Responding to the adhan is a beautiful Sunnah that children can learn early, and it turns every call to prayer into a moment of worship.
Step 1: repeat after the mu’adhin
Your child says each phrase quietly after it is called: “Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar”, “Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah”, and so on.
Step 2: the two different phrases
When the mu’adhin says حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ and حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ, your child says instead:
لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ
“There is no power and no strength except with Allah” (Sahih Muslim 385).
Step 3: the dua after the adhan
اللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّ هٰذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ، وَالصَّلَاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ، آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ، وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ
The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever says this after the adhan will have his intercession on the Day of Judgement (Sahih al-Bukhari 614).
A 3-week plan
- Week 1: repeat after the mu’adhin only.
- Week 2: add “La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah” at the two “hayya” phrases.
- Week 3: learn the dua after the adhan, in two halves.
No masjid nearby?
In many parts of the UK the adhan is not heard outside. Use an adhan app at home, or call the adhan yourself before praying together, so your child still hears and responds to it.
Teacher’s tip: let your child call the adhan at home before a family prayer. Children who give the adhan learn its words, and its responses, very quickly.
Our Salah & Wudu programme teaches the adhan and prayer step by step.
