بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
While discussing recommended actions while calling the adhan Sheikh Al-Albaani said, “That one calls to prayer while in a state of purity (wudhu), and the evidence for this is his -sallahu alayhi wa sallam- statement, ‘Indeed I hate to remember Allah unless while in a state of purity‘ or he said, ‘while in purification.‘
As for the narration, ‘There is no adhan unless one is in a state of purity‘ this is weak, it is not authentic, and Tirmidhi collected it. Thereafter Tirmidhi said, ‘The people of knowledge differ as it pertains to the adhan in other than a state of purity, thus some people of knowledge hate doing so as Ash-Shaafi’ee and Ishaq state. Some of the people of knowledge permit it as Sufyaan Ath-Thawri, Ibn-ul-Mubaarak, and Ahmad speak accordingly.’ “
Sheikh Al-Albaani said in the footnotes to the previous narration collected by Tirmidhi, “It is from the chain of Muawiyah ibn Yahya As-Sudfi from Az-Zuhri from Abu Huraira being raised to him (The Prophet -sallahu alayhi wa sallam) Muawiya is weak just as Al-Haafidh stated, and Az-Zuhri didn’t hear anything from Abu Huraira just as Tirmidhi mentions. Then he compiled it with the chain of Yunus (another chain of transmission) from Ibn Shihaab where he said, ‘Abu Huraira said, ‘No one makes the call to prayer except he who is in a state of purification.’ ‘ ” Thereafter he said, ‘This is more sound than the first narration.’ “
I say (Al-Albaani), “It is not valid in regards to being marfoo (having a connected chain towards the Prophet -sllahu alayhi wa sallam), nor in being mawqoof (a connected chain towards a companion) due to the existence of a break in both chains.”
Translated by Najeeb Al Anjelesi
Source: أحكام الأذان والإقامة