Iqamah

What is the Iqamah?

The iqamah is the announcement made immediately before the obligatory congregational prayer begins. Once the worshippers have assembled and are ready to stand, the muezzin (or another) calls the iqamah in a lower, faster voice than the adhan, and the imam leads the prayer as soon as it is finished. It marks the transition from anticipation to the prayer itself.

Its Wording

The iqamah repeats most phrases of the adhan just once each (in the majority-Sunni Sunna) — "Allahu Akbar... I bear witness that there is no god but Allah... I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah... Come to the prayer... Come to success... The prayer has been established (Qad qamati-s-salah, qad qamati-s-salah)... Allahu Akbar... There is no god but Allah" (Bukhari 605, Muslim 378). The unique phrase Qad qamati-s-salah ("the prayer has begun") is the mark of the iqamah, said twice.

The Time Between Adhan and Iqamah

Between the adhan and the iqamah is a precious window for supplication. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: "The supplication made between the adhan and the iqamah is not rejected" (Abu Dawud 521, Tirmidhi 212). Believers use these minutes for two rakahs of Sunnah prayer, dhikr, or personal du'a — especially before Fajr, Maghrib and Isha, when the interval is naturally short.

Etiquettes

• The person who called the adhan is preferred to call the iqamah.
• The listener repeats after him as with the adhan, saying instead of "The prayer has been established": "May Allah establish it and make it lasting" (Aqamahallahu wa adamaha).
• The straightening of the rows takes place between the iqamah and the opening takbir; the imam should not begin until the rows are straight (Bukhari 723).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the iqamah obligatory?

The iqamah is a strongly emphasised sunnah on the men of the congregation for the five daily obligatory prayers. Some scholars consider it obligatory. A single traveller or a small group also give the iqamah, following the practice of the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions on their journeys.

What is the difference between adhan and iqamah?

The adhan is the wider, slower call summoning people to come to the mosque; the iqamah is the shorter, faster announcement that the prayer is now beginning. The adhan is a public summons; the iqamah is an internal call within the gathered congregation.