Can a Person Go From House to House to Call for Prayer?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

Can a person go from house to house to call for prayer shouting “come out for prayer!”?

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

What you have described seems rather undignified. The call to prayer is achieved by virtue of the actual sunna adhan. Thereafter, there is some basis to call people before the iqama, and before the congregation begins, by whatever is customarily and legally acceptable (tathwib). But this latter calling, like the adhan, generally occurs from the mosque.

As for disturbing people in their homes, this is not from the sunna. Such homes may contain the weak and elderly, children, women, those unable to attend the congregation, and many others who have valid and legally acceptable excuses. In any case, the foundations for encouraging attendance should be properly laid out elsewhere.

[Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah; Ibn `Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar `ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar; Lacknawi, al-Tahqiq al-`Ajib fi al-Tathwib]

Please also see: Does Playing a Recording of the Adhan Fulfill the Sunna? What if There is No Adhan in One’s Area? and: What To Do After Hearing The Adhan – The Prophet’s ﷺ Promise and: Giving the Call to Prayer (adhan) in an area where it is already given

And Allah Most High alone knows best.

wassalam,
[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam was born and raised in Ipswich, England, a quiet town close to the east coast of England. His journey for seeking sacred knowledge began when he privately memorized the entire Qur’an in his hometown at the age of 16. He also had his first experience in leading the tarawih (nightly-Ramadan) prayers at his local mosque. Year after year he would continue this unique return to reciting the entire Quran in one blessed month both in his homeland, the UK, and also in the blessed lands of Shaam, where he now lives, studies and teaches.