What is the sharia rule on reciting of salawath (durood) by the muazzin before the call of azan and iqamah? Are there any hadeez to mention that silence should be maintained when azan is called? Clarifications on these matters would be much appreciated. Jazakallah Khair

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

If the Mu’aththin (the person who calls the Athaan) utters the exaltation of the Prophet before the Athaan and the Iqaamah, then this is considered a religious innovation because it was not reported –as far as we know –from the Prophet nor from his companions that they used to say so before the Athaan or the Iqaamah.

The Prophet said: "Whoever does an act that is not in accordance with ours (Islam), it will be rejected." [Muslim] The Prophet also said: "Whoever introduces into this matter of ours [Islam] that which is not a part of it, it will be rejected." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Moreover, the jurists of the Hanafi School of jurisprudence stated that it is disliked to exalt the mention of the Prophet before the Iqaamah because it is an innovation. Rather, what is permissible and legislated is to exalt the mention of the Prophet after the Athaan and the Iqaamah and not before them, as the Prophet said: “When you hear the Mu’aththin (the person calling the Athaan), you should repeat what he says, and then ask Allaah to exalt my mention,…” [Muslim]

If each person adds the mention that he likes when calling the Athaan, then the Athaan will be completely changed from the legislated Athaan, and –as far as we know –there is no Prophetic narration which orders us to be completely silent when hearing the Athaan; rather, there is an order to repeat what the Mu’aththin says.

For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 104744 and 92196.

Allaah Knows best.