Text of the speech given by me (with modifications) during Eetikaf in Masjid e Bilal of Preston International College in the year 2012.
Inspired by the Book Ad Durar ul Bahiyyah by Imam Shawkani (rahimahullah); translated and explained in urdu by Hafiz Imran Ayyub Lahori as ‘Fiqh ul Hadith’
For the rulings (Hukm) on the Ahadeeth, the research of Al Alamah Al Muhaddith Nasir ud din Albani has been preferred.
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It is preferred that one makes Ghusul, smears perfume and uses one’s best attire on the occasion of Eid.
Imam Ibn Qayyim (rahimahullah) said, “The Prophet (saw) used to wear his most beautiful clothes for them and he had a special cloak that he would wear on the two Eids and Jummah”
One should eat before going out for Eid ul Fitr prayer and for Eid ul Adha, he should not eat until he comes back from the prayer.
Buraidah (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) would not get out on the day of breaking the fast (Eid ul Fitr) until he had eaten and on the day of sacrifice (Eid ul Adha) he would not eat until he had returned. (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and classified as Saheeh by Shykh Albani)
Anas (ra) reports that Prophet (saw) would not go out on the festival of breaking fast until he had eaten an odd number of dates. (Bukhari, Musnad of Imam Ahmad)
Eid Prayer
Salat ul Eid can be performed in the mosque but it is preferred to perform it in a place outside city (Eid gah) as long as there is no excuse or reason to do otherwise.
Shariah requires women and children to go out and attend the Salatul Eid. It includes married, single, young, old and menstruating women. The menstruating women would not participate in the Salah.
Umm Atiyah (raa) reports that they were ordered to go out with the single and menstruating women to the two Eids in order to witness the good and the supplication of the Muslims. The menstruating women would be separate from the others. (Bukhari and Muslim)
Ibn Abbas (ra) reports: “I went out with the Prophet (saw) on the day of breaking fast or on the day of sacrifice and he prayed and gave khutbah and then he went to the women and admonished them and reminded them of Allah (swt) and ordered them to give charity.” (Reported in Bukhari in Kitab ul Jum’ah hadith no 981)
It is recommended to go for Eid prayer by foot.
Ali (ra) says that it is sunnah to go towards Eidgah by foot. (Reported in Tirmidhi hadeeth no. 437 and classified as Hassan by Shykh Albani)
It is preferred to take different routes.
Jabir (ra) reports that, “On the day of Eid Prophet (saw) would take different routes (Bukhari Hadith no 986 in Kitab ul Jumah).
That is Prophet (saw) would go by one route and come back by another route.
Abu Hurairah (ra) says that when the Prophet (saw) went to salat ul Eid, he would return through a different route. (Tirmidhi, hadeeth no. 446 and authenticated by Shykh Albani)
Timing of the Prayer
Jundub (ra) said: “The prophet (saw) prayed the Eid ul Fitr prayer while the sun was two spears (six meters approx) above the horizon and the prayer of Eid of sacrifice while the sun was one spear (three meters approx) above the horizon.”
This hadith is weak. Shykh Albani says that M’ula bin Hillal in the chain of the narration of this hadith is a liar.
However Imam Shawkani (rahimahullah) says that this is the best of what has been narrated concerning the specific timings of salat ul eidain.
Imam Ibn Qudamah al Maqdise (rahimahullah) says that, “it is Sunnah to pray salat ul Adha early in order to allow more time for the people to perform sacrifice and the salat ul fitr is to be delayed in order to give people more time to pay zakat ul fitr. I know of no difference of opinion at this point”.
Manner of performing the Eid prayer
It is a two unit prayer
It is compulsory on every able Muslim (As per the preferred opinion of Imam Shawkani, Ameer San’ani, Siddiq Hassan Khan, Albani and others)
There is neither Azan nor iqamah for it and there is no salah before it nor after it at the place of the Eid prayer.
‘Ata (rahimahullah) said, Jabir (ra) informed me that there is no adhan for the prayer of the Eid of breaking fast, neither when Imam arrives nor afterwards and there is no iqamah or call of any kind. (Reported in Muslim)
After a person returns home he can offer a two unit prayer.
Abu Saeed Khudri (ra) narrates that Prophet (saw) would not offer any salah before eid prayer but when he would return to his home he would offer two unit prayer. (Reported in Ibn Majah and Classified as Hassan by Shykh Albani.)
In the first rakah there would be seven Takbir and in the second rakah there would be five.
Amr bin Awf (ra) narrates that Prophet (saw) said seven Takbir in the first unit before qirat and five takbeer in the second unit before qirat. (Tirmidhi, Baihaqi, Ibn Khuzaimah and classified as Saheeh by Shykh Albani)
According to some scholars these takbirs are Fard but the majority of the scholars say that they are sunnah.
Doing Rafa yadain (raising hands) is not proved with any saheeh hadith or athar for these takbeers, yet scholars like Imam Shafiee, Imam Ahmad, Imam Awzaie, Imam ‘Ata etc say that rafa yadain should be done.
Khutbah should be given after salah
Ibn Umar (ra) narrates that Prophet (saw), Abu Bakr (ra) and Umar (ra) would offer salah before khutbah. (Reported in Bukhari)
It is not compulsory to listen to the khutbah, if some people want to leave they can leave.
Abdullah bin Sa’ib (r) said that I was present with the Prophet (saw) on Eid and when He (saw) finished prayers he (saw) said, “Verily we will give khutbah so whomsoever wishes to sit in the khutbah, he can sit and whosoever whishes to leave he can leave. (reported in Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Nasai, Baihaqi, Ibn Khuzaimah and classified as saheeh by Shykh Albani)
There is only one khutbah for Eid (As there is no Saheeh hadeeth in support of two khutbah, hence all the ahadith mentioning Khutbah are in support of one Khutbah)
Miscellaneous
While meeting each other we should greet by saying:
تَقَبَّلَ اللهُ مِنّا و مِنْكَ
It is fully permissible to enjoy ourselves in all ways provided they are not haram.
What NOT to do
We should not spend the whole of previous night in prayer. (For the narration describing its virtue is fabricated)
We should not make it a particular habit to visit graves on the days of Eid.
We should not forsake Jama’ah while being busy socializing or having fun.
There should be no intermingling of sexes.
Women should not go out while smearing perfume.
We must not listen to haram songs and music.
A fabricated Narration
‘Whoever makes alive the night of the Eid ul Fitr or Eid ul Adha then on the day when death will overtake hearts, his heart won’t die’.
This narration has two chains; one is fabricated and the other is extremely weak as pointed out by Shykh Albani in Silsilatun Ahadeeth Ad daieefah