Iqamah Meaning, Transliteration And Arabic Words

It is sunnah to say the adhan to announce the beginning of the 5 daily prayers. It is also sunnah to say the iqamah to let people know that the prayer is just about to begin. In this article, you will learn iqamah meaning, its transliteration, Arabic text, meaning and pronunciation.

What Is Iqamah In Islam?

The Iqamah is the Islamic second call to salah (prayer), given immediately before prayer begins, which signals that it’s time for the prayer to start. It’s recited by a caller, usually the Mu’adhdhin in a mosque, after the first call to prayer, which is called the Adhan.

It is intended merely to draw the attention of those already in the mosque, rather than to remind those outside the mosque to come in.

The phrases of the iqama and the adhan are the same, though there are variations among sects in the preferred number of repetitions of the phrases.

Read also Wallahi Meaning, Explanation And In Arabic Text.

Iqamah Meaning In English

The meaning of Iqamah is Allah is the Greatest, Allah is Greatest; I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Come to Prayer. Come to success. Salat is ready. Allah is the Greatest; Allah is the Greatest; There is none worthy of worship except Allah.

Iqamah in Arabic

If you want to recite the Iqama, it’s best to memorize it so you can say it alone. The Arabic text for Iqamah are:

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ، أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلاةِ، حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلاحِ، قَدْ قَامَتْ الصَّلَاةُ ، قَدْ قَامَتْ الصَّلَاةُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ

Iqamah Transliteration

Iqamah is ranslitterated as Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar; Ashhadu alla Ilaha illallah; Ashhadu anna Muhammadar Rasulullah; Hayya ‘alas-Salah; Hayya ‘alal-Falah; Qad qamatis-Salatu, Qad qamatis-salah; Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar; La Ilaha Illallah.

Several forms of the iqamah have been narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

Two forms of the iqamah have been narrated from Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him); one form has 11 phrases and the other has 17 phrases.

These two versions were proven in sound narrations from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Whoever does either of them is following the Sunnah.

Iqamah Audio

The following audio is the correct pronunciation of Iqamah in Arabic.

Iqamah Words

The table below shows the words of Iqamah in Arabic text, transliteration and translation.

Arabic	Transliteration	English
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ	Allahu Akbar	Allah is Greatest
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ	Allahu Akbar	Allah is Greatest
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ	Ashhadu alla Ilaha illallah	I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ	Ashhadu anna Muhammadar Rasulullah	I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلاةِ	Hayya ‘alal-salah	Come to Prayer
حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلاحِ	Hayya ‘alal-Falah	Come to success
قَدْ قَامَتْ الصَّلَاةُ	Qad qamatis-Salatu	Salat is ready
قَدْ قَامَتْ الصَّلَاةُ	Qad qamatis-salah	Salat is ready
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ	Allahu Akbar	Allah is Greatest
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ	Allahu Akbar	Allah is Greatest
لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ	La Ilaha Illallah	There is none worthy of worship except Allah.

Reciting Iqamah with the same number of phrases as Adhan

Shaykh Ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: is it permissible to recite the iqamah with the same number of phrases as the adhan?

He said:

“That is permissible, rather that is one of the Sunnahs in pronouncing the adhan, because that was proven in al-Sahih, from the hadith of Abu Mahdhurah (may Allah be pleased with him),

When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught him the adhan and iqamah in al-Masjid al-Haram at the time of the Conquest of Makkah.

It is permissible to mention the phrases of the iqamah once only, apart from the phrase Qad qamat il-salah (prayer is about to begin) and the takbir (Allahu akbar), as Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) used to do in the Mosque of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), in his presence and and according to his instructions.

It is narrated in al-Sahihayn that Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

Bilal used to say the phrases of the adhan twice and say the phrases of the iqamah once in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).” (Majmu’ Fatawa wa Maqalat Mutanawwa’ah, 10/366)

But in the case of acts of worship for which several ways of doing them have been narrated, it is better for the Muslim not to adhere to one particular way and ignore the rest.

Rather the Sunnah is to do everything that has been proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

So one time he can say the iqamah of Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him), and another time he can say the iqamah of Abu Mahdhurah (may Allah be pleased with him).

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“The correct view is the view of Ahl al-Hadith and those who agree with them, which is to accept everything that has been narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and not to disapprove of any of these narrations, because the variations in the adhan and iqamah are like the variations in the recitation and tashahhud etc.

No one has the right to disapprove of anything that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has prescribed for his ummah.

In order to follow the Sunnah completely we should do it one way one time and the other way another time, this way in one place and the other way in another place,

Because forsaking what was narrated in the Sunnah and adhering to something else may lead to regarding what is Sunnah as bid’ah and regarding something that is mustahabb as obligatory, and that would lead to division and disputes if others do it the other way.” (Al-Fatawa al-Kubra, 2/43-44)

Adopted from Islamqa