Sayyiduna Sa’ib bin Yazid رضي الله عنه narrates that the adhan for Jumu’ah mentioned by Allah Almighty in the Noble Qur’an used to be given at the time when the Imam would arrive (for the Friday sermon), and (the second adhan, i.e., the iqamah) during the time of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما, would be called when the prayer was about to begin. Then, when the era of Sayyiduna ‘Uthman رضي الله عنه came, the people had increased, so he ordered the third adhan to be given at the place called Zawra. Thus, that adhan remains to this day. Imam Abu Bakr رحمه الله says that by the words of the hadith“and when the prayer is established,”what is meant is the second adhan, i.e., the iqamah. And both the adhan and the iqamah are called“adhanayn”(two adhans). He said: Did you not hear the statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that he said:“Between the two adhans there is (nafl) prayer.”By this, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم meant between every adhan and iqamah. And the Arabs give the same name to two things that are joined together. The statement of Allah Almighty is: «‏‏‏‏وَلِأَبَوَيْهِ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنْهُمَا» ‏‏‏‏ [ سورة النساء: 11 ] “Each of the parents gets a sixth.”And the statement of Allah Almighty is: «‏‏‏‏وَوَرِثَهُ أَبَوَاهُ فَلِأُمِّهِ الثُّلُثُ» ‏‏‏‏ [ سورة النساء: 11 ] “And if his parents are his heirs, then his mother gets a third.”While by“parents”is meant both mother and father, and Allah Almighty has used the word“abawayn”(two fathers) for both. The hadith of Sayyidah ‘A’ishah رضي الله عنها is also of this type. In the time of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, our food consisted of two black things: dates and water. While only the dates were black in color, not the water. Despite this, Sayyidah ‘A’ishah رضي الله عنها called both“aswadayn”(the two black things), because they were combined. Another example of this is“Sunnat al-‘Umarayn”(the way and Sunnah of the two Umars), and by this is meant the way of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما, and not the way of Sayyiduna ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab and Sayyiduna ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz رضي الله عنهما, as some people have misunderstood. And the evidence that by the words of the hadith“and when the prayer is established”is meant the second adhan, which is called the iqamah, is (the following hadith).

Sayyiduna Sa’ib bin Yazid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that in the blessed era of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and during the caliphates of Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), there used to be two calls to prayer (adhan) on Friday — (the adhan and the iqamah). Then, when the era of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) came and the number of people increased, he ordered the first adhan to be given at the place of Ruwā’.

Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:“Whoever performs ghusl on the day of Jumu’ah, and if he has perfume, he applies it, and wears his best clothes, then goes to the mosque and, if he wishes, performs voluntary prayer, and does not cause harm to anyone, then when his imam arrives, he remains silent until he completes the prayer, then these actions will be an expiation for the sins committed between this Jumu’ah and the previous Jumu’ah.”Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says: This is related to the same category about which I say that, according to the Arabs, ‘insat’ (silence) sometimes means refraining from mutual conversation, not silence from recitation of the Qur’an, remembrance of Allah, or supplication—as is in the hadith of Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Companions used to converse during prayer until this verse was revealed «‏‏‏‏وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا» ‏‏‏‏ [ سورة الأعراف: 204 ] “And when the Qur’an is recited, listen to it attentively and remain silent.”In this verse, they were forbidden from conversing with each other and were commanded to remain silent at the time of recitation of the Qur’an. Is this silence from mutual conversation among people? Silence is not meant from recitation of the Qur’an, tasbihat, takbir, remembrance, and supplication, because it is certain that the statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him),“Then when the imam arrives, he remains silent until he completes the prayer,”does not mean that the person present at Jumu’ah will not say «‏‏‏‏اللهُ أَكْبَرُ» ‏‏‏‏ at the beginning of the prayer, nor say takbir when going into ruku’, nor recite tasbihat in ruku’, nor say «‏‏‏‏سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ» ‏‏‏‏ when rising from ruku’, nor say «‏‏‏‏اللهُ أَكْبَرُ» ‏‏‏‏ when going into prostration, nor recite tasbih in prostration, nor recite tashahhud in the sitting position. Whoever understands the commands of Allah and His religion does not have such a misconception. Therefore, it is definite and certain that in this hadith, the meaning of ‘insat’ (silence) is silence from mutual conversation and speech among people. It does not mean silence from takbir, recitation of the Qur’an, tasbih, and remembrance, etc., which the worshipper is commanded to perform during prayer. Similarly, the meaning of the statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him), if it is proven authentic,“When the imam recites, remain silent,”is to stop conversing with people. I have already explained the meaning of ‘insat’ and how many meanings this word can have under the issue of“reciting behind the imam.”

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to stand leaning against a wooden pillar, trunk, or date-palm tree (and deliver the sermon). The blessed narrator is in doubt as to which word was mentioned. Then, when the number of people increased, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Make a pulpit for me." So the Companions made a pulpit for him. Therefore, when he sat on the pulpit, the wood began to cry like a mother crying over the loss of her child. It continued to cry in this way until the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came down from the pulpit, then he went and embraced it, and it became silent. Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that "al-walah" refers to a woman whose child has died (and she cries in separation from him).

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand on Friday, he would lean against a trunk fixed in the mosque, and then deliver the sermon. Then a Roman man came and said,“Shall we not make something for you so that you may sit on it and feel at ease?”He made a pulpit for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) which had two steps, and the Prophet sat on the third step. Then, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sat on the pulpit, the trunk began to cry like a camel, so much so that the sound of its crying in separation from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) echoed throughout the mosque. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) descended from the pulpit and went to it and embraced it; it was crying. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) embraced it, it became silent. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:“By Him in Whose hand is my soul, if I had not embraced it, it would have continued to cry in separation from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) until the Day of Resurrection.”Then, by the order of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the trunk was buried. In the narration of Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:“It cried due to separation from the remembrance (sermon) of Allah, the Exalted.”

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Khalid (may Allah be pleased with him) that he saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) leaning on a bow or a staff when he came to the Muslims. He says: I heard him reciting this Surah «‏‏‏‏وَالسَّمَاءِ وَالطَّارِقِ» ‏‏‏‏, so I had memorized this Surah in the days of ignorance while I was still a polytheist. Then I recited it after becoming a Muslim. Then the people of Thaqif called me and asked, "What have you heard from this man (Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him)?" So I recited this Surah to them. Then the Qurayshi who were sitting with them said, "We know our companion better; if we considered his call to be true, we would have followed him."