Sunnats and Aadaab of Azaan and Iqaamah – Part 7

The Correct Pronunciation of the Words of the Azaan

When calling out the azaan, one should try to pronounce all the words correctly. In this regard, some of the important points to bear in mind are:
1. When reciting اَللهُ أَكْبَرْ اَللهُ أَكْبَرْ, the letter ر (raa)in the first أَكْبَرْ (akbar) can be read with a sukoon (ــْـ) without joining it to the word اَللهُ  (Allahu), or with a fat-hah (ــَـ) by joining it to the word اَللهُ (Allahu). To read it in any other way (with a dhammah ــُـ or kasrah ــِـ ) is against the sunnah.
2. When reciting أَشْهَدُ أَلَّا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللهْ, the word أَلَّا (al-laa) should be pronounced with an empty mouth. Furthermore, the tashdeed (ــّـ) on the letter ل (laam) should not be over-emphasised by stretching the sound of the ل (laam).
The sukoon (ــْـ) on the letter ش (sheen) should be clearly pronounced followed by the هــ (haa). One should not omit the sukoon and haa هــ (haa) by joining the هــ (haa) to the ش (sheen) saying “ashadu” without pronouncing the هـــ (haa) at all. Rather, the correct way of pronouncing it is “ash-ha-du”.
3. When reciting أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللهْ, the word أَنَّ (anna) should not be over-emphasised by stretching the sound of the ن (noon) for longer than the duration of a ghunnah. Similarly, the tashdeed (ــّـ) in the letter م (meem) and ر (raa) should not be over-emphasized by stretching them.
4. When reciting حَيَّ عَلٰى الصَّلَاةْ, the tashdeed (ــّـ) on the letter ي (yaa) in the word حَيَّ (hayya) should be read completely. The ي (yaa) should not be read without the tashdeed (ــّـ) by saying “haya” instead of “hayya”. Likewise, the letter ع (ain) in the word على (ala) should be pronounced clearly.
When stopping at the end of the word الصَّلَاةْ (salaah), the ة (taa) will be read with a sukoon (ــْـ) and thus produce the sound of a هــ (haa). One will not pronounce the ة (taa) by saying hayya alas salaat.
Similarly, one should ensure that the sound does not resemble that of a big haa (ح).
5. When reciting حَيَّ عَلٰى الْفَلَاحْ, when stopping at the word الْفَلَاحْ (falaah), ensure that the ح (haa) is pronounced correctly by saying it as a big ح (haa), not as a small هـ.