Benefits of the Hadith: ('Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding the virtue of responding as the mu'adhdhin says . . . )
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The Shaykh : So, we benefit from this hadith in the following ways: First, that responding to the mu'adhdhin is word for word; whenever he says a word, you say that word. If you remain silent until he finishes the adhan and then you recite it all at once, you have not obtained the sunnah. Among its benefits is that the one who says what the mu'adhdhin says does not say "Hay 'ala al-salah, Hay 'ala al-falah" in the two calls to prayer and success; rather, he says: "La hawla wa la quwwata illa bi-Allah."
Among the benefits of this hadith is that the phrase "La hawla wa la quwwata illa bi-Allah" is a word of seeking aid; it is a word of seeking aid by which a person seeks help with the matter he intends. I think you know the meaning of "hawla," which means the transition from one state to another, and "quwwah" is the opposite of weakness. It is recommended (sunnah) to say "La hawla wa la quwwata illa bi-Allah" when the mu'adhdhin says "Hay 'ala al-salah, Hay 'ala al-falah." The apparent meaning of this hadith and the one before it is that the mu'adhdhin is for the Fajr prayer, meaning that when he says "The prayer is better than sleep," he should say what he says, because he only excluded the two calls to prayer and success. Therefore, if the mu'adhdhin for the Fajr prayer says "The prayer is better than sleep," say "The prayer is better than sleep." This is the apparent meaning of the Sunnah. Some scholars said that if he says "The prayer is better than sleep," you should say "La hawla wa la quwwata illa bi-Allah," because the mu'adhdhin's statement "The prayer is better than sleep" is a statement of information that implies a request, as if he is saying, "The prayer is better than sleep, so come and leave sleep." Some said that if he says "The prayer is better than sleep," you should say "You have spoken the truth and you have done well," meaning you are truthful and righteous. So there are three opinions: The first is to say what he says; the second is to say "La hawla wa la quwwata illa bi-Allah"; and the third is to say "You have spoken the truth and you have done well." There is no doubt that saying what he says is the appropriate one and conforms to the apparent meaning of the Sunnah, so one should rely on that. They say that the response to "The prayer is better than sleep" is to say "You have spoken the truth" because he is truthful, and "You have done well" because he encourages people to attend. It is said to them: Does the mu'adhdhin not say "Allahu Akbar"? The answer is: Yes. Is he truthful or not? He is truthful. Why do you not say "You have spoken the truth and you have done well"? Because if you say that this is a statement of information that is met with affirmation, we would say that "Allahu Akbar" is also a statement of information that is met with affirmation, and no one holds that view.
Among the benefits of this hadith is that the phrase "La hawla wa la quwwata illa bi-Allah" is a word of seeking aid; it is a word of seeking aid by which a person seeks help with the matter he intends. I think you know the meaning of "hawla," which means the transition from one state to another, and "quwwah" is the opposite of weakness. It is recommended (sunnah) to say "La hawla wa la quwwata illa bi-Allah" when the mu'adhdhin says "Hay 'ala al-salah, Hay 'ala al-falah." The apparent meaning of this hadith and the one before it is that the mu'adhdhin is for the Fajr prayer, meaning that when he says "The prayer is better than sleep," he should say what he says, because he only excluded the two calls to prayer and success. Therefore, if the mu'adhdhin for the Fajr prayer says "The prayer is better than sleep," say "The prayer is better than sleep." This is the apparent meaning of the Sunnah. Some scholars said that if he says "The prayer is better than sleep," you should say "La hawla wa la quwwata illa bi-Allah," because the mu'adhdhin's statement "The prayer is better than sleep" is a statement of information that implies a request, as if he is saying, "The prayer is better than sleep, so come and leave sleep." Some said that if he says "The prayer is better than sleep," you should say "You have spoken the truth and you have done well," meaning you are truthful and righteous. So there are three opinions: The first is to say what he says; the second is to say "La hawla wa la quwwata illa bi-Allah"; and the third is to say "You have spoken the truth and you have done well." There is no doubt that saying what he says is the appropriate one and conforms to the apparent meaning of the Sunnah, so one should rely on that. They say that the response to "The prayer is better than sleep" is to say "You have spoken the truth" because he is truthful, and "You have done well" because he encourages people to attend. It is said to them: Does the mu'adhdhin not say "Allahu Akbar"? The answer is: Yes. Is he truthful or not? He is truthful. Why do you not say "You have spoken the truth and you have done well"? Because if you say that this is a statement of information that is met with affirmation, we would say that "Allahu Akbar" is also a statement of information that is met with affirmation, and no one holds that view.