The Eid Prayer and Khutbah

The Time of the Eid Prayer

No Prayer before or after the `Eed Prayer

No sunnah prayer may precede or follow the `Eed prayer - except if it is performed in a masjid instead of the musallaa, in which case one must pray two Rak`aat before sitting down. Ibn `Abbaas (t) narrated:

"The Prophet saws went out (of his house) on the day of Fitr, prayed two Rak`aat, and did not pray before or after it."[8]

Ibn ul-Qayyim said:

"Neither he saws nor his companions prayed when they arrived at the musallaa - before the prayer or after it."[9]

And Ibn Hajar said: "... In short, there is no confirmed sunnah prayer before or after the `Eed prayer - contrary to those who compare it to the Jumu`ah prayer." ^[10] But it is confirmed from Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree that:

"The Prophet saws would not pray at all before the `Eed prayer; but when he returned to his house, he prayed."[11]

Al-Albaanee commented on this:

"So the negation of praying before and after the `Eed prayer refers only to praying at the musallaa."[12]

Time of the `Eed Prayer

`Abdullaah Bin Busr (ra) went out with some people to pray on a Fitr or Adha morning. He expressed his disapproval of the imaam's delay of the prayer beyond the time of tasbeeh^[13], and said:

"We (at the time of the Prophet saws) used to be finished with the prayer by now."[14]

This is the most authentic report regarding this issue. There are other reports, but are not confirmed in terms of their chains of narrators. Ibn ul-Qayyim said:

"The Prophet saws delayed the prayer of `Eed ul-Fitr, and was prompt with that of al-Adha. And Ibn `Umar, despite his extreme adherence to the Sunnah, would not go out until the sun had risen."[15]

Siddeeq Hasan Khaan said:

"The time of the two `Eed prayers is after the sun has reached the height of a spear, and until noon. The consensus of the scholars about this is in agreement with the (related) hadeeths - despite their weakness."[16]

Abu Bakr al-Jazaa'iree said:

"The time of the two Eed's prayers is after the sun has reached the height of a spear, and until noon. However, it is best to pray al-Adh at the earliest time, to enable the people to slaughter their sacrifices; and is recommended to delay al-Fitr prayer, to enable the people to give out their Sadaqah (zakaat ul-Fitr)."[17]

Late Report of Crescent Sighting

If the day of `Eed is not determined until late in the day (past the time of the `Eed prayer), then the `Eed prayer is held the next day. Abu `Umayr Bin Anas reported that some of his uncles, who were from the Ansaar^[18], and who were companions of the Prophet saws, told him:

"The crescent of Shawwaal was obscure to us. So we continued to fast that morning; later in the day, a group of travellers arrived and testified before Allaah's Messenger saws that they had seen the hilaal (crescent) the previous day; so he saws commanded the people to break their fast on that day, and to go out to the musallaa the following morning."[19]

No Athaan or Iqaamah

The `Eed prayer is not preceded with Athaan^[20] or Iqaamah^[21]. Jaabir Bin Samurah (t) reported:

"I prayed the `Eed prayer with Allaah's Messenger saws, on more than one occasion, without Athaan or Iqaamah."[22]

Ibn `Abbaas and Jaabir (ra) said:

"Athaan was never given (for the `Eed prayer) on the day of Fitr, nor the day of Adha."[23]

Ibn ul-Qayyim said (r):

"He saws would arrive at the musallaa and start the prayer without Athaan, Iqaamah, or announcing, 'Congregate for prayer'. The Sunnah is not to do any of that."[24]

Al-San`aanee (r) commented on the above reports: "

This provides evidence that it is not permissible to do that (announcing) for the `Eed prayer. So, doing it is a bid`ah (innovation)." [25]

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