Article about eid by Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullah

Eid ul fitr and eid ul adha

By Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullah

The Night of ‘Īd

The nights of both ‘Īds are described in the hadīth as amongst the great and sacred nights in the Muslim calendar. To remain awake on the nights of ‘Īd and perform ‘ibādah is a source of great virtue and reward.

1. Abū ‘Umārah radhiyallāhu anhu relates that Rasūlullāh sallāllahu ‘alayhi wasallam said:

Whoever stays awake and performs ‘ibādah on the night of the two ‘Īds, with hope for abundant reward (from Allāh ta’ālā), his heart will not die on the day (i.e. Qiyāmah) when all hearts will be dead. (Targhīb)

2. Mu‘ādh Ibn Jabal radhiyallāhu anhu relates that Rasūlullāh sallāllahu ‘alayhi wasallam said:

Jannah is wājib (incumbent) for those who stay awake with the intention of making ‘ibādah on the following nights: 8th, 9th, 10th, of Dhul Hijjah, the night of ‘Īd-ul-Fitr and the night of the 15th of Sha‘bān. (Targhīb)

3. Imām Shafi‘ī rahimahullāh said: “Du‘ās are answered on the nights of Friday (the night between Thursday and Friday), the nights before the two ‘Īds and the 15th night of Sha‘bān.”

Sunnats of the Day of ‘Īd

1. To rise early.
2. To clean the teeth with miswāk.
3. To have a masnūn bath.
4. To dress in one’s best garments in an Islamic manner.
5. To use ‘itr (apply fragrance).
6. To eat dates or any other sweets before going for the ‘Īd-ul Fitr Salāh.
7. To go early for ‘Īd Salāh.
8. To go walking for ‘Īd Salāh.
9. To read the Takbīrāt of Tashrīq in a low voice while going for the ‘Īd Salāh.

Allāhu akbar Allāhu akbar lā ilāha illallāhu wallāhu akbar
Allāhu akbar wa lillāhil hamd

10. To use different routes to and from the place of ‘Īd Salāh.

Mas’alah: It is harām to fast on the 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul Ḥijjah, (i.e. on ‘Īd-ul-Ad’hā and three days after) and the day of ‘Īd-ul-Fitr.

The Method of ‘Īd Salāh

1. Make niyyah (intention) of performing two raka‘āts wājib of ‘Īd-ul-Fitr behind the imām, with six wājib takbīr.

2. The first takbīr in the first rak‘ah is the takbīr tahrīmah which is followed by three wājib takbīr. Raise your hands to the ears in all four takbīr (saying the takbīr). However, after the first takbīr fold the hands under the navel and read thanā (sub’hānakallāhumma...). Thereafter, in the following two takbīr raise the hands up to the ears and drop them on the sides and after the fourth takbīr fold them again.

3. The imām will recite Sūrah-al-Fātihah and another sūrah and go into rukū‘ and sajdah etc. as usual.

4. In the second rak‘ah, after the recitation and before rukū‘ another three takbīr will be called. In all three takbīr raise the hands to the ears and drop them on the sides and go into rukū‘ when the fourth takbīr is called.

NOTE: Four takbīr are said together in each rak‘ah; at the beginning of the first rak‘ah and before going into rukū‘ in the second rak‘ah. The easy method of remembering when to drop the hands and when to fold is mentioned hereunder:

(a) Remember the following words: Fold, drop, drop, fold, for the first rak‘ah and drop, drop, drop, rukoo‘, for the second rak‘ah.
(b) Or keep the following general rule in mind: when there is something to be recited after a takbīr; the hands should be folded and when nothing is to be recited the hands are to be dropped to the sides.

Mas’alah: It is makrūh to offer any salāh in the masjid where the ‘Īd Salāh is to be performed, before or after the ‘Īd Salāh.

Mas’alah: It is also makrūh to perform any ṣalāh at home before the ‘Īd Salāh, but it is not makrūh after the ‘Īd Salāh. Hence, we should not perform nafl Salāh such as Ishrāq on ‘Īd day.

Mas’alah: If anyone missed the ‘Īd Salāh then he cannot offer it individually.

Mas’alah: Khutbah after the ‘Īd Salāh is sunnah. However, the listening of the khutbah is wājib.

Mas’alah: If anyone joins the ‘Īd Salāh after the imām has said the three takbīr in the first rak‘ah he should say his three takbīr immediately. If he joins while the imām is in rukū‘, then if he feels and has strong hope that he will say three takbīr and join the imām in rukū‘ then he should complete the takbīr before going into rukū‘. Otherwise he should join the imām in rukū‘ and say the three takbīr instead of the tasbīḥ of rukū‘.

NOTE: Whilst saying the takbīr in rukū‘, he should not raise his hands.

NOTE: If the imām rises from rukū‘ before one’s takbīr are completed, one should also rise with the imām and his takbīr will be remitted for him.

Mas’alah: If anyone missed the first rak‘ah and joined the imām in the second rak‘ah, he should say the three takbīr of the first rak‘ah after the recitation when he gets up to complete the missed rak‘ah. 

Mas’alah: If anyone joined the imām in the second rak‘ah after rukū‘, then he should perform two raka‘āts as mentioned above.