Question:
Assalamualaikum ustaz, who is the prioritized person to call the iqamah?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam.
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
According to Imam al-Syaukani, scholars have differing opinions on the issue of who is the most deserving to call the iqamah. According to Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik and Abu Thur, there is no set prioritization of who is the most deserving to call the iqamah. However, Imam al-Syafie stated that it is sunnah for the person who calls the adhan to also call the iqamah and if he is specifically chosen as the muezzin then he is the most deserving to call the iqamah. (Refer Nail al-Autor 2/67 and Al-Umm 1/106)
This opinion from Imam al-Syafie is based on a hadith narrated by Ziyad ibn al-Harith al-Suda’I RA who asked the Prophet PBUH permission for him to call the adhan and when the saf is ready for prayer, Bilal bin Rabah wanted to utter the iqamah, but then the Prophet PBUH said:
مَنْ أَذَّنَ فَهُوَ يُقِيمُ
“Whoever calls the Adhan he calls the Iqamah.”
Sunan Abi Dawud (514), Jami` al-Tirmizi (199) dan Sunan Ibn Majah (717). This hadith is ruled as dhaif (weak) by several scholars, among them are Abu Hatim al-Razi and Ibn Hibban, however, it is ruled as hasan by Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani and tsabit according to Ibn al-Jazwi. (Refer Al-Badr al-Munir 3/413, Al-Majruhin 1/407, Takhrij Misykat al-Masabih 1/311 and Nasikh al-Hadith wa Mansukhuhu pg. 208)
Syeikh Abu al-Toyyib al-‘Azhim al-Abadi said although the hadith is evaluated as dhaif, it has numerous syawahid or other hadiths as support. Imam al-Son’ani said this hadith is evidence that iqamah is the right of those who called the adhan and this opinion is held by the majority of scholars. He also cited the opinion of al-Hazimi where scholars have agreed that it is permissible for different individuals to each call the adhan and iqamah. (Refer ‘Aun al-Ma’bud Syarh Sunan Abi Dawud 2/209-210 and Subul al-Salam Syarh Bulugh al-Maram 1/193)
Conclusion
In short, we would like to state that the person who calls the adhan is the one most deserving to call the iqamah and it is sunnah as this is the opinion held by Imam al-Syafi’e.
However, if a different individual calls the iqamah, it is not an offence and the iqamah is still valid.
Wallahua’lam.