Question : A question was asked about the ruling for praying/the prayer when the adhan has not been called.

Fatwa in Brief: It is not permitted to perform prayer unless the call to prayer has been made. This is because the call is an obligation upon all (fard kifaya).

The Permanent Committee, 6/55-56

Response:

The call to prayer (adhan), and the correct performance of prayers (iqamat al-salah), are recommended for all prayers, whether the Muslim prays in a group or individually. However, if these are not performed, his/her prayers will still be valid.

Commentary:

According to the majority of scholars the call to prayers, and the correct performance of prayers, are recommended (Sunna) whether the prayers are performed on time, in a group, or on one’s own. However, they are certainly not obligatory. If they are not performed, the validity of the group and/or individual’s prayers is not affected according to the opinion of Abu Hanifa, al-Shafi‘i and the majority.

According to Malik, the adhan and iqama are obligatory, though only in Friday prayers at the mosque. While Ahmad [Ibn Hanbal] deems them obligatory (fard kefaya) at all times. According to the Zahiris (ahl al-Zahir), the adhan and iqama are obligatory for the validity of all prayers. This entails that it is not permitted for a Muslim to pray without the call to prayer being made. According to some of these scholars, the validity of the prayer is dependent upon the announcement of the adhan and the iqama.[1]

The judgment of the majority of scholars is the more correct one and the one applied by Muslims all over the Muslim world over the centuries.

And God knows best.

Dr. Ahmad ‘Id