If you hear the mu'adhdhin over the radio, should you say what he says?
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The questioner : If you hear the mu'adhdhin over the radio, should you say what he says? And is there a difference between broadcasting the adhan live and broadcasting it via recording?
The Shaykh : We say that broadcasting the adhan via recording does not suffice for the adhan prescribed by the Shari'ah. This is because the adhan prescribed by the Shari'ah is dhikr and praise of Allah, and it requires an act of worship. A recording is not an act of worship. If you hear a recording, it does not mean that the person in the recording is performing an act of worship to draw near to Allah; rather, it is merely hearing the voice of a person who may even be dead. Therefore, it does not suffice for the adhan prescribed by the Shari'ah. It is necessary to have an adhan prescribed by the Shari'ah performed by a person of legal age who declares Allah's greatness, testifies to His oneness and to the prophethood of His Messenger, and calls to prayer and to success. This is required.
And if we say that what is recorded is not an adhan prescribed by the Shari'ah, then it is not prescribed to respond to it; that is, it is not prescribed for a person to follow it, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3614Sahih (Darussalam) In reality, we have not heard the mu'adhdhin, but rather we have heard a previously recorded voice.
And as for the sayingThe questioner : What is the difference between what is broadcast live and what is broadcast via recording? The difference is clear, because what is broadcast live is the voice of the mu'adhdhin who is performing the adhan prescribed by the Shari'ah. This is what should be responded to and followed, and one should make the supplication after following it as established in the Sunnah. As for the recorded adhan, it is not an adhan in reality, as we have indicated.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : We say that broadcasting the adhan via recording does not suffice for the adhan prescribed by the Shari'ah. This is because the adhan prescribed by the Shari'ah is dhikr and praise of Allah, and it requires an act of worship. A recording is not an act of worship. If you hear a recording, it does not mean that the person in the recording is performing an act of worship to draw near to Allah; rather, it is merely hearing the voice of a person who may even be dead. Therefore, it does not suffice for the adhan prescribed by the Shari'ah. It is necessary to have an adhan prescribed by the Shari'ah performed by a person of legal age who declares Allah's greatness, testifies to His oneness and to the prophethood of His Messenger, and calls to prayer and to success. This is required.
And if we say that what is recorded is not an adhan prescribed by the Shari'ah, then it is not prescribed to respond to it; that is, it is not prescribed for a person to follow it, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
If you hear the Muadh-dhin then say as he says
إذا سمعتم المؤذن فقولوا مثل ما يقول المؤذنAnd as for the sayingThe questioner : What is the difference between what is broadcast live and what is broadcast via recording? The difference is clear, because what is broadcast live is the voice of the mu'adhdhin who is performing the adhan prescribed by the Shari'ah. This is what should be responded to and followed, and one should make the supplication after following it as established in the Sunnah. As for the recorded adhan, it is not an adhan in reality, as we have indicated.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.