Eid prayers

Eid prayer during Eid al-Fitr at Taipei Grand Mosque, Taiwan
Muslim males can be seen attending Khutbah as part of the Eid-ul-Adha prayers. Photo taken at Barashalghar union of Comilla's Debidwar upazila.

Eid prayers, also known as Salat al-Eid (Arabic: صلاة العيد) and Salat al-Eidain (Arabic: صلاة العيدين), is the special prayer offered to commemorate two Islamic festivals. Both the Eids are collectively known as Eidain (عيدين) in the Arabic language. The two Islamic festivals are:

On both occasions this special prayer is usually offered in Saudi Arabia, a place where Muslims come to pray in Mecca.

Importance

Different scholars interpret the importance of this salat (prayer) differently. Salat al-Eid is Wajib according to Hanafi scholars, Sunnah al-Mu'kkadah according to Maliki and Shaf'i jurisprudence, and Fard according to Hanbali scholars. Some scholars say it is fard al-ayn and some say it is fard al-kifaya.[1]

Participation of women

Muslim women are encouraged to participate in Salat al-Eid. Muslim women are supposed to pray in a different place or room away from Muslim men.

Timing

The time of Salat al-Eid begins when the sun reaches approximately two meters above the horizon until it reaches its meridian before Dhuhr. Adhering to the Sunnah, the time for Eid al-Fitr prayer is delayed and Eid al-Adha prayer is hastened, so as to facilitate distribution of Fitrah before the Eid al-Fitr prayer and offer sacrifice after the Eid al-Adha prayer. This has been a proved Sunnah and has been well recorded in Hadith books.

Procedure

The time for the Eid prayer begins from the time the sun is 3 m (9.8 ft) from the horizon until the sun reaches its meridian. Ahmad ibn Hassan al-Bana records that Jundub said: "The Prophet prayed the Eid al-Fitr prayer while the sun was (approximately) 6 metres (20 ft) above the horizon and the 'eid of the sacrifice while the sun was 3 metres (9.8 ft) above the horizon."

The Eid prayer consists of two ra'kat during which it is (wajib) to pronounce six extra takbir (in Hanafi jurisprudence). Three takbir are pronounced after the opening takbir and before the Qur'anic recital in the first rak'ah, while during the second rak'ah, one pronounce the other three takbir after the Qur'anic recital. One is to raise one's hands during each pronouncement of the extra takbir.

The khutbah after Salat al-Eid is not fardh but is sunnah and listening to it is Wajib.

Concerning the adhan and iqamah for Salat al-Eidain, Ibn al-Qayyum writes: "When the Prophet went to the place of prayer, he would perform the salat without any adhan or iqamah and without saying the Friday congregational prayer."

See also

References

  1. "Ruling on Eid prayers". Islam Question and Answer.
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