By Mufti Hussain Ahmed

Q) There are many different ring tones, the majority of which are musical and therefore disliked by Islam. However, what is the ruling about downloading the adhan and setting it as a ring tone? Also, what is the ruling regarding the use of adhan based alarm clocks?

A) The adhan is regarded as one of the holy symbols of Islam. Shari'ah has stipulated specific times and occasions when these holy words are to be recited (such as calling to salah, the birth of the child, etc). Hence, it is highly disliked to call out or have these words called out at any other time.

The adhan, comprising of holy words, is a form of zikrullah (remembrance of Allah Ta'ala). Using it to meet personal needs, such as informing others as your presence or using it to inform yourself of a phone call, is poor adab (etiquettes) and disrespect towards these words and highly disliked.

Often time, the phone may ring in a public gathering, in the bathroom, or even while in prayer and the person rushes to turn off this zikr of Allah Ta'ala. Similarily, with the adhan alarm clocks, it may ring to wake up the person for work and the person becomes irritated and turns off this zikr of Allah Ta'ala in mid-sentence.

Showing irritation at the zikr of Allah Ta'ala or cutting it off mid-sentence are forms of disrespect and highly disliked. Therefore the ruling for adhan ring tones and adhan alarm clocks is similar. There may be some concession if the alarm clock is used soley to inform one of salah timings and adhan is heard completely, without cutting it off in the middle, and not showing any kind of disrespect during this time.

And Allah Ta'ala knows best.

Article taken (with Thanks) from Albalagh.net