---
title: "Qad Qamatis-Salah Meaning: Adhan and Iqamah Words and Rules"
description: "What \"Qad qamatis-salah\" means, the full wording of the Adhan (15 phrases) and the Iqamah (11 phrases), and how the two calls differ."
url: "https://iqraairtqi.com/en/blogs/fiqh-of-adhan-and-iqamah"
date: "2026-08-13T17:01:12+00:00"
---

# Qad Qamatis-Salah Meaning: Adhan and Iqamah Words and Rules

Executive Summary (Whiteboard)
------------------------------

\[whiteboard\] - **Definition:** Adhan is the external announcement for the prayer time, while Iqamah is the internal announcement to start the prayer.
- **Differences:** Adhan is called with a loud, prolonged, melodic voice; Iqamah is recited quickly and quietly for the congregation.
- **Wording:** Iqamah adds the phrase "Qad qamatis-salah" (prayer is about to begin) and is generally shorter than the Adhan.
- **Reward:** Repeating the Adhan after the Mu'adhin and making the specific Dua afterwards guarantees the intercession of the Prophet (PBUH) on the Day of Judgment.
- **Golden Time:** The time between Adhan and Iqamah is a special time where personal prayers (Dua) are not rejected.

\[/whiteboard\] Introduction: The Call of the Skies to the Earth
------------------------------------------------

The sound of the Adhan is the greatest public symbol of Islam, echoing across the globe five times a day to announce that it is time to stand before Allah. Instituted in the first year after the Prophet’s migration (Hijrah) to Madinah, the Adhan is a profound spiritual awakening.

Understanding the **Fiqh of Adhan and Iqamah** is not just for the Mu'adhin (the caller); it is essential knowledge for every Muslim who wishes to capture the immense spiritual rewards tied to this daily ritual, especially the Sunnah of repeating the call and the accepted Dua.

The Jurisprudential Difference Between Adhan and Iqamah
-------------------------------------------------------

While the wording is highly similar, their jurisprudential functions are distinct:

<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 20px;"> <thead> <tr style="background-color: #7c3aed; color: #ffffff;"> <th style="padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ddd;">Aspect</th> <th style="padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ddd;">Adhan (First Call)</th> <th style="padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ddd;">Iqamah (Second Call)</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ddd;">**Purpose**</td> <td style="padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ddd;">To inform the public that the time for the obligatory prayer has begun.</td> <td style="padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ddd;">To inform the attendees inside the mosque to align their rows as the prayer is starting.</td> </tr> <tr style="background-color: #f9f9f9;"> <td style="padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ddd;">**Vocal Delivery**</td> <td style="padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ddd;">Prolonged, loud, and melodic (Tarteel) to reach far distances.</td> <td style="padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ddd;">Fast and concise (Hadr), since the congregation is already present.</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ddd;">**Unique Words**</td> <td style="padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ddd;">Adds "As-salatu khayrun minan-nawm" (Prayer is better than sleep) only during Fajr.</td> <td style="padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ddd;">Adds "Qad qamatis-salah" (Prayer has begun) twice.</td> </tr> </tbody></table>

The Exact Wording of the Adhan
------------------------------

The standard Adhan consists of 15 phrases. Here is the transliteration and meaning:

1. **Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar** (Allah is the Greatest) - x2
2. **Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah** (I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah) - x2
3. **Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah** (I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) - x2
4. **Hayya 'alas-salah** (Hasten to the prayer) - x2
5. **Hayya 'alal-falah** (Hasten to success) - x2
6. **Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar** (Allah is the Greatest)
7. **La ilaha illallah** (There is no deity but Allah)

The Exact Wording of the Iqamah
-------------------------------

According to the majority of scholars, the Iqamah consists of 11 phrases. The wording is mostly singular:

1. Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.
2. Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah.
3. Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah.
4. Hayya 'alas-salah.
5. Hayya 'alal-falah.
6. **Qad qamatis-salah, Qad qamatis-salah.** (Prayer is about to begin)
7. Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.
8. La ilaha illallah.

Once the Iqamah is called the congregation stands to pray. To see what follows, read [The Virtue of Prayer in Congregation](/en/blogs/virtue-of-prayer-in-congregation) or the step-by-step [Fiqh of Prayer for Beginners](/en/blogs/fiqh-of-prayer-for-beginners-how-and-its-rulings).

The Forgotten Sunnah: Repeating After the Adhan
-----------------------------------------------

Many Muslims miss out on a massive reward by remaining silent or talking during the Adhan. The Prophet (PBUH) instructed us to repeat exactly what the Mu'adhin says. The only exception is when he says *"Hayya 'alas-salah"* and *"Hayya 'alal-falah"*. Here, you should say: **"La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah"** (There is no power nor strength except with Allah). This signifies that you cannot leave your worldly affairs and go to pray without Allah’s divine help.

The Dua After Adhan (Securing Intercession)
-------------------------------------------

The Prophet (PBUH) promised his intercession (Shafa'ah) on the Day of Judgment to anyone who recites this specific Dua after the Adhan ends:

*"Allahumma Rabba hadhihid-da'watit-tammah, was-salatil-qa'imah, ati Muhammadan al-wasilata wal-fadilah, wab'ath-hu maqaman mahmudan alladhi wa'adtah."*

Furthermore, the gap between the Adhan and the Iqamah is a golden time where personal prayers are highly accepted. The Prophet (PBUH) explicitly stated: "A supplication made between the Adhan and Iqamah is not rejected."

<div class="faq-section">#### Frequently Asked Questions

<div class="faq-item">**Q: What does "Qad qamatis-salah" mean?**A: It means "the prayer has been established": the prayer is starting now. It is said twice in the Iqamah and is the phrase the Iqamah adds to the Adhan wording.

</div><div class="faq-item">**Q: What does "Iqamah" mean?**A: The word comes from *aqama*, "to make something stand". The Iqamah is the second call, given when the worshippers are present, to tell them the prayer is about to begin so they can straighten the rows.

</div><div class="faq-item">**Q: What is the difference between the Adhan and the Iqamah?**A: The Adhan announces that the prayer time has begun and is called slowly and loudly so it reaches people far away. The Iqamah announces that the prayer is starting now, is said quickly, is shorter, and adds "Qad qamatis-salah".

</div></div>Learn Fiqh with Iqraa Irtaqii
-----------------------------

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