The Shaykh’s explanation of the lack of prescription for broadcasting the iqamah over loudspeakers.
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The Shaykh : But that is not the case in two matters, which are occurring in these mosques where this means is used:
The first matter: broadcasting the iqamah on this device. This is not prescribed, because the iqamah was not in the place of the adhan, as the purpose of the iqamah is not to announce it to the farthest extent, as is the case with the adhan. Rather, the iqamah is a specific notification for those in the mosque, so they stand up for prayer. Therefore, there is no need, except very rarely, in a large mosque where the worshippers are a very large gathering, such that many of those far away on the right or left of the row, in such a large mosque, it can be said that using this loudspeaker for the iqamah is permissible. As for mosques that are not of that size, we should not occupy the people outside the mosque with such an iqamah, because the iqamah is a specific notification related to those who are inside the mosque. And we should not improve upon what the Lawgiver has not improved upon. So it was said to me, in some of what I mentioned regarding this, it was said:
Is it not better that we also let those outside the mosque hear the iqamah?
We say: From such improvement, the door of religious innovation was opened for the Muslims. And from here came what is known among the scholars of theology that the Mu'tazilah hold to rational good and evil. The Mu'tazilah, among the matters in which they opposed the people of the Sunnah, are that they hold to rational good and evil. The meaning of that is they explicitly state what follows in the explanation: they say, what the intellect deems good is good, and what the intellect deems ugly is ugly. And the people of the Sunnah say the opposite, and their saying is the truth: what Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) deems good is good, and what He deems ugly is ugly. So it is not permissible for Muslims to insert their intellects into rational good and evil. Among that is what we are currently discussing. And this saying was made, and I refuted it with the following. It was said: What prevents us from hearing the iqamah as we hear the adhan?
The answer: Why did the Wise Lawgiver differentiate between the adhan and place it on the roof of the mosque or in a high place, and place the iqamah in the mosque? Is He not the most knowledgeable of what benefits people?
There is no doubt in that at all. Therefore, we should believe with firm belief that this divine legislation brought by our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is a complete legislation, with no room for anyone to add to it the width of a hair. How, when our Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He) said:[Al-Ma'idah 5:3] And our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: , so the differentiation by the Wise Lawgiver between the adhan and the iqamah contains wisdom, whether we perceive it or not. We must stand as He said: [Al-Baqarah 2:229] The adhan prescribed by the Messenger (peace be upon him) was on the roof of the mosque to achieve the goal, which is making people hear it to the farthest distance. As for the iqamah, for some reason, He placed it inside the mosque and did not place it on the roof of the mosque. So we today—and this is the crux of the matter, as it is said—when we broadcast the adhan with a loudspeaker, we achieve a legal goal. But when we broadcast the iqamah with a loudspeaker, we contradict a legal ruling. So we hope you will pay attention to this so that we do not transgress the Shari'ah of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He).
The first matter: broadcasting the iqamah on this device. This is not prescribed, because the iqamah was not in the place of the adhan, as the purpose of the iqamah is not to announce it to the farthest extent, as is the case with the adhan. Rather, the iqamah is a specific notification for those in the mosque, so they stand up for prayer. Therefore, there is no need, except very rarely, in a large mosque where the worshippers are a very large gathering, such that many of those far away on the right or left of the row, in such a large mosque, it can be said that using this loudspeaker for the iqamah is permissible. As for mosques that are not of that size, we should not occupy the people outside the mosque with such an iqamah, because the iqamah is a specific notification related to those who are inside the mosque. And we should not improve upon what the Lawgiver has not improved upon. So it was said to me, in some of what I mentioned regarding this, it was said:
Is it not better that we also let those outside the mosque hear the iqamah?
We say: From such improvement, the door of religious innovation was opened for the Muslims. And from here came what is known among the scholars of theology that the Mu'tazilah hold to rational good and evil. The Mu'tazilah, among the matters in which they opposed the people of the Sunnah, are that they hold to rational good and evil. The meaning of that is they explicitly state what follows in the explanation: they say, what the intellect deems good is good, and what the intellect deems ugly is ugly. And the people of the Sunnah say the opposite, and their saying is the truth: what Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) deems good is good, and what He deems ugly is ugly. So it is not permissible for Muslims to insert their intellects into rational good and evil. Among that is what we are currently discussing. And this saying was made, and I refuted it with the following. It was said: What prevents us from hearing the iqamah as we hear the adhan?
The answer: Why did the Wise Lawgiver differentiate between the adhan and place it on the roof of the mosque or in a high place, and place the iqamah in the mosque? Is He not the most knowledgeable of what benefits people?
There is no doubt in that at all. Therefore, we should believe with firm belief that this divine legislation brought by our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is a complete legislation, with no room for anyone to add to it the width of a hair. How, when our Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He) said: