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Rulings
on `Eid
Fasting:
It
is haram to fast on the days of `Eid because of the Hadith of Abu Sa`id
al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger
of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade fasting on the day of
Fitr and the day of Sacrifice (Adha). (Reported by Muslim, 827)
Ruling
on the `Eid Prayers:
Some
of the scholars say that `Eid prayers are wajib (obligatory) - this is
the view of the Hanafi scholars and of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may
Allah have mercy on him). They say that the Prophet, peace and blessings
be upon him, always prayed the `Eid prayer and never neglected doing it,
not even once. They take as evidence the verse, “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 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 jilbab should borrow one
from her sister.
Some
scholars say that `Eid prayer is fard kifaya (Collective Duty). This is
the view of the Hanbalis. A third group say that `Eid prayer is sunnah
mu’akkadah (Confirmed Sunnah). This is the view of the Malikis and
Shafa`is. They take as evidence the Hadith of the Bedouin which says
that Allah 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 wajib 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 be upon him, by doing so, should be sufficient
motivation.
Essentials
and Timing of `Eid Prayer:
Some
scholars (the Hanafis and Hanbalis) say that the conditions of `Eid
prayer are that the iqamah should be recited and the prayer should be
offered in jama`ah (congregation). Some of them said that the conditions
of `Eid prayer are the same as the conditions for Friday prayer, with
the exception of the khutbah, attendance at which is not obligatory. The
majority of scholars say that the time for the `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.
Description
of the `Eid Prayer:
`Umar
(may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The prayer of `Eid and al-Adha
is two complete rak`ahs, not shortened. This is according to the words
of your Prophet, and the liar is doomed.”
Abu
Sa`id said: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him,
used to come out to the prayer-place on the day of Fitr and al-Adha, and
the first thing he would do was the prayer.”
The
Takbeer is repeated seven times in the first rak`ah and five times in
the second, the Qur’an is to be recited after each.
It
was reported from `A’ishah: the Takbeer of al-Fitr and al-Adha is
seven in the first rak`ah and five in the second, apart from the takbeer
of ruku`. (Reported by Abu Dawud)
If
a person joining the prayer catches up with the imam during these extra
takbeers, he should say “Allahu Akbar” with the imam, and he does
not have to make up any takbeera he may have missed, because they are
sunnah, not wajib. With regard to what should be said between the
takbeers, Hammad ibn Salamah reported from Ibrahim that Walid ibn `Uqbah
entered the mosque when Ibn Mas`ud, Hudhayfah and Abu Musa were there,
and said, “`Eid is here, what should I do?” Ibn Mas`ud said: “Say
‘Allahu Akbar’, praise and thank Allah, send blessings on the
Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and make du`a’, then say,
‘Allahu Akbar’, praise and thank Allah, send blessings on the
Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him,...etc.” (Reported by
at-Tabarani).
Recitation
of Qur’an in `Eid Prayers:
It
is recommended (mustahabb) that in the `Eid prayers the imam should
recite Qaf [Surah 50] and Iqtarabat As-Sa`ah [al-Qamar, Surah 54], as it
is reported in Sahih Muslim that `Umar ibn al-Khattab asked Abu Waqid
al-Laythi, “What did the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be
upon him, used to recite at [`Eid] al-Adha and al-Fitr?” He said,
“He used to recite Qaf. Wa’l-Qur’an al-Majeed [Qaf 50:1] and
Iqtarabat As-Sa`ah wa inshaqq al-Qamar [al-Qamar 54:1].
Most
of the reports indicate that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon
him, used to recite Surah al-A`la [87] and Surah al-Ghashiyah [88], as
he used to recite them in the Friday prayer. An-Nu`man ibn Bashir said:
“The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to
recite on the two `Eids and on Fridays, Sabbih isma rabbika’l-A`la
[al-A`la 87:1] and Hal ataka Hadith al-Ghashiyah [al-Ghashiyah 88:1].”
(Sahih Muslim, 878).
Samurah
(may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet, peace and
blessings be upon him, used to recite on the two `Eids, Sabbih isma
rabbika’l-A`la [al-A`la 87:1] and Hal ataka Hadith al-Ghashiyah
[al-Ghashiyah 88:1].” (Reported by Ahmad and others, 3/116)
The
Prayer Comes Before the Khutbah:
One
of the rulings of `Eid is that the prayer should come before the
khutbah, as is reported in Musnad Ahmad from the Hadith of Ibn `Abbas,
who testified that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon
him, prayed before the khutbah on `Eid, then he gave the khutbah.”
(Musnad Ahmad, 1905).
Another
indication that the khutbah should be after the prayer is the Hadith of
Abu Sa`id (may Allah be pleased with him): “The Prophet, peace and
blessings be upon him, used to go out to the prayer-place on the day of
al-Fitr and al-Adha, and the first thing he would do was to pray, then
he would stand up facing the people, whilst they were still sitting in
their rows, and would advise and instruct them. If he wanted to send out
a military expedition, he would decide about the matter then, or if he
wanted to issue a command, he would do it then.” Abu Sa`id said:
“This is what the people continued to do until I came out [to the `Eid
prayers] with Marwan, when he was governor of Madinah, on either Adha or
Fitr. When we reached the prayer-place, we saw the minbar, which had
been built by Katheer ibn al-Salt. Marwan wanted to get on the minbar
before the prayer. I pulled on his cloak, and he pulled on mine in
return, then he got on the minbar and gave the khutbah before the
prayer. I said, ‘You have changed it, by Allah!’ He said, ‘O Abu
Sa`id, what you know is gone.’ I said, ‘What I know, by Allah, is
better than what I do not know.’ He said, ‘The people will not
remain sitting after the prayer, so we made it [the khutbah] before the
prayer.’“ (Reported by al-Bukhari, 956).
Anyone
who wants to leave during the khutbah is allowed to do so
`Abd-Allah ibn al-Sa’ib said: “I attended `Eid with the Prophet,
peace and blessings be upon him,, and when he finished the prayer, he
said: “We will give the khutbah, so whoever wants to sit (and listen
to) the khutbah, let him sit, and whoever wants to leave, let him
go.’”
Not
Delaying the Prayer for Too Long:
`Abd-Allah
ibn Bishr, the companion of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon
him, went out with the people on the day of Fitr or al-Adha, and
objected to the fact that the imam came very late. He said, “At the
time of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, we would have
finished by now,” and that was at the time of al-Tasbih.” (Reported
by al-Bukhari)
Supererogatory Prayers in the Prayer-place:
There are no Supererogatory (Nafl) prayers to be done either before or
after the `Eid prayer, as Ibn `Abbas reported that the Prophet, peace
and blessings be upon him, used to come out on the day of `Eid and pray
two rak`ahs, with nothing before or after them.
This
is the case if the prayer is offered in a prayer place or public place.
If, however, the people pray the `Eid prayer in a mosque, then they
should pray two rak`ahs for Tahiyat al-Masjid (“Greeting the
mosque”) before sitting down.
If
People Did Not Know About `Eid Until the Next Day:
Abu
`Umayr ibn Anas reported from his paternal uncles among the Ansar who
said: “It was cloudy and we could not see the new moon of Shawwal, so
we started the day fasting, then a caravan came at the end of the day
and told the Messenger of Allah , peace and blessings be upon him,
that they had seen the new moon of Shawwal 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)
If
someone misses the `Eid prayer, the most correct view is that he may
make it up by praying two rak`ahs.
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 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 be upon him, whether there was anything
wrong with her not going out [on `Eid] if she did not have a jilbab. He
said, ‘Let her friend give her one of her jilbabs 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 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.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 324).
The
‘young girls’ (`awatiq, sing. `atiq) 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 Sahabah 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 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 jilbabs” - 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. ha’id - this may refer either to girls who
have reached the age of puberty, or women who are having their period
and are not tahir (pure).
“Menstruating
women should avoid the prayer-place itself” - Ibn al-Munayyir said:
“The reason why they should avoid the prayer-place is that if they
stand with the women who are praying even though they are not praying,
it may appear that they have no respect for the prayer or are careless,
so it better for them to avoid that.”
It
was said that the reason why menstruating women should avoid the
prayer-place is as a precaution, so that women will not come near men
for no reason if they are not praying, or so that they will not offend
others with their blood or their odor.
The
Hadith 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 Allah or places of goodness such as
gatherings for the purpose of seeking knowledge and remembering Allah -
apart from mosques. The Hadith also indicates that women should not go
out without a jilbab.
This
Hadith tells us that it is not proper for young women and women in
seclusion to go out except for a valid reason. It states that it is
preferable (mustahabb) for a woman to wear a jilbab, and that it is
permissible to lend and borrow clothes. It also indicates that `Eid
prayer is obligatory (wajib).
Ibn
Abi Shaybah also narrated that Ibn `Umar used to take whoever he could
of his household out to the `Eid prayers.
The
Hadith 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.
At-Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Sunan, after
quoting the Hadith of Umm `Atiyah: “Some of the scholars referred to
this Hadith and allowed women to go out to the `Eid prayers, and some of
them disliked this. It was reported that `Abd-Allah ibn al-Mubarak said:
‘I do not like for women to go out to `Eid prayers nowadays. If a
woman insists on going out, her husband should let her, if she goes out
wearing her shabbiest clothes and not adorning herself. If she insists
on adorning herself, then she should not go out. In this case the
husband has the right to stop her from going out. It was reported that
`A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: ‘If the Prophet,
peace and blessings be upon him, had seen what has happened to women, he
would have stopped them from going to the mosques, just as the women of
Bani Isra’eel were stopped.’ It was reported that Sufyan al-Thawri
did not like women to go to the `Eid prayers in his day.”
(At-Tirmidhi, 495).
Umm
`Atiyah gave her fatwa in the Hadith mentioned above a while after the
Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had died, and it is not
reported that any of the Sahabah disagreed with this. The words of
`A’ishah, “If the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had seen
what has happened to women, he would have stopped them from going to the
mosques”, do not contradict this (provided that women are meeting the
Islamic conditions attached to their going out)... It is better if
permission is given only to those women who are not who are not going to
look at men or be looked at, whose attendance will not lead to anything
undesirable and who are not going to rub shoulders with men on the
street or in the mosque. (i.e., women whose going out will not cause
fitnah or temptation to her or to men).
Men
should check on their womenfolk when they going out for the prayer to
make sure that their hijab is complete, because they are the
“shepherds” who are responsible for their “flocks”. 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 in the
car, for example, where they can hear the khutbah.
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