Guide
The Adhan and Iqama Explained
The adhan is the call to prayer that announces a prayer's time has entered; the iqama is a second, shorter call given just before the congregation stands to pray. Together they frame each of the five prayers and turn a moment on the timetable into a shared summons to worship.
The call to prayer
The adhan is called aloud when a prayer's window opens. Its phrases proclaim God's greatness, bear witness to the faith, and call the listener to prayer and to success. For Fajr, an extra phrase — "prayer is better than sleep" — is added. It marks the same moment your timetable shows for the start of the prayer.
The iqama
The iqama is called immediately before the obligatory prayer begins, using similar but shortened phrasing, with the added line that "the prayer has begun." Where the adhan invites people to come, the iqama tells those present that the congregation is now standing to pray.
How to respond
It is recommended to quietly repeat the caller's words as you hear them, and to follow the adhan with a short, well-known supplication asking God to grant the Prophet his honoured station. The gap between adhan and iqama is a valued time for personal supplication.
Who gives it
The one who calls the adhan is the mu'adhin. In a mosque this is often a designated person; when praying at home or in a group, anyone may give a quiet adhan and iqama. It is a recommended act, not a condition for the prayer's validity.