Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
In my city there are multiple adhāns given, do I need to respond to each adhān?
Answer:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for contacting Mathābah Institute.
Responding to the adhān is conducted in two ways. One is to repeat the words of the adhān and the other is to proceed for prayer at the location where the adhān is articulated.
When one hears the adhān multiple times, it is praiseworthy to respond to every adhān by repeating its words, although repeating the words of the first adhān will suffice. To proceed to the prayer to one of the congregational prayers where an adhān was called out, is a prophetic imperative. – (See: Rad Al-Muḥtār Vol 1, Page 397, Dār Al-Fikr)[1]
A man declared, “O Messenger of Allāh, the mu’adhdhins excel us [in rewards as they announce the calls to the prayers].” The Messenger of Allāh replied, “Say (the same words) as they say, and when you conclude, make supplications and that will be granted to you.” – (Abū Dāwūd 524)[2]
Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “By Him in whose hand my soul is I was about to order for collecting firewood (fuel) and then order someone to pronounce the adhān for the prayer and then order someone to lead the prayer. I would then go from behind and burn the houses of men who did not present themselves for the (compulsory congregational) prayer [after hearing the adhān] [but I did not do so].” – (Bukhārī 644)[3]
Only Allāh knows best
[1] قَوْلُهُ وَلَوْ تَكَرَّرَ أَيْ بِأَنْ أَذَّنَ وَاحِدٌ بَعْدَ وَاحِدٍ أَمَّا لَوْ سَمِعَهُمْ فِي آنٍ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ جِهَاتٍ فَسَيَأْتِي قَوْلُهُ أَجَابَ الْأَوَّلَ سَوَاءٌ كَانَ مُؤَذِّنَ مَسْجِدِهِ أَوْ غَيْرَهُ بَحْرٌ عَنْ الْفَتْحِ بَحْثًا وَيُفِيدُهُ مَا فِي الْبَحْرِ أَيْضًا عَنْ التَّفَارِيقِ إذَا كَانَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ مُؤَذِّنٍ أَذَّنُوا وَاحِدًا بَعْدَ وَاحِدٍ، فَالْحُرْمَةُ لِلْأَوَّلِ اهـ لَكِنَّهُ يَحْتَمِلُ أَنْ يَكُونَ مَبْنِيًّا عَلَى أَنَّ الْإِجَابَةَ بِالْقَدَمِ أَوْ عَلَى أَنَّ تَكْرَارَهُ فِي مَسْجِدٍ وَاحِدٍ يُوجِبُ أَنْ يَكُونَ الثَّانِي غَيْرَ مَسْنُونٍ، بِخِلَافِ مَا إذَا كَانَ مِنْ مَحَلَّاتٍ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ تَأَمَّلْ. وَيَظْهَرُ لِي إجَابَةُ الْكُلِّ بِالْقَوْلِ لِتَعَدُّدِ السَّبَبِ وَهُوَ السَّمَاعُ كَمَا اعْتَمَدَهُ بَعْضُ الشَّافِعِيَّةِ – كتاب الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ج١/ ص٣٩٧ دار الفكر
[2] عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو أَنَّ رَجُلاً قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الْمُؤَذِّنِينَ يَفْضُلُونَنَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قُلْ كَمَا يَقُولُونَ فَإِذَا انْتَهَيْتَ فَسَلْ تُعْطَهْ – رواه أبو ذاؤد ٥٢٤
[3] عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ أَنْ آمُرَ بِحَطَبٍ فَيُحْطَبَ، ثُمَّ آمُرَ بِالصَّلاَةِ فَيُؤَذَّنَ لَهَا، ثُمَّ آمُرَ رَجُلاً فَيَؤُمَّ النَّاسَ، ثُمَّ أُخَالِفَ إِلَى رِجَالٍ فَأُحَرِّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ بُيُوتَهُمْ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ يَعْلَمُ أَحَدُهُمْ أَنَّهُ يَجِدُ عَرْقًا سَمِينًا أَوْ مِرْمَاتَيْنِ حَسَنَتَيْنِ لَشَهِدَ الْعِشَاءَ - رواه البخاري ٦٤٤
