As-Salatu Khayrun Min An-Nawm
As-Salatu Khayrun Min An-Nawm (Prayer Is Better Than Sleep)
This phrase As-Salatu khayrun min an-nawm is said by the ahl-us-sunnah (Sunni sect) after hayya ‘ala al-falah in the adhan of the morning prayer, but they do not say it in the iqamah.
In The Five Schools of Islamic Law p.129, it states that this phrase is NOT a masnun (traditional) part of the adhan, and this is the opinion of Shafi’i, who is one of the four leaders of Sunni Jurisprudence.
The cause for the disagreement is the question whether it was said or not during the lifetime of the Prophet (S) or whether it was during the time of ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab. Ishaq has said: “This thing has been innovated by the people” and Abu ‘Isa said: “This phrase is something that the learned people have regarded with distaste. It is on the hearing which ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar left the mosque!”
It is reported that once when ‘Umar was asleep he was awakened by a man named Malik using this phrase. ‘Umar liked the phrase and incorporated it in the adhan. This is why, as mentioned above, some Sunni’s disagree with this phrase. According to the scholars of the Ahl Al-Bayt, this phrase is not to be said, as it is a bidah.1
- 1. An unlawful and unauthorized addition into the religion.