Category: Eid

The festivals which are prescribed in Islam are Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, and the weekly Eid of Jumuah. There is no other festival in Islam apart from these three.

Eid al-Fitr takes place after the end of the Month of Ramadan (i.e on the 1st of shawwal which is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar)

Eid al-Adhaa is the tenth day of Dhool-Hijjah, the last (twelfth) month of the Hijri or Islamic calendar. It is, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The greatest day in the sight of Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted, the Day of Sacrifice . . . (Reported by Abu Dawud; see also Saheeh al-Jaami, 1064).

  • Women Attending Eid Prayer

    It is better for women to go out to the Eid prayer. This was enjoined by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). 

    Al-Bukhaari (324) and Muslim (890) narrated that Umm Atiyyah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to bring them (women) out on (Eid) al-Fitr and (Eid) al-Adha, and to bring out adolescent girls, menstruating women and virgins, but the menstruating women were to stay away from the prayer, but were to witness goodness and the gathering of the Muslims. I said: O Messenger of Allaah, what if one of us does not have a jilbaab? He said: Let her sister lend her a jilbab.


    Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen was asked: what is better for a woman, to come out to the Eid prayer or to stay at home? 

    He replied: 

    It is better for them to go out to Eid prayer, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined that the women go out to the Eid prayer, even the adolescent girls and virgins  i.e., women who do not ordinarily go out. He commanded them to go out, and he told the menstruating women to go out but to keep away from the prayer-place. So menstruating women should go out with other women for Eid, but they should not enter the place where the Eid prayer is offered, because the Eid prayer-place is a mosque and it is not permissible for a menstruating woman to stay there, but it is permissible for her to pass through or to take something she needs from it, without staying there. Based on this we say: women are commanded to go out to the Eid prayer and join the men in this prayer, because of the goodness, dhikr and duaa they may experience there. 

    Majmoo Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen, 16/210. 

    He also said: 

    But they must go out looking decent, not wearing adornment, makeup or perfume, so that they may combine following the Sunnah with avoiding fitnah. 

    What some women do of wearing adornment, makeup and perfume is because of their ignorance and negligence on the part of their guardians. This does not cancel out the general shari ruling, which is that women are commanded to go out to the Eid prayer.

    Etiquettes of Eid

    Eid Prayer

    women attending Eid prayer

    Special to Eid Al-Fitr

    Eid Al Fitr

      special to Eid Al-Adha

  • How to pray the Eid Salah (Prayer)

    Eid prayer is a crucial part of the celebrations of the Two Eids ( Eid al fitr and Eid al Adha)

    Summery How is Eid prayer prayed

    Eid prayer 2 rakkahs behind the Imam (with extra takbirs in the first and secound rakkahs followed by a khutbah

    1. Firstly make Intension in your heart for the Eid prayer
    2. Then when Imam raises his hands and says Takbir. Raise your hands and say Takbir (Allahu Akbar) then place hands on his chest
    3. Then recite Dua’ al-Istiftaah (i.e. “Subhaanaka Allaahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabaaraka ismuka wa ta’aala jadduka, wa laa ilaaha ghayruka”) (silently)
    4. Then perform 7 extra Takbirs with the Imam.(with each takbir the hands are raised above the shoulders and then placed on the chest)
    5. With your hands on your chest listen to the Imam recite recite Surah Al Fathiha and another surah and finish the first rakkah as usual.
    6. At the end of the secound Sajood (prostration) of the first rakah, get up saying Takbir (Allahu Akbar). Then stand with hands on your chest and then recite 5 extra Takbirs with the Imam(with each takbir the hands are raised above the shoulders and then placed on the chest)
    7. Then complete the secound rakkah as usual and thus finish the Eid prayer
    8. Finally the Imam will give a khutbah straight after the finish of the Eid prayer and you can either listen to the khutbah or leave.


    Is Eid Prayer compulsory

    The scholars differed concerning the ruling on Eid prayers being obligatory. There are three scholarly points of view:

    1 – that Eid prayer is Sunnah mu’akkadah (a confirmed Sunnah). This is the view of Imam Maalik and Imam al-Shaafa’i.

    2 – that it is a communal obligation. This is the view of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him).

    3 – that it is a duty for each Muslim and is obligatory for men; those who do not do it with no excuse are sinning thereby. This is the view of Imam Abu Haneefah (may Allaah have mercy on him), and was also narrated from Imam Ahmad. Among those who favoured this view were Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah and al-Shawkaani (may Allaah have mercy on them).

    See al-Majmoo’, 5/5; al-Mughni, 3/253; al-Insaaf, 5/316; al-Ikhtiyaaraat, p. 82.

    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (16/214):

    What I think is that the Eid prayer is fard ‘ayn (an individual obligation), and that it is not permissible for men to miss it, rather they have to attend, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined that. He even commanded the women – including virgins and those who usually stayed in seclusion – to come out to the Eid prayer, and he commanded menstruating women to come out to the Eid prayer, but told them to keep away from the prayer-place itself. This indicates that it is confirmed.

    He also said (16/217):

    What seems more likely to be correct in my view, based on the evidence, is that it is fard ‘ayn (an individual obligation), and that it is obligatory for every male to attend the Eid prayer apart from those who have an excuse.

    Shaykh Ibn Baaz said in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 13/7 concerning the view that it is fard ‘ayn

    Timing of the Eid Prayer

     Eid prayer starts when the sun has risen above the height of a spear, as seen by the naked eye, and continues until the sun is approaching its zenith. But the Eid prayer should not be delayed for too long

    ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Bishr, the companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), went out with the people on the day of Fitr or al-Adhaa, and objected to the fact that the imaam came very late. He said, “At the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) we would have finished by now,” and that was at the time of al-Tasbeeh .”

    (Reported by al-Bukhaari )

    Where is Eid prayed?

    We know that praying the Prophet’s masjid is equivalent  to a thousand prayers but the Prophet peace be upon him never prayed the Eid in his masjid but would rather take the congregation to the Musala which is an open piece of land and they would pray under the open sky. 

    Due to various difficulties in non Muslim countries in the west the Eid prayer is performed in the Masjids, although some Masjids have started to pray in local parks in recent years.

    Attending Eid prayer

    The Prophet peace be upon him has commanded both men and women to attend the Eid prayer. Those women who are on their menses have been also ordered to attend the gathering but not to take part in the prayer.

    Umm Atiyyah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to bring them (women) out on (Eid) al-Fitr and (Eid) al-Adha, and to bring out adolescent girls, menstruating women and virgins, but the menstruating women were to stay away from the prayer, but were to witness goodness and the gathering of the Muslims. I said: “O Messenger of Allaah, what if one of us does not have a jilbaab? He said: “Let her sister lend her a jilbab.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

    Hafsah said: “We used to prevent prepubescent girls from attending Eid prayers. Then a woman came and stayed at the fort of Banu Khalaf, and told us about her sister. Her sister’s husband had taken part in twelve campaigns with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and [she said], ‘my sister was with him on six of them. She said, “We used to treat the wounded and take care of the sick. My sister asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) whether there was anything wrong with her not going out [on Eid] if she did not have a jilbaab. He said, ‘Let her friend give her one of her jilbaabs so that she may witness the blessings of Eid and see the Muslims gathering.’”’ When Um ‘Atiyah came, I asked her, ‘Did you hear the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) [say this]?’ She said, ‘May my father be sacrificed for him’ – and she never mentioned him without saying ‘may my father be sacrificed for him’ – ‘I heard him saying that we should bring out the young girls and those who were secluded, or the young girls who were secluded, and the menstruating women, so that they could witness the blessings of Eid and see the gathering of the believers, but those who were menstruating were to keep away from the prayer-place itself.”

    (Saheeh al-Bukhaari, 324).

    One of the manners of Eid is to take a bathe before going out to the prayer. It is reported in a saheeh report in al-Muwatta’ and elsewhere that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar used to take a bath on the day of al-Fitr before coming to the prayer-pla

    also Before setting off for the Eid ul fitr prayer we should eat something but for Eid ul Adha we should eat food after we come back from the Eid prayer.

    We should also go to the Eid prayer via one route and return via another route

    Jaabir ibn Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: On the day of Eid, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would vary his route, i.e., he would go via one route and come back via a different route. Al-Bukhaari

    Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not go out on the morning of Eid al-Fitr until he had eaten some dates, and he would eat an odd number. Al-Bukhaari (953)

    Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to go out to the Eid (prayer) walking and come back walking. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah(1295).

    ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib said: It is Sunnah to go out to the Eid (prayer) walking. Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi (530).

    There is no Azan nor iqamah for the Eid prayer

    Jaabir ibn Abd-Allaah said: I attended the prayer on the day of Eid with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He started with the prayer before the khutbah, with no adhaan or iqaamah. Muslim (885)

     Ibn Abbaas and Jaabir ibn Abd-Allaah al-Ansaari said: No adhaan was given on the day of al-Fitr or the day of al-Adha (i.e., for the Eid prayer). Jaabir ibn Abd-Allaah al-Ansaari said: There is no adhaan for the prayer on the day of al-Fitr when the imam comes out, or after he comes out; no iqaamah, no call, nothing. There is no call on that day and no iqaamah.Al-Bukhaari (960) and Muslim (886)

    Eid Prayer is performed before the Eid Khutbah

    Abu Saeed [al-Khudri] said : The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to go out to the prayer-place on the day of al-Fitr and al-Adha. The first thing that he did was to pray, then he would move away and stand facing the people, when the people were (still) sitting in their rows, and he would exhort them and advise them and issue commands to them. If he wanted to dispatch an army he would do so, and if he wanted to issue some command, he would do so. Then he would leave. Abu Saeed said: The people continued to do that until I came out with Marwaan when he was the governor of Madeenah, on (the day of) al-Adha or al-Fitr. When we came to the prayer place, there was the minbar that had been built by Katheer ibn al-Salt. Marwaan wanted to ascend the minbar; I grabbed his clothes but he pulled away, and he ascended and delivered the khutbah before the prayer. I said to him: You have changed it, by Allaah. He said: O Abu Saeed, gone is that which you know. I said: By Allaah, what I know is better than that which I do not know. He said: The people will not sit and listen to us after the prayer so I did it before the prayer.
    Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 956; Muslim, 889.

    It was narrated that Abu Saeed said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to come out on the day of al-Fitr and al-Adha to the prayer place, and the first thing he would do was to offer the prayer. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 956

     Ibn ‘Abbaas, who testified that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed before the khutbah on Eid, then he gave the khutbah.” (Musnad Ahmad, 1905. The hadeeth is also in al-Saheehayn).

    How is the Eid prayer performed.

    Eid prayer is prayed in congregation. Eid prayer is a two Rakkah prayer with extra takbir followed by a Khutbah (sermon). A person may stay and listen to the khutbah or he/she may leave when the Eid prayer ends.

    Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The prayer of al-Fitr is two rakahs and the prayer of al-Adha is two rakahs, complete and not shortened, on the tongue of your Prophet, and the one who fabricates lies is doomed. Narrated by al-Nasaai, 1420 and Ibn Khuzaymah. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaai.

    Aisha (may Allaah be pleased with her), The takbeer of al-Fitr and al-Adha is seven takbeers in the first rakah and five takbeers in the second, apart from the takbeer of rukoo. Narrated by Abu Dawood and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa al-Ghaleel, 639.

    Al-Tirmidhi narrated from the hadeeth of Katheer ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited takbeer in the Eid (prayer), seven times in the first rakah before reciting Quran and five times in the second rakah before reciting Quran. Al-Tirmidhi said: I asked Muhammad – i.e., al-Bukhaari – about this hadeeth and he said: There is nothing more sound than this concerning this topic. And I say likewise.

    Jaabir ibn Abd-Allaah who said, The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came out on the day of al-Fitr and started with the prayer before the khutbah. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 958; Muslim, 885

    1 Firstly have the intension in your heart to prayer the 2 rakkah Eid prayer. Then the Eid prayers are started by raising the hands with Takbir (Allahu Akbar) then place hands on his chest

    2 Then Dua’ al-Istiftaah is recited (i.e. “Subhaanaka Allaahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabaaraka ismuka wa ta’aala jadduka, wa laa ilaaha ghayruka”) (silently)

    3 Then 7 extra Takbirs are performed, with each takbir the hands are raised above the shoulders and then placed on the chest. (some Imams will say 6 instead of 7)

    It was reported from ‘Aa’ishah: the Takbeer of al-Fitr and al-Adhaa is seven in the first rak’ah and five in the second, apart from the takbeer of rukoo’.(Reported by Abu Dawood; saheeh by the sum of its isnaads)

    4 After the 7th takbir the hands are placed on the chest and the first rakah of the prayer is recited as normal starting from the following A’oodhu Billaahi minash-shaitaanir-rajeem ….

    5 At the end of the secound Sajdah (prostration) of the first rakah we get up saying Takbir (Allahu Akbar) and in the standing position  5 extra Takbirs are performed and the secound rakah is performed as normal.

    6 Note which surahs to recite in the first  and secound rakah?

     It is recommended (mustahabb) that in the Eid prayers the imaam should recite Qaaf [soorah 50] and Aqtarabat al-saa’ah [al-Qamar, soorah 54], as it is reported in Saheeh Muslim that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab asked Abu Waaqid al-Laythi, “What did the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recite at [Eid] al-Adhaa and al-Fitr?” He said, “He used to recite Qaaf. Wa’l-Qur’aan al-majeed [Qaaf 50:1] and Aqtarabat al-saa’ah wa anshaqq al-qamar [al-Qamar 54:1].

    Most of the reports indicate that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recite Soorat al-A’laa [87] and Soorat al-Ghaashiyah [88], as he used to recite them in the Friday prayer. Al-Nu’maan ibn Bishr said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recite on the two Eids and on Fridays, Sabbih isma rabbika’l-a’laa [al-A’laa 87:1] and Hal ataaka hadeeth al-ghaashiyah [al-Ghaashiyah 88:1].”(Saheeh Muslim, 878).

    Samurah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recite on the two Eids, Sabbih isma rabbika’l-a’laa [al-A’laa 87:1] and Hal ataaka hadeeth al-ghaashiyah [al-Ghaashiyah 88:1].”(Reported by Ahmad and others; it is saheeh. Al-Irwaa’, 3/116)

    7 After completion of the secound Rakah the khutbah is given. The congregation can listen to the khutbah or leave.

    When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had finished the prayer, he would move away and stand facing the people, with the people sitting in their rows, and he would address them, preaching and exhorting, with commands and prohibitions. If he wanted to dispatch anyone on a mission he would do so, and if he wanted to enjoin anything he would do that.

    There was no minbar on which he would stand, and the minbar of Madeenah was not brought out. Rather he would address them standing on the ground. Jaabir said: I attended Eid prayer with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He started with the prayer before the khutbah, with no adhaan and no iqaamah, then he stood, leaning on Bilaal, and enjoined us to fear and obey Allaah. He preached to the people and reminded them, then he went over to the women and preached to them and reminded them. (Agreed upon. )

    Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to go out on the day of al-Fitr and al-Adha to the prayer place. He would start with the prayer, then he would go and stand facing the people, with the people sitting in their rows. ( Muslim )

    ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Saa’ib said: I attended Eid (prayer) with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and when he had finished the prayer he said: “We are going to deliver the khutbah, so whoever wants to sit and listen to the khutbah, let him do so, and whoever wants to leave, let him go.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. (1155)

    Missing some of the Takbirs due to coming late

    If a person joining the prayer catches up with the imaam during these extra takbeeraat, he should say “Allaahu akbar” with the imaam, and he does not have to make up any takbeeraat he may have missed, because they are sunnah, not waajib. With regard to what should be said between the takbeeraat, Hammaad ibn Salamah reported from Ibraaheem that Waleed ibn ‘Uqbah entered the mosque when Ibn Mas’ood, Hudhayfah and Abu Moosa were there, and said, “Eid is here, what should I do?” Ibn Mas’ood said: “Say ‘Allaahu akbar’, praise and thank Allaah, send blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and make du’aa’, then say Say ‘Allaahu akbar’, praise and thank Allaah, send blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)…etc.”

    (Reported by al-Tabaraani. It is a saheeh hadeeth that is quoted in al-Irwaa’ and elsewhere).

    What if you miss one rakah?

    Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “When the iqaamah for prayer is given, do not come rushing. Rather come walking, in a tranquil manner; whatever you catch up with, pray, and whatever you miss, complete it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (636) and Muslim (602). Scholars say this rule also applies to  Eid prayer, prayer for rain or any other prayer that is prayed in congregation. So if you miss the first rakah of Eid prayer then you should not say the salam when the Imam says salam and get up saying Allahu Akbar( and regard the rakah you prayed with the imam and your first rakah ) and say the 5 Takbirs and pray the secound rakah.

    If one Arrives so late that the Eid prayer has finished and the Imam has started the khutbah then some scholars say he should listen to the khutbah and after the khutbah has finished he can perform the two rakah with the additional Takbirs as shown above.

    There are two opinions amongst scholars as to whether a person can pray Eid prayer at home  or if he/she has misses the prayer at the musala. The Majority of Scholars (maliki’s, shafis and hambalis) say you can prayer it if you missed it without a khutbah. However the Hanafis say this is not permissible. They say this prayer was to be prayed in congregation , in an open area and not even the Masjid. This opinion was favoured by Sheik ul Islam Ibn Taymiyya and Sheik Uthameen.

    There is hadith that when Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)  missed the Eid prayer, he would gather his family and his sons, then his freed slave ‘Abdullah ibn Abi ‘Utbah would lead them in praying two rakahs, saying the takbeeraat, like the prayer and takbeeraat of the people of the city.

    Eid prayer during a Pandemic

    Due to the pandemic in 2020 some scholars have suggested that Muslims should pray the Eid prayer at home. If there are several people in the home then the male member of the family can lead the family in congregation and perform the Eid khutbah. If he is unable to perform the Eid khutbah then he can just perform the congregational Eid prayer. Scholars say if a person does not know the surahs mentioned about then he can recite those surahs of teh quran which he knows.

    If their are no male members in the family or the person lives alone then one can perform the Eid prayer individually and no khutbah is to be given and Allah knows best

    If people did not know about Eid until the next day

    Abu ‘Umayr ibn Anas reported from his paternal uncles among the Ansaar who said: “It was cloudy and we could not see the new moon of Shawwaal, so we started the day fasting, then a caravan came at the end of the day and told the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that they had seen the new moon of Shawwaal the day before, so he told the people to stop fasting, and they went out to pray the Eid prayer the next day.”(Reported by the five. It is saheeh; al-Irwaa’, 3/102)

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    Note:

     Ibn Umar, who was always keen to follow the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), used to raise his hands with each takbeer.  

    hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah which is narrated by al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak (vol. 1, p. 295): Rain fell on the day of Eid, so the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed in the mosque. This was classed as saheeh by him (al-Haakim) and al-Dhahabi. [And Ibn al-Qayyim said of it: If the hadeeth is proven, it is also narrated in Sunan Abi Dawood and Ibn Maajah. Zaad al-Maaad, 1/441. But it was classed as daeef (not authentic) by al-Albaani in Risaalat Salaat al-Eidayn fil-Musalla hiya al-Sunnah, and he narrated the view of al-Haakim and al-Dhahabi].

    Special to Eid Al-Fitr

    Eid Al Fitr

     special to Eid Al-Adha

  • What is Eid and how is Eid celebrated

    The festivals which are prescribed in Islam to the Muslims are Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, and the weekly “Eid” of Jumu’ah. There is no other festival in Islam apart from these three.

    “Eid” is an Arabic word referring to something habitual, that returns and is repeated.” Eid is thus a festival that occurs every year.

    The Muslims are distinguished by their festivalsThe Prophet’s words “Every nation has its festival, and this is your festival” indicate that these two Eids are exclusively for the Muslims, and that it is not permissible for Muslims to imitate the non Muslims in anything that is a distinctive part of their celebrations, whether it be food, dress, bonfires or acts of worship.

    The Muslims have no festivals apart from Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adhaa, because of the hadeeth narrated from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to Madeenah and the people had two days when they would play and have fun. He said, ‘What are these two days?’ They said, ‘We used to play and have fun on these days during the Jaahiliyyah. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘Allaah has given you something better than them, the day of Adhaa and the day of Fitr.’”(Sunan Abi Dawood, 1134)

    These two Eids are among the signs or symbols of Allaah which we must celebrate and understand the aims and meanings behind them.

    Rulings on Eid and How to celebrate Eid

    No Fasting on Eid

    It is haram to fast on the days of Eid because of the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade fasting on the day of Fitr and the day of Sacrifice (Adhaa). (Reported by Muslim, 827)

    Ghusl (taking a bath)

    One of the manners of Eid is to take a bathe before going out to the prayer. It is reported in a saheeh report in al-Muwatta’ and elsewhere that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar used to take a bath on the day of al-Fitr before coming to the prayer-place. (al-Muwatta’ 428)

    It was reported that Sa’eed ibn Jubayr said: “Three things are sunnah on Eid: to walk (to the prayer-place), to take a bath and to eat before coming out.” This is what Sa’eed ibn Jubayr said, and he may have learned this from some of the Sahaabah.

    A man asked ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) about bathing and he said: Bathe every day if you wish. He said: No, (I mean) bathing in the sense of ghusl (as an act of worship). He said: (Do ghusl) on Fridays, the day of ‘Arafah, the Day of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) and the day of al-Fitr (Eid al-Fitr).  Narrated by ash-Shaafa‘i in his Musnad (p. 385); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel (1/176). 

    2 Wearing new clothes to beautify oneself

    ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) found a suit of brocade being offered for sale in the market, so he took it and brought it to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, buy this and adorn yourself with it for ‘Eid and for (meeting) the delegations. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “This is only a garment for the one who has no share in the Hereafter.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (906) and Muslim (2068). 

    Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    Al-Bayhaqi narrated with a saheeh isnaad from Naafi‘ that Ibn ‘Umar used to wear his finest clothes on the two Eids. 

    He also said: 

    This adorning oneself on the occasion of Eid applies to the one who goes out to the prayer, the one who stays at home, and even women and children. 

    Fath al-Baari by Ibn Rajab (6/68, 72) 

    Putting on the best perfume

    It is narrated in a saheeh report from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to put on perfume on the day of al-Fitr, as it says in Ahkaam al-‘Eidayn by al-Firyaabi (p. 83) 

    Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    Maalik said: I heard the scholars describing it as mustahabb (encouraged) to adorn oneself and put on perfume on every Eid. 

    That was also regarded as mustahabb by Ibn Rajab (6/68) 

    This beautifying oneself and putting on perfume is only to be done at home in the case of women, in front of their husbands, fellow women and mahrams. 

    4 Takbeer

    It is Sunnah to recite takbeer on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, for the one who sights the moon, because Allah, may He exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “(He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah (i.e. to say Takbeer (Allahu-Akbar; Allah is the Most Great) on seeing the crescent of the months of Ramadan and Shawwal) for having guided you…” [al-Baqarah 2:185]. Completing the same number of days means completing the fast. Recitation of takbeer ceases when the imam comes out to deliver the khutbah [before the Eid prayer]. 

    On Eid al-Adha, the takbeer begins on the morning of the day of ‘Arafah, until the last of the days of at-Tashreeq, which is the thirteenth of Dhu’l-Hijjah. 

    Al-Waleed ibn Muslim said: “I asked al-Oozaa’i and Maalik ibn Anas about saying Takbeer aloud on Eid. They said, ‘Yes, ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar used to say it aloud on the day of Fitr until the imaam came out.’”

    Abu ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Salami said: “On Eid al-Fitr they would say it louder than on Eid al-Adhaa.” Wakee’ said, “i.e., the takbeer.”

    (Irwaa’, 3/122).

    Al-Daaraqutni and others reported that when Ibn ‘Umar came out on Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adhaa, he would strive hard in making Takbeer until he reached the prayer-place, then he would continue making Takbeer until the imaam came.

    Ibn Abi Shaybah reported with a saheeh isnaad that al-Zuhri said: “The people used to make Takbeer on Eid when they came out of their houses until they reached the prayer-place and until the imaam came out. When the imaam came out, they fell silent, until the imaam said Takbeer, then they said Takbeer.”

    (Irwaa’, 2/121).

    The practice of making Takbeer from home to the prayer-place, and until the imaam comes in, was well-known among the salaf and was reported by a number of authors such as Ibn Abi Shaybah, ‘Abd al-Razzaaq and al-Firyaabi in his book Ahkaam al-‘Eidayn from a group of the salaf. An example of this is the report that Naafi’ ibn Jubayr used to make Takbeer and wondered why people did not do so. He would say to people, “Why do you not make Takbeer?” Ibn Shihaab al-Zuhri said, “The people used to make Takbeer from the time they left their homes until the imaam came in.”

    The time for making Takbeer on Eid al-Fitr starts from the night of Eid until the time when the imaam comes in to lead the prayer.

    The wording of the Takbeer

    Ibn Abi Shaybah reported in al-Musannaf that Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) used to say Takbeer on the days of Tashreeq as follows: “Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, wa Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar wa Lillaahi’l-hamd (Allaah is Most Great… there is no god but Allaah, Allaah is Most Great, and to Allaah be praise).” Ibn Abi Shaybah reported it elsewhere with the same isnaad, but with the phrase “Allaahu akbar” repeated three times.

    Al-Muhaamili also reported that Ibn Mas’ood used to say: “Allaahu akbaru kabeeran, Allaahu akbaru kabeeran, Allaahu akbar wa ajall, Allaahu akbar wa Lillaahi’l-hamd (Allaah is Most Great of All, Allaah is Most Great of all, Allaah is most Great and Most Glorious, and to Allaah be praise).”

    (al-Irwaa’, 3/126).

    Should a Muslim eat before or after going to the eid prayer?

    One should not come out to the prayer-place on Eid al-Fitr before eating some dates, because of the hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari from Anas ibn Maalik who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would not go out on the morning of Eid al-Fitr until he had eaten some dates… and he would eat an odd number.”(al-Bukhaari, 953)

    (Fath, 2/446). If a person does not have any dates, he can eat anything permissible for breakfast.

    On Eid al-Adhaa, on the other hand, it is mustahabb not to eat until after the prayer, when one should eat from the meat of one’s sacrifice.

    Looking one’s best for Eid

    ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “ ‘Umar picked up a jubbah (long outer garment) made of silk that was for sale in the market, brought it to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said, “O Messenger of Allaah, buy this and wear it for Eid and when the delegations come.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “This is the clothing of the one who has no share of the Hereafter…”

    (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 948).

    The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) approved of ‘Umar’s idea of looking one’s best, but he rejected and denounced the idea of buying this jubbah because it was made of silk.

    Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had a jubbah that he would wear on Eid and on Fridays.”

    (Saheeh Ibn Khuzaymah, 1765).

    Al-Bayhaqi reported that Ibn Umar used to wear his best clothes on Eid, so men should wear the best clothes they have when they go out for Eid.

    Women, on the other hand, should avoid adornment when they go out for Eid, because they are prohibited from showing their adornment in front of non-mahrem men. A woman who wants to go out is forbidden to wear perfume or to show off in a tempting way in front of men, because she is only going out for the purpose of worship. Do you think that it is right for a believing woman to disobey the One Whom she is going out to worship and go against His commands by wearing attention-grabbing tight and brightly coloured clothes or by putting on perfume and so on?

    Ibn Maajah (1295) narrated that Ibn Umar said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to go out to the Eid (prayer) walking and come back walking. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah.

    Al-Tirmidhi (530) narrated that Ali ibn Abi Taalib said: It is Sunnah to go out to the Eid (prayer) walking. Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

    To go out one by one route and come back by another

    Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to vary his routes on the day of Eid.(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 986)

    It was also reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to go out walking, and he prayed without any adhaan or iqaamah, then he would come back walking by a different route. It was said that this was so that the two different routes would testify in his favour on the Day of Resurrection, because on that Day the earth will speak about everything that was done on it, good and evil. It was also said that this was done in order to demonstrate the symbols and rituals of Islam along both routes; to pronounce the remembrance of Allaah; to annoy the hypocrites and Jews and to scare them by the number of people who were with him; to meet the people’s needs by giving fatwas, teaching them and setting an example for them to follow; to give charity to those in need; or to visit his relatives and uphold the ties of kinship.

    Ruling on the Eid prayers

    Some of the scholars say that Eid prayers are waajib (obligatory) – this is the view of the Hanafi scholars and of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him). They say that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) always prayed the Eid prayer and never omitted to do it, not even once. They take as evidence the aayah (interpretation of the meaning), “Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only)” [al-Kawthar 108:2], i.e., the Eid prayer and the sacrifice after it, which is an instruction, and the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ordered that the women should be brought out to attend the Eid prayers, and that a woman who did not have a jilbaab should borrow one from her sister. Some scholars say that Eid prayer is fard kifaaya. This is the view of the Hanbalis. A third group say that Eid prayer is sunnah mu’akkadah. This is the view of the Maalikis and Shaafa’is. They take as evidence the hadeeth of the Bedouin which says that Allaah has not imposed any prayers on His slaves other than the five daily prayers. So the Muslim should be keen to attend Eid prayers, especially since the opinion that it is waajib is based on strong evidence. The goodness, blessings and great reward one gets from attending Eid prayers, and the fact that one is following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by doing so, should be sufficient motivation.

    Women’s attendance at Eid prayers

    Hafsah said: “We used to prevent prepubescent girls from attending Eid prayers. Then a woman came and stayed at the fort of Banu Khalaf, and told us about her sister. Her sister’s husband had taken part in twelve campaigns with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and [she said], ‘my sister was with him on six of them. She said, “We used to treat the wounded and take care of the sick. My sister asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) whether there was anything wrong with her not going out [on Eid] if she did not have a jilbaab. He said, ‘Let her friend give her one of her jilbaabs so that she may witness the blessings of Eid and see the Muslims gathering.’”’ When Um ‘Atiyah came, I asked her, ‘Did you hear the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) [say this]?’ She said, ‘May my father be sacrificed for him’ – and she never mentioned him without saying ‘may my father be sacrificed for him’ – ‘I heard him saying that we should bring out the young girls and those who were secluded, or the young girls who were secluded, and the menstruating women, so that they could witness the blessings of Eid and see the gathering of the believers, but those who were menstruating were to keep away from the prayer-place itself.” (Saheeh al-Bukhaari, 324).

    The ‘young girls’ (‘awaatiq, sing. ‘aatiq) are girls who have reached adolescence or are close to it, or have reached the age of marriage, or are very precious to their families, or who are spared from having to do humiliating work. It appears that they used to prevent these young girls from going out because of the corruption that arose after the first generation of Islam; but the Sahaabah did not approve of that and they thought that the ruling should remain in their time as it had been during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

    Where it says “My sister was with him” it seems that there is something omitted, probably “the woman said”. [This is reflected in the translation above. Translator].…

    “Her jilbaabs” – she should lend her some of her clothes that she does not need.

    “Secluded” – they would have a curtain in the corner of the house behind which virgins would stay.

    “Menstruating women” – huyyad, sing. haa’id – this may refer either to girls who have reached the age of puberty, or women who are having their period and are not taahir (pure).

    The hadeeth urges everyone to attend Eid prayer, and to co-operate with one another in righteousness and piety. The menstruating woman should not forsake the remembrance of Allaah or places of goodness such as gatherings for the purpose of seeking knowledge and remembering Allah – apart from mosques. The hadeeth also indicates that women should not go out without a jilbaab.

    Ibn Abi Shaybah also narrated that Ibn ‘Umar used to take whoever he could of his household out to the Eid prayers.

    The hadeeth of Umm ‘Atiyah also states the reason for the ruling, which is so that women may witness the blessings of Eid, see the gathering of the Muslims, and share the blessings and purification of this day.

    Women should go out in shabby clothes, not adorned or wearing perfume. Menstruating women should not enter the mosque or prayer-place; they can wait outside where they can hear the khutbah.

    All about the Eid prayer and Eid khutbah

    Congratulating one another

    People may exchange congratulations and good greetings on Eid, no matter what form the words take. For example they may say to one another, “Taqabbal Allaahu minnaa wa minkum (May Allaah accept [the fast and worship] from us and from you” or “Eid mubarak” and other similar permissible greetings.

    Jubayr ibn Nufayr said: “At the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), when people met one another on the day of Eid, they would say, ‘Taqabbal Allaahu minnaa wa minka (May Allaah accept from us and from you).’”

    (Ibn Hajar. Its isnaad is hasan. Fath, 2/446).

    The practice of exchanging greetings was well-known at the time of the Sahaabah and scholars such as Imaam Ahmad and others allowed it. There are reports which indicate that it is permissible to congratulate people on special occasions. The Sahaabah used to congratulate one another when something good happened, such as when Allaah accepted a person’s repentance and so on.

    There is no doubt that congratulating others in this way is one of the noblest kinds of good manners and one of the highest social qualities among Muslims.

    At the very least, one can return Eid greetings when they are given to you, and remain silent if nothing is said, as Imaam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “If someone congratulates me, I return the greeting, but I do not initiate it.”

    Visiting one another

    Enjoying fine food and drink

    It was narrated that Nubayshah al-Hudhali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The days of at-Tashreeq are days of eating, drinking and remembering Allah.” Narrated by Muslim (1141).

    Permissible leisure activities

    There is nothing wrong with taking the family for a trip on land or on the water, or visiting scenic places, or going to a place where there are permissible leisure activities. There is also nothing wrong with listening to some nasheeds that are free of musical accompaniment.

    It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came in and there were with me two young girls who were singing the songs of Bu‘aath. He lay down on the bed and turned his face away. Then Abu Bakr came in and rebuked me, saying: Singing of the Shaytaan in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned to him and said: “Let them be.” When he turned away I signalled to them and they left. And on the day of Eid, the black men were playing with shields and spears. Either I asked the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) (to let me watch) or he said, “Do you want to watch?” and I said: Yes. So he made me stand behind him, with my cheek against his, and he was saying, “Carry on, O Banu Arfidah!” until I had had enough, then he said, “Have you had enough?” and I said yes, so he said, “Go then.”

    Narrated by al-Bukhaari (907) and Muslim (892) 

    According to another report, ‘Aa’ishah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “So that the Jews may understand that in our religion there is some leniency, I have been sent with monotheism that is of an easy nature.” Musnad Ahmad (50/366); classed as hasan by the commentators; its isnad classed as jayyid by al-Albaani in as-Silsilah as-Saheehah (4/443). 

    An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) included it in a chapter entitled: The concession allowing play in which there is no sin during the days of Eid. 

    Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    In this hadith we learn that it is prescribed to be generous to one’s family and children during the days of Eid, with different kinds of things that will bring them pleasure and joy, and allow the body to relax after the effort of worship. 

    We also learn that expressing joy on Eid is one of the symbols of Islam. 

    Fath al-Baari (2/514) 

    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    Something else that is done on this Eid is the exchange of gifts, in other words they make food and invite one another, and they get together and celebrate. There is nothing wrong with this custom, because these are the days of Eid. Even Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), when he entered the house of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him – and he narrated the same hadith. 

    This indicates that one of the ways in which Islam makes things easy for people – praise be to Allah – is that it prescribes for them to express joy and happiness on the days of Eid. 

    Majmoo‘ Fataawa ash-Shaykh al-‘Uthaymeen (16/276). 

    I
    Warning against wrong doing

    1.  Some people believe that it is prescribed to spend the night of Eid in worship. This is a kind of innovation (bid’ah) that is not proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Rather it was narrated in a da’eef (weak) hadeeth which says, “Whoever stays up on the night of Eid, his heart will not die on the day when hearts die.” This hadeeth is not saheeh. It was narrated via two isnaads, one of which is mawdoo’ (fabricated) and the other is da’eef jiddan (very weak). See Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth al-Da’eefah wa’l-Mawdoo’ah by al-Albaani, 520, 521. 

    2 Visiting graves on the two Eid days.

    This is contrary to the purpose of Eid which is to express joy and happiness, and it goes against the teaching of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the actions of the salaf. It comes under the general meaning of the Prophet’s prohibition on visiting graves on a specific day and making that like a festival, as the scholars stated. 

    Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The worst of matters are those which are newly-invented, and every innovation is a going-astray.” Narrated by Muslim, 867; al-Nasaa’i, 1578. Al-Nasaa’i’s report adds the words: “And every going astray will be in the Fire.”  

    3 Some people get together on Eid for the purpose of singing and other forms of idle entertainment, and this is not permitted.

    4. Some people celebrate on Eid because Ramadan is over and they no longer have to fast. This is a mistake, the believers celebrate at Eid because Allaah has helped them to complete the month of fasting, not because the fasting ,which some people regard as a heavy burden, is over.

    5 Some women going out wearing perfume and makeup, and without veils

    The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Any woman who puts on perfume and passes by people so that they can smell her fragrance, is an adulteress.” Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 5126; al-Tirmidhi, 2783; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 2019. 

    It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are two types of the people of Hell whom I have not seen. People with whips like the tails of cattle with which they beat the people, and women who are clothed yet naked, going astray and leading others astray, with their heads looking like the humps of camels, leaning to one side. They will not enter Paradise nor even smell its fragrance, although its fragrance may be detected from such and such a distance.” Narrated by Muslim, 2128. 

    6 Listening to singing and haraam things. 

    Some more important hadith

    The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The worst of matters are those which are newly-invented, and every innovation is a going-astray.” Narrated by Muslim, 867; al-Nasaa’i, 1578. Al-Nasaa’i’s report adds the words: “And every going astray will be in the Fire.”  

    a narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: A man came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, who is most deserving of my good company?” He said: “Your mother.” He said: “Then who?” He said: “Your mother.” He said: “Then who?” He said: “Your mother.” He said: “Then who?” He said: “Then your father.”  (Bukhaari -5514) and Muslim -4621)

    Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no obedience if it involves sin; obedience is only in that which is right and proper.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 7257; Muslim, 1840.  

    Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “They will follow the ways of those who came before them, handspan by handspan, cubit by cubit, until even if they entered a lizard’s hole they will follow them.” We said: “O Messenger of Allaah, (do you mean) the Jews and Christians?” He said: “Who else?” Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim…  

    It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3512; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 2691.

    Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion”

    [al-Maa’idah 5:3]

    Special to Eid Al-Fitr

    Eid Al Fitr

     Special to Eid Al-Adha

  • Eid al-fitr

    What is Eid al-Fitr

    Eid al-Fitr is a festival which takes place after the end of the Month of Ramadan. It thus occurs on the 1st day Shawwal. Shawwal is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar. Ramadan is a month in which Muslims fast for the whole month and it is forbidden to fast on Eid al fitr.

    Allah says concerning the month of Ramadan:

    “(He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allahu Akbar: Allah is the Most Great)] for having guided you” [al-Baqarah 2:185]

    How many days is Eid al Fitr

    Eid al-Fitr lasts for one day

    What to do on Eid al Fitr

    Firstly Muslims must give a charity called ZAKAT AL-FITR to a poor person before the Eid al Fitr prayer.

    Zakat al-fitr becomes obligatory when the sun sets on the last day of Ramadan, and must be paid before the ‘Eid prayer.

    It is permissible to pay it two or three days before that, if need be.

    We can not simply put the money in a charity box but rather the food must be handed to a poor person.

    How much is Zakat al fitr and how how do I pay it

    2 Recite the Takbir

    The time to recite Takbir during the night of Eid from sunset on the last day of Ramadan until the Imam comes to lead the prayer. The format of the Takbir is as follows:

    Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, la ilaha ill-Allah, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, wa Lillahi’l-hamd 

    which  means: 

    Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, there is none worthy of worship except Allah, Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, and all praise be to Allah).

    Or you can say:

    Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, la ilaha ill-Allah, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, wa Lillahi’l-hamd 

    which  means:

    Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, there is none worthy of worship except Allah, Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great , Allah is Most Great, and all praise be to Allah.

    Both are permissible.

    Men should raise their voices reciting this Dhikr in the marketplaces, mosques and homes, but women should not raise their voices.

    3 Perform Ghusl and Wear your Best cloths

    You should wear your best clothes – this is for men. With regard to women they they should not wear beautiful clothes when they go out to the `Eid prayer-place, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Let them go out looking decent” i.e., in regular clothes that are not fancy. It is prohibited for them to go out wearing perfume and makeup. When they are inside their homes amongst women and mahrems they can obviously wear their best cloths and makeup.

    A man asked Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) about bathing and he said: Bathe every day if you wish. He said: No, (I mean) bathing in the sense of ghusl (as an act of worship). He said: (Do ghusl) on Fridays, the day of Arafah, the Day of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) and the day of al-Fitr (Eid al-Fitr). 

    Narrated by ash-Shaafa‘i in his Musnad (p. 385); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel (1/176).

    4 Eat an odd number of dates

    You should eat an odd number of dates before leaving for the Eid al fitr prayer,

    Anas ibn Maalik wh said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would not go out on the morning of Eid al-Fitr until he had eaten some dates… and he would eat an odd number.” (al-Bukhari, 953) ,

     

    5 Taking a different Route to and from the Eid pray

    Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: On the day of Eid, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would vary his route, i.e., he would go via one route and come back via a different route.Al-Bukhaari (986)

    6 Pray the Eid prayer

    All Muslims both male and female should pray the Eid prayer. Women who can not pray due to menstration etc should go and watch their fellow Muslims praying the Eid prayer.

    Hafsah said: “We used to prevent prepubescent girls from attending Eid prayers. Then a woman came and stayed at the fort of Banu Khalaf, and told us about her sister. Her sister’s husband had taken part in twelve campaigns with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and [she said], ‘my sister was with him on six of them. She said, “We used to treat the wounded and take care of the sick. My sister asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) whether there was anything wrong with her not going out [on Eid] if she did not have a jilbaab. He said, ‘Let her friend give her one of her jilbaabs so that she may witness the blessings of Eid and see the Muslims gathering.’”’ When Um ‘Atiyah came, I asked her, ‘Did you hear the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) [say this]?’ She said, ‘May my father be sacrificed for him’ – and she never mentioned him without saying ‘may my father be sacrificed for him’ – ‘I heard him saying that we should bring out the young girls and those who were secluded, or the young girls who were secluded, and the menstruating women, so that they could witness the blessings of Eid and see the gathering of the believers, but those who were menstruating were to keep away from the prayer-place itself.” (Saheeh al-Bukhari, 324).

    7 Congratulating one another

    This may be done in any permissible wording, the best of which is: “Taqabbal Allahu minna wa minkum (May Allah accept it from us and from you),” because this is what is narrated from the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them). 

    It was narrated that Jubayr ibn Nufayr said: When the Companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) met one another on the day of Eid, they would say to one another: “Taqabbal Allahu minna wa minkum (May Allah accept it from us and from you).”

    al-Haafiz classed its isnaad as hasan in Fath al-Baari (2/517). 

    Maalik (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it makrooh for a man to say to his brother, when he has completed the Eid prayer,“Taqabbal Allahu minna wa minka wa ghafar Allahu lana wa laka (May Allah accept it from us and from you; may Allah forgive us and you)” and for his brother to respond in like manner? He said: That is not makrooh. 

    Al-Muntaqa Sharh al-Muwatta’ (1/322) 

    Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    With regard to congratulating one another on the Day of Eid, saying to one another when they meet after the Eid prayer, “Taqabbal Allahu minna wa minkum (May Allah accept it from us and from you)” or “Ahaalahu Allahu ‘alayka (May Allah cause you to live to see another Eid)” and the like, it was narrated from a number of the Sahaabah that  they used to do that. The imams, such as Ahmad and others, granted concessions allowing that, but Ahmad said: I do not initiate such congratulations with anyone, but if someone congratulates me first, then I respond. That is because returning a greeting is obligatory.

    As for initiating the greeting or congratulations (on Eid), that is not a Sunnah that is enjoined, but it is not something that is prohibited either. So whoever does that has a precedent and whoever refrains from doing that also has a precedent. 

    Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa (24/253) 

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