حُضُورِ الصَّلاَةِ فَإِذَا رَأَوْهَا آذَنَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا فَلَمْ يُعْجِبْهُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَذُكِرَ لَهُ الْقُنْعُ - يَعْنِي الشَّبُّورَ - وَقَالَ زِيَادٌ شَبُّورَ الْيَهُودِ فَلَمْ يُعْجِبْهُ ذَلِكَ وَقَالَ " هُوَ مِنْ أَمْرِ الْيَهُودِ " . قَالَ فَذُكِرَ لَهُ النَّاقُوسُ فَقَالَ " هُوَ مِنْ أَمْرِ النَّصَارَى " . فَانْصَرَفَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زَيْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ رَبِّهِ وَهُوَ مُهْتَمٌّ لِهَمِّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأُرِيَ الأَذَانَ فِي مَنَامِهِ - قَالَ - فَغَدَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْبَرَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَبَيْنَ نَائِمٍ وَيَقْظَانَ إِذْ أَتَانِي آتٍ فَأَرَانِي الأَذَانَ . قَالَ وَكَانَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ - رضى الله عنه - قَدْ رَآهُ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَكَتَمَهُ عِشْرِينَ يَوْمًا - قَالَ - ثُمَّ أَخْبَرَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ لَهُ " مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تُخْبِرَنِي " . فَقَالَ سَبَقَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زَيْدٍ فَاسْتَحْيَيْتُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَا بِلاَلُ قُمْ فَانْظُرْ مَا يَأْمُرُكَ بِهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زَيْدٍ فَافْعَلْهُ " . قَالَ فَأَذَّنَ بِلاَلٌ . قَالَ أَبُو بِشْرٍ فَأَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو عُمَيْرٍ أَنَّ الأَنْصَارَ تَزْعُمُ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ زَيْدٍ لَوْلاَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَوْمَئِذٍ مَرِيضًا لَجَعَلَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُؤَذِّنًا .
AbuUmayr ibn Anas Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) was anxious as to how to gather the people for prayer. The people told him: Hoist a flag at the time of prayer; when they see it, they will inform one another. But he (the Prophet) did not like it. Then someone mentioned to him the horn. Ziyad said: A horn of the Jews. He (the Prophet) did not like it. He said: This is the matter of the Jews. Then they mentioned to him the bell of the Christians. He said: This is the matter of the Christians.Abdullah ibn Zayd returned anxiously from there because of the anxiety of the Apostle (ﷺ). He was then taught the call to prayer in his dream. Next day he came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and informed him about it. He said: Messenger of Allah, I was between sleep and wakefulness; all of a sudden a newcomer came (to me) and taught me the call to prayer.Umar ibn al-Khattab had also seen it in his dream before, but he kept it hidden for twenty days. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to me (Umar): What did prevent you from saying it to me? He said: Abdullah ibn Zayd had already told you about it before me: hence I was ashamed. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Bilal, stand up, see what Abdullah ibn Zayd tells you (to do), then do it. Bilal then called them to prayer.AbuBishr reported on the authority of AbuUmayr: The Ansar thought that if Abdullah ibn Zayd had not been ill on that day, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would have made him mu'adhdhin.
[1] Nāqūs a bell, and it is also used for a knocker, something used like a bell but made of wood, struck by another piece of wood.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 498In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 108English translation : Book 2, Hadith 498
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 498
This hadith about the origin of the adhan explains how the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was concerned about gathering people for prayer. Some suggested raising a flag, but he did not like it. The horn was mentioned, and it was described as a matter of the Jews. The bell was mentioned, and it was described as a matter of the Christians. Abdullah ibn Zayd was concerned because of the Prophet’s concern, and he was shown the call to prayer in a dream. Umar had also seen it earlier but kept it hidden for twenty days because Abdullah ibn Zayd had already spoken. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then told Bilal to stand and follow what Abdullah ibn Zayd instructed, so Bilal called the people to prayer. This narration shows the adhan as a distinct call linked to gathering Muslims for salah.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم cared about how people would gather for prayer.
- The flag, horn, and bell were not chosen in this narration.
- Abdullah ibn Zayd was shown the adhan in a dream.
- Bilal was told to call the people to prayer based on what Abdullah ibn Zayd taught.
