Iqamah (Second Call to Prayer)
The second call to prayer, recited just before the prayer begins.
Iqamah (Arabic: إقامة) is the second call to prayer, recited immediately before the obligatory prayer begins. While the adhan announces that the prayer time has arrived, the iqamah signals that the prayer is now starting.
The iqamah is similar in wording to the adhan, but is recited more quickly and with the addition of "Qad qamatis-salah" (The prayer has begun). In most schools of law, each phrase is said only once (unlike the adhan, where some phrases are repeated).
It is recommended to have a short pause between the adhan and iqamah, so people can prepare for prayer with wudu and come to the mosque. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Between the adhan and iqamah there is a prayer" — this refers to sunnah prayers that are performed between the two calls.
Related terms
Wilayah (Divine Authority)
The concept of divine authority and leadership in Shia Islam.
Tawhid (God's Oneness)
Islamic monotheism — belief in Allah's absolute oneness, the core of prayer.
Qabd (Folding the Arms in Prayer)
The practice of folding the arms over the chest or below the navel during the standing position in prayer.
Tawbah (Repentance)
Sincere repentance and return to Allah after sin.
Qiyas (Analogical Reasoning)
Legal analogy used to derive Islamic rules for new situations based on established rules.
Akhirah (The Hereafter)
Life after death — the eternal life that prayer prepares the believer for.