The two 'Eid prayers - Al-Fitr and Al-Adhha - are Sunnahs that are compulsory like obligations. [Indeed, some of the people of knowledge have said that the two 'Eid prayers are obligatory upon the
The two 'Eid prayers - Al-Fitr and Al-Adhha - are Sunnahs that are compulsory like obligations. [Indeed, some of the people of knowledge have said that the two 'Eid prayers are obligatory upon the same people as those that the Jumu'ah prayer is obligatory upon, and that it is recommended for women.]
Allah ordered Muslims to perform this prayer when He said:
Verily, We have granted you (O Muhammad) Al-Kawthar (a river in Paradise); therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only). [Al-Kawthar 108:1, 2]And Allah Almighty made the success of the believer conditional upon it in this verse:
Indeed whosoever purifies himself shall achieve success. And remembers the Name of his Lord, and prays... [Al-A'la 87:14, 15]The Prophet (SAW) always prayed the two 'Eid prayers and he ordered others to do so as well; he (SAW) even ordered women and children to come out and attend. The 'Eid prayer is one of the religious practices of Islam, one of its outward aspects through which faith and piety are manifest.
When the sun rises the length of a spear, Muslims should perform the 'Eid prayer; this means that it can be performed fifteen minutes after the sun rises until midday. It is best to perform Al-Adhha at its earliest time, allowing people to slaughter their sacrifices. And it is best to delay the Fitr prayer, allowing people extra time to pay their Fitr charity, because that is what the Prophet (SAW) did. Jundub, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Prophet (SAW) would pray the Fitr when the sun was up the length of two spears and Al-Adhha when the sun was up the length of a single spear." [Refer to Talkhis Al-Habir, by Ibn Hajr.]
Manners Related To The 'Eid Prayer
- One should perform Ghusl, apply perfume, and wear beautiful clothing. Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "For the two 'Eids, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) ordered us to wear the best that we could find, to wear perfume with the best we could find, and to sacrifice with the most expensive that we could find." [Related by Al-Hakim, and there is no harm in its chain.]
"And the Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to wear a stripped robe every 'Eid." [Related bu Ash-Shafi'i, and there is no harm in its chain due to supporting narrators.]
- Before going to the 'Eid-ul-Fitr prayer, one should eat; and after the 'Eid-ul-Adhha prayer, one should eat from the sacrifice, rulings about that are based on the following saying of Buraidah, may Allah be pleased with him, "The Prophet (SAW) wouldn't leave early in the morning on the day of Al-Fitr until he ate, and he wouldn't eat on the day of Al-Adhha until he returned, and then he would eat from his sacrifice." [Related by Tirmithi and others, and declared to be authentic by Ibn Al-Qattan.]
- One should say the Takbir on the nights before both 'Eids, and for Adhha, one should continue to do so until the end of the days of Tashriq - when the sun sets on the thirteenth (of Thul-Hijjah). And one should continue to say the Takbir on Al-Fitr until the Imam comes out for the 'Eid prayer.
The wording of this special Takbir is as follows:
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Most Great, Allah is the Most Great), Laa Ilaha Illallah (None has the right to be worshiped but Allah). Allahu Akbar, A