The Prayer of the Two Eids

"The Messenger of Allah (sw) had a staff with a pointed end, which he would lean on, and he would take it out on the two Eids and pray towards it”.

"The prayers of the two Eids (Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha) are obligatory, and the prayer of the eclipse (Salat al-Kusoof) is also obligatory."

"The prayer of the two Eids (Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha) with the Imam is a Sunnah, and there is no prayer before or after them on that day until noon (zawal)."

"There is no prayer on the two Eids (Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha) except with an Imam, but if you pray alone, there is no issue."

"There is no prayer on the day of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha except with a just Imam”.

Hadith.1457 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) was asked about the prayers of Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr, and He said: "Pray them as two units (rak'ahs), either in congregation or individually, and say seven takbirs (Allahu Akbar) in the first rak'ah and five in the second”.

"My father (as) fell ill on the day of Eid al-Adha, so he prayed two units (rak'ahs) in his home and then offered the sacrifice."

"Whoever does not attend the congregation of people for the Eid prayers should perform the ritual bath (ghusl), apply whatever perfume is available, and then pray at home alone as he would pray in congregation”.

Hadith.1460 - Harun ibn Hamzah al-Ghanawi narrates from Imam Jafar Al-Sadiq (as) said: "Going out on the day of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha to the open area (for prayer) is good for whoever is able to go." Harun asked: "What if a person is sick and unable to go out, should he pray at home?" Imam (as) replied: "No."

I asked Imam (as) about the Ghusl (ritual purification bath) of Eid al-Adha. Imam (as) said: "It is obligatory except for those in Mina."

Hadith.1462 - It has been narrated: "The Ghusl (ritual purification bath) for the two Eids is a Sunnah (recommended practice)."

I asked him about whether a woman is required to perform Ghusl (ritual purification bath) on Jumu’ah, on the day of Eid al-Fitr, on the day of Eid al-Adha, and on the day of Arafah. Imam (as) said: 'Yes, She is required to perform all of these Ghusls.'"

Hadith.1464 - Imam Ali (as) would eat on the day of Eid al-Fitr before heading to the prayer area, but on the day of Eid al-Adha, he would not eat until after performing the ritual sacrifice.

"Do not leave your house on the day of Eid al-Fitr until you have eaten something, and do not eat anything on the day of Eid al-Adha except from your own sacrifice, if you are able. If you are not able, then you are excused." Abu Ja'far (as) also said: "Amir al-Mu’minin (as) would not eat on the day of Eid al-Adha until he had eaten from his own sacrifice, and he would not leave on the day of Eid al-Fitr until he had eaten and paid the Zakat al-Fitr." He added, "This is also our practice."

"The Sunnah (tradition) for the people of cities is to go out from their cities for the two Eid prayers, except for the people of Mecca, who pray in the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram)."

"It is not appropriate for the Eid prayers to be performed in a covered mosque or in a house; rather, they should be prayed in the open air or in an exposed place."

This is a day when the Messenger of Allah (sw) would go out until he was exposed to the horizons of the sky, then he would place his forehead on the earth."

I asked him about the prayer of the two Eids (Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha), whether there is an Adhan (call to prayer) or Iqamah (second call to prayer) for them." Imam (as) said: "There is neither Adhan nor Iqamah for them, but it is announced 'As-Salah (the prayer), As-Salah (the prayer)' three times. There is no pulpit (minbar) for them; the minbar is not moved from its place. However, a structure similar to a pulpit is made from clay for the Imam to stand upon and deliver a sermon, then he comes down."

"Do not make up the Witr prayer of your night, meaning on the two Eids, if you missed it until you have prayed the midday (Dhuhr) prayer on that day."

"There are two (units of prayer) from the Sunnah that are not performed in any place except in Medina, and they are prayed in the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah (sw) on the two Eids before going out to the prayer ground. This is unique to Medina because the Messenger of Allah (sw) performed it”.

Hadith.1473 - Al-Halabi asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) about the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha if they fall on a Jumu’ah. Imam (as) said: "This happened during the time of Imam Ali (as), and He said: 'Whoever wishes to attend the Jumu’ah prayer may do so, and whoever stays back, it will not harm him, but he should pray the midday (Dhuhr) prayer.' Imam Ali (as) delivered two sermons, combining the Eid sermon and the Jumu’ah sermon”.

Hadith.1474 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) was asked about the verse of Allah (swt), the Exalted, "Successful indeed are those who purify themselves," (Surah Al-A'la 87:14). Imam (as) said: "This refers to the one who gives the Fitrah (charity for breaking the fast)." He was then asked about the verse, "and remember the Name of their Lord (azj), and pray." (Surah Al-A'la 87:15). Imam (as) said: "This means going out to the prayer ground and performing the prayer."

Hadith.1475 - In the narration of al-Sakuni, it is reported that "When The Prophet (sw) went out for the Eid prayer, he would not return by the same path he took to go out; he would take a different path."

"If you intend to travel on the day of Eid and dawn breaks while you are still in the town, then do not leave until you have witnessed that Eid”.

"Yes, except in Mina on the Day of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha)."

Prophet (sw) said: "When the first day of Shawwal (Eid al-Fitr) arrives, a caller announces, 'O’ believers, proceed to your rewards.'" Then He (the Prophet) said: "O’ Jabir, the rewards of Allah (swt) are not like the rewards of these kings." He (the Prophet) said: "It is the Day of Rewards."

Hadith.1479 - Al-Hasan ibn Ali (as) observed people playing and laughing on the day of Eid al-Fitr. He turned to his companions and said: "Verily, Allah (swt), the Exalted, made the month of Ramadan as a racetrack for His creation, in which they compete in obedience to Him to attain His pleasure. In it, some people have raced ahead and won, while others have lagged behind and failed. So, it is truly astonishing to see those who laugh and play on a day when the doers of good are rewarded and the negligent are deprived. By Allah (swt), if the veil were removed, the doer of good would be preoccupied with his good deeds and the wrongdoer would be preoccupied with his wrongdoings."

Hadith.1480 - Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) said: "There is no Eid for the Muslims, whether it is Eid al-Adha or Eid al-Fitr, except that it renews grief for the family of Muhammad." He was asked: "Why is that?" Imam (as) said: "Because they see their rightful position in the hands of others”.

"I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about the Takbir in the two Eids, and He said: 'There are twelve Takbirs: seven in the first (Rak'ah) and five in the second. When you stand for prayer, say one Takbir and say, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah (swt), He is alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. O’ Allah (swt), You are the One worthy of grandeur and greatness, the One worthy of generosity, omnipotence, ability, sovereignty, and might. I ask You on this day which You have made a day of celebration for the Muslims and a source of honor for Muhammad (as) and his family, to send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and upon Your closest angels and Your sent prophets. I ask You to forgive us and all the believing men and women, and the Muslim men and women, living and deceased. O’ Allah (swt), I ask You for the best of what Your righteous servants ask of You, and I seek refuge in You from the worst of what Your pure servants seek refuge from. Allah (swt) is the Greatest, the First of everything and the Last of everything, the Creator of all things and their ultimate end, the Knower of all things and their return, to whom all things return, and the Planner of all matters. He is the One who resurrects those in the graves. The One who accepts deeds, the Initiator of the hidden things, the Revealer of secrets. Allah (swt) is the Greatest, the Majestic in kingdom, the One whose power is overwhelming. He is living and does not die, eternal and does not perish. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is. Allah (swt) is the Greatest, to whom all voices humble, to whom all faces bow, before whom all eyes are overwhelmed, and whose greatness causes tongues to fall silent. All affairs are in His hands, and the decrees of all things are His alone. No one else can decide, and nothing happens without His will. Allah (swt) is the Greatest, encompassing everything with His protection, dominating everything with His glory, enforcing everything with His command, sustaining everything by Him, and to whom all things bow in humility, and all things submit to His might and His power. Allah (swt) is the Greatest. You then recite Al-Hamd (the opening chapter of the Qur’an) and say, 'Glorify the name of your Lord (azj), the Most High,' and you repeat the seventh Takbir, bow, and prostrate. You then rise, recite Al-Hamd again, and then recite 'By the sun and its brightness.' Then say, 'Allah (swt) is the Greatest, I bear witness that there is no god but Allah (swt), He is alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. O’ Allah (swt), You are the One worthy of grandeur and greatness.' You complete the Takbir as stated, and this is done for all the Takbirs until the five Takbirs are complete.'"

" "With His word, the seven heavens were established, the earth spread out as a bed, the mountains fixed, the winds blowing, the clouds moving in the sky, and the seas with their boundaries. And He is the God Who governs it all, and to Him all must submit." "The proud and the arrogant humble themselves before Him, and all creation, willingly or unwillingly, submits to His dominion." "We praise Him as He deserves to be praised, and we seek His help, His forgiveness, His guidance. We bear witness that there is no god but Allah (swt), He alone, with no partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger." "He is the trustworthy one with His revelation, and He conveyed the messages of His Lord (azj), fought in the cause of Allah (swt), worshiped Him until certainty (death) came to him. Peace and blessings be upon him and his family." "I advise you, O’ servants of Allah (swt), to be conscious of Allah (swt), from Whose blessings no one is ever deprived, and no one can escape His mercy, and no one can exceed His generosity. He is the One who commands piety and discourages attachment to this world, warns against sin, and reminds us of death and its inevitability." "Death is the ultimate end of all created beings, and the path for all beings. The end is decreed for all, and there is no escape from it. At the time of its arrival, it destroys every pleasure, takes away every blessing, and removes every delight." "The world is a place destined for demise, and its inhabitants will eventually depart from it. The life of this world is sweet and green, and many people long for it. But the rich man neglects the poor, and the fearful man tries to flee from it. Be cautious of it, and remember that death is coming." "Do not ask for more than what suffices you from this world. Accept only a small portion from it, and avoid excessive indulgence, as it leads to heedlessness and false expectations." "The world has already turned its back on us, and the Hereafter is approaching, with its lights shining and its arrival drawing near." "Today is the race for good deeds, and tomorrow is the race for salvation. The final destination is either Heaven or Hell. Repent before it is too late, and work for your soul before the day of misfortune and poverty." "May Allah (swt) make us among those who fear Him and seek His reward." "This day is a day that Allah (swt) has made a celebration for you, so remember Allah (swt) and He will remember you. Call upon Him and He will respond to you. Pay your Zakat al-Fitr, for it is the Sunnah of your Prophet and an obligatory duty from your Lord (azj). Let every person from you give it for himself and his family, whether male or female, young or old, free or enslaved. It should be one sa' of wheat, dates, or barley for each person." "Obey Allah (swt) in what He has commanded you, and follow the five Da‘ā’im al-Islām: establishing prayer, giving zakat, performing the pilgrimage to the house of Allah (swt), fasting the month of Ramadan, and promoting good while forbidding evil. Be kind to your wives and those under your care. And avoid what Allah (swt) has prohibited, such as slander, immoral actions, consuming alcohol, falsifying the measure and the scale, bearing false witness, and fleeing from the battlefield." "May Allah (swt) protect us all with piety, and may He make the Hereafter better for us than this worldly life." "Indeed, the best speech and the most eloquent advice is the Book of Allah (swt), the Mighty, the Wise." "I seek refuge in Allah (swt) from the accursed devil. In the name of Allah (swt), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Say: 'Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad' (Surah Al-Ikhlas) 'He is Allah (swt), the One. Allah (swt), the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is begotten. And there is none comparable to Him.'"

Hadith.1483 - The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) delivered a sermon on Eid al-Adha, saying: "Allah (swt) is the Greatest, Allah (swt) is the Greatest. There is no deity but Allah (swt). Allah (swt) is the Greatest, Allah (swt) is the Greatest, and all praise belongs to Allah (swt). Allah (swt) is the Greatest for guiding us, and to Him belongs gratitude for what He has granted us. All praise belongs to Allah (swt) for what He has provided us from the sacrificial animals."

Hadith.1484 – Imam Ali (as), used to begin with the Takbir when he prayed the Dhuhr prayer on the day of Eid al-Nahr (Eid al-Adha), and he would cease the Takbir on the last day of the Tashriq (the days after Eid) at dawn. He would say the Takbir after every prayer, saying: "Allah (swt) is the Greatest, Allah (swt) is the Greatest, there is no god but Allah (swt), and Allah (swt) is the Greatest, Allah (swt) is the Greatest, and to Allah (swt) belongs the praise." When he reached the prayer ground, he would step forward and lead the people in prayer without an Adhan (call to prayer) or Iqamah (second call to prayer). When he finished the prayer, he would ascend the pulpit and begin by saying: "Allah (swt) is the Greatest, Allah (swt) is the Greatest, Allah (swt) is the Greatest, equal to the weight of His Throne, the pleasure of His Self, the amount of the drops in His sky and His seas. To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. Praise be to Allah (swt) until He is pleased, and He is the Almighty, the Most Forgiving. Allah (swt) is the Greatest, the Grandest in greatness, a God of majesty and mercy, forgiving even after possessing power, and none despairs of His mercy except the misguided ones." "Allah (swt) is the Greatest, Great beyond measure, and there is no god but Allah (swt) in abundance. Glory be to Allah (swt), the Most Kind and the All-Powerful. Praise be to Allah (swt); we praise Him, seek His help, seek His forgiveness, and seek His guidance. We bear witness that there is no god but Allah (swt) alone, with no partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger." "Whoever obeys Allah (swt) and His Messenger has indeed been guided and achieved a great success. And whoever disobeys Allah (swt) and His Messenger has indeed gone astray in a distant misguidance and incurred a manifest loss." "I advise you, O’ servants of Allah (swt), to be conscious of Allah (swt), to frequently remember death, and to live a life of detachment from this world, which those before you who inhabited it could not hold onto, and which will not remain for anyone after you. Your path in this world is the same as those who have passed before you. Do you not see that it has already ended, that it has given signs of its impending disappearance, that its known blessings have turned strange, and that it has turned its back and is departing?" "This world has warned of its end, and its residents are pushed toward death. What was once sweet has turned bitter, and what was once clear has become murky. Nothing remains of it except a remnant, like the remnants left in a container, a mouthful to quench the thirst of the parched, but it does not satisfy them." "So, O’ servants of Allah (swt), prepare to depart from this abode. It is destined for its inhabitants to pass away, it denies them the comforts of life, and it humiliates them with death. No living soul has hope for permanence, and no soul has an escape from death." "Do not let long hopes overpower you, and do not let the passage of time deceive you. Do not be deceived by hopes in this world. Worship Allah (swt) during your lifetime. By Allah (swt), even if you were to wail like a lost and grieving mother, call out to Allah (swt) as if from the depths of your soul, weep like monks devoted to solitude, give up your wealth and children seeking closeness to Him, striving for a high rank in His sight or the forgiveness of a sin noted by His scribes and preserved by His messengers, all this would be small in what I hope for you from His reward and what I fear for you from His painful punishment." "By Allah (swt), even if your hearts melted and your eyes wept from yearning for Him and fear of Him, even if you lived in this world as long as it remains, your actions would not be enough to earn His Paradise or His mercy, but by His mercy, you are shown mercy, and by His guidance, you are guided, and by them, you reach His Paradise." "May Allah (swt) make us and you among the repentant and the worshipful. Indeed, this day is a day of great sanctity, a day of expected blessings, and a day in which forgiveness is hoped for. So, remember Allah (swt) abundantly, seek His forgiveness, and turn to Him in repentance. Indeed, He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful." "And whoever among you sacrifices a young goat, it will not suffice for him, but a young sheep will suffice. For the completion of the sacrifice, look for sound eyes and ears. If the eyes and ears are sound, the sacrifice is complete. However, if it has a broken horn or drags its legs, it will not suffice. When you make the sacrifice, eat, feed others, and give as gifts. And praise Allah (swt) for providing you with cattle from livestock." "Establish the prayer, give zakat, worship Allah (swt) sincerely, bear witness to the truth, and yearn for what He has prescribed and obligated upon you in striving, pilgrimage, and fasting, for the reward of these is great and everlasting, while neglecting them results in eternal misfortune and ruin." "Enjoin what is good, forbid what is evil, frighten the oppressor, support the oppressed, restrain the transgressor, be kind to women and those under your care, speak the truth, fulfil your trusts, uphold justice, and do not let the worldly life deceive you, nor let the deceiver deceive you about Allah (swt)." "Indeed, the best speech is the remembrance of Allah (swt), and the most eloquent advice for the God-conscious is the Book of Allah (swt)." "I seek refuge in Allah (swt) from the accursed devil. In the name of Allah (swt), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Say: 'He is Allah (swt), the One. Allah (swt), the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is begotten. And there is none comparable to Him.'" Then he would recite either "Say, O’ disbelievers" to its end, or "The mutual rivalry for piling up of worldly things diverts you" to its end, or "By time."

he heard from al-Ridha (as) that: "The day of Eid al-Fitr was made an Eid so that it would be a gathering for the Muslims where they come together and present themselves before Allah (swt), the Mighty and Glorious, to glorify Him for the blessings He has bestowed upon them. Thus, it is a day of Eid, a day of gathering, a day of breaking the fast, a day of charity (Zakat), a day of desire (towards Allah (swt)), and a day of supplication. It is also because it is the first day of the year in which eating and drinking become permissible, as the first month of the year for the people of truth is the month of Ramadan. Therefore, Allah (swt), the Mighty and Glorious, wished for them to have a gathering to praise and sanctify Him on this day. The Takbir (glorification of Allah (swt)) in this prayer was made more frequent than in other prayers because Takbir is a means of magnifying and glorifying Allah (swt) for the guidance and well-being He has granted, as Allah (swt), the Mighty and Glorious, says: 'And that you may glorify Allah (swt) for that (to) which He has guided you, and that you may be grateful' (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:185)." The twelve Takbirs in the prayer were established because in every two Rak'ahs, there are twelve Takbirs. Seven were made for the first Rak'ah and five for the second, and they were not made equal because the Sunnah for obligatory prayers is to begin with seven Takbirs, and so it was also begun here with seven. In the second Rak'ah, five Takbirs were made because there are five obligatory prayers throughout the day and night. Thus, the Takbirs in both Rak'ahs combined make an odd number.

"For the Eid prayer, if the group consists of five or seven people, they should perform the prayer together (in congregation) just as they would on the day of Jumu'ah (Jumu’ah prayer)." He also said: "The Qunoot (supplication) is performed in the second Rak'ah." I asked him, "Is it permissible to pray without a turban?" Imam (as) said: "Yes, but wearing a turban is more beloved to me."

I asked him about the Takbir (saying "Allahu Akbar") in the Eid prayers. Imam (as) said: "There are twelve Takbirs: seven in the first Rak'ah and five in the second. When you stand for the prayer, say the first Takbir, then recite: 'I bear witness that there is no god but Allah (swt), alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. O’ Allah (swt), You are the One worthy of majesty and greatness, the One worthy of generosity and authority, of power and sovereignty, and of honor. I ask You on this day, which You have made an Eid for the Muslims and a treasure and increase for Muhammad, to send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and to send blessings upon Your close angels and Your sent prophets. Forgive us, all believing men and women, and all Muslim men and women, the living among them and the dead. O’ Allah (swt), I ask You for the best of what Your chosen servants have asked You for, and I seek refuge with You from the worst of what Your sincere servants sought refuge from. Allahu Akbar, the first of all things and their last, the originator of all things and their end, the knower of all things and their return, the one to whom all things belong and are directed. You are the One who directs all matters, raises the dead, accepts deeds, unveils hidden matters, and reveals secrets. Allahu Akbar, the greatness of the dominion belongs to Him, the might of the power is His, the Living who never dies, the Eternal who never ceases to exist. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is. Allahu Akbar, before whom all voices become silent, all faces bow in humility, all sights are bewildered, and all tongues fall short of expressing His greatness. Every forelock is in His hand, and the measure of all matters is in His control. None decrees except Him, and nothing is fulfilled except through Him. Allahu Akbar, His preservation encompasses all things, His might overcomes all things, His command prevails over all things, and all things are established by Him. Everything humbles itself before His greatness, surrenders to His might, submits to His power, and yields to His sovereignty. Then you recite Surah Al-Hamd (Al-Fatiha) and 'Wa al-Shams wa Duhaaha' (Surah Ash-Shams). You perform the Ruku after the seventh Takbir. In the second Rak'ah, you repeat the Takbir and say: 'Allahu Akbar, I bear witness that there is no god but Allah (swt), alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. O’ Allah (swt), You are worthy of majesty and greatness.' You continue in this way for each Takbir until you complete the five Takbirs. The khutbah (sermon) for the Eid prayers is delivered after the prayer."