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Eids or Festivals
are moments of celebration common to all nations. The festivals
of non-believing nations are associated with worldly matters such
as the birth of a nation or its decline, the appointment or
crowning of a ruler, his marriage, or the beginning of a season like spring, and so on. As to Muslims,
their festivals (Eids) are associated with their religious
rituals. They have only
two festivals or Eids:
Eid Al-Fitr (Celebration of the
end of Ramadan) and Eid Al Adha (festival of sacrifice). When
the Prophet, Sallallahu alaihi wa salam, came to Medina and found
the people celebrating two days he said: “ What are these
occasions”? They said: “We used to celebrate them in Jahilya
(before the coming of Islam)”. He then said : “Allah, Subhana
wa Ta’ala, has replaced them for you with the two better days
(i.e. Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha)”. These two festivals
which Allah Subhana wa Ta’ala, prescribed to the Muslims are part
of the rituals of Islam which should be commemorated and the
purposes of which should be understood.
Rules Pertaining
to Eid:
1-It is forbidden to fast on
the day of both Eids, as it is understood from the hadeeth
narrated by Abee Sa’eed that the Prophet, Sallallahu alaihi wa
salam, forbade the fasting of the two Eids.
2-It is recommended
that both men and women observe Eid prayer in an open field as is
clear in the hadeeth narrated by Um Atiya, may Allah, Subhana wa
Ta’ala, be pleased with her, who said: “We used to be ordered to
come out on the day of Eid and even to bring the virgin girls
from their houses and menstruating women so that they might stand
behind the men and say takbir along with them and hope for the
blessings of that day for purification from sins”. Since
menstruating women as well as those who are virgin are commanded
to observe Eid prayer, there is no doubt that the men, old and
young are even strongly commanded to observe it.
3-Eid prayer should be
performed before the khutba of Eid as is confirmed in the hadeeth
narrated by Ibn Amr, Abee Sa’eed, and Ibn Abbas, may Allah,
Subhana wa Ta’ala, be pleased with them.
4-It is recommended
that the Imaam makes Takbeer (Allah-u-Akbar) during the prayer,
seven times in the first Raka’at and five in the second. This
has been confirmed by the companions of the Salaf (the righteous
generation of the predecessors).
5-It is recommended
that the Imaam recites in the first Raka’at Surah Al-A’laa
(ch.87) and Surah Al Ghaashiah (ch.88) in the second. Other
reports also show that the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa salam,
used to recite Surat Qaaf (ch.50) and Surat Al-Qamar (ch.54) as
is confirmed in Sahih Muslim.
6-There is no Sunnah
prayer either before or after Eid prayer as Ibn Abbas, may Allah,
Subhanwa wa Ta’ala, be pleased with him, narrated that whenever
the Prophet, Sallallahu alaihi wa salam, went for Eid prayer, he
used to pray two Raka’ats (of Eid) but nothing before or after
them.
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