The takbirs of the two Eids and their differences about them

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said twelve takbirs in the Eid prayer: seven in the first rak'ah and five in the second rak'ah.

Abu A'ishah (who used to sit in the gatherings of Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah) said: I was with Sa'id bin al-As. He called Sayyiduna Abu Musa al-Ash'ari and Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with them) and asked them about the takbirs of the two Eids. Sayyiduna Abu Musa said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say four takbirs in the Eids, like the funeral prayer." Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) confirmed what he said. Sayyiduna Abu Musa said: "When I was the governor of Basrah, I used to lead the Eid prayer there in the same way." Abu A'ishah said: I was present in that gathering, and I remember well these words of Sayyiduna Abu Musa: "Four takbirs, like the funeral prayer."

Makhul said: A man who had seen Sa'id bin al-As told me that Sa'id bin al-As once called four of those Companions who had pledged allegiance at the hand of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) under the tree. Sa'id bin al-As asked them about the takbirs of Eid, and they said that there are eight takbirs. The narrator said: I mentioned this to Ibn Sirin, and he said: "He spoke the truth, but he left out the opening takbir (takbir al-tahrimah)."

Masruq said: Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) used to teach us nine takbirs for the Eid prayers: five in the first rak'ah and four in the second rak'ah. He used to join the recitations of the two (rak'ahs) to each other.

Something similar is reported from Ibrahim.

Al-Sha'bi said: Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say nine takbirs each for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha: five in the first rak'ah and four in the second, and he used to join the recitations of the two (rak'ahs).

This (the following report) is also narrated from Abdullah bin Abi Musa.

Ibrahim reported that one of the governors of Kufah (Sufyan said: one of the two narrators said it was Sa'id bin al-As, and the other said it was al-Walid bin Uqbah) sent for Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Sayyiduna Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman and Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Qays (may Allah be pleased with them) and said: "This Eid has arrived, so what is your view?" They referred the matter to Sayyiduna Abdullah, who said: "He should say nine takbirs: a takbir with which he opens the prayer, then he says three takbirs, then recites a surah, then says a takbir, then bows. Then he stands and recites a surah, then says four takbirs, bowing with one of them."

Al-Harith said: Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say eleven takbirs in the Eid al-Fitr prayer: six in the first rak'ah and five in the second rak'ah. He would begin both rak'ahs with the recitation. In Eid al-Adha he used to say five takbirs: three in the first rak'ah and two in the last rak'ah. He used to begin both rak'ahs with the recitation.

Ata said: Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to say the takbir thirteen times.

Ata said: Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said thirteen takbirs in the Eid prayer: seven in the first rak'ah and six in the second rak'ah.

Nafi' said: Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say seven takbirs in the first rak'ah and five in the second rak'ah, all of them before the recitation.

Ata said: Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to say seven takbirs in the first rak'ah of the Eid prayer, including the opening takbir (takbir al-tahrimah), and six takbirs in the second rak'ah, including the takbir of bowing; all these additional takbirs were before the recitation.

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: On the night of Eid, al-Walid bin Uqbah called Sayyiduna Ibn Mas'ud, Sayyiduna Abu Mas'ud, Sayyiduna Hudhayfah and Sayyiduna Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with them) and said to them: "Tomorrow is Eid; how are the takbirs to be said?" Sayyiduna Abdullah said: "Say four takbirs while standing, then recite Surah al-Fatihah and a surah from the Mufassal that is neither very long nor very short, then bow. Then, standing, recite, and when you finish the recitation say four takbirs, and bow with the fourth takbir."

Kardus said: Sa'id bin al-As arrived in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah and called Sayyiduna Abdullah, Sayyiduna Hudhayfah, Sayyiduna Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari and Sayyiduna Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with them) and asked them about the takbirs of Eid. All of them referred the matter to Sayyiduna Abdullah, and he said: "Say a takbir while standing, then say a takbir, then say a takbir, then say a takbir and recite, then say a takbir and bow. Then rise for the next rak'ah and recite, then say a takbir, then say a takbir, then say a takbir, then say a takbir and go into bowing."

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sa'id bin al-Musayyib said: There are nine takbirs in all, and the prayer is to be performed with the recitations of the two rak'ahs joined together.

Abdullah bin al-Harith said: Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) led us in the Eid prayer with nine takbirs: five takbirs in the first rak'ah and four in the second rak'ah, and he joined the two recitations.

Al-Sha'bi said: Ziyad sent a message to Masruq, saying: "We have many affairs to attend to, so please tell us about the takbirs of Eid." He said: "There are nine takbirs in Eid: five in the first rak'ah and four in the second rak'ah. Join the recitations of the two, that is, there should be no additional takbir between the two recitations."

Ibrahim said: Al-Aswad and Masruq used to say nine takbirs in the Eid prayer.

Muhammad bin Sirin said: Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say nine takbirs in Eid. Then he narrated a hadith similar to that of Sayyiduna Abdullah.

Ibrahim said: The students of Sayyiduna Abdullah used to say nine takbirs in the Eid prayers.

Abu Qilabah said about the takbirs of the two Eids that they are nine each.

Jabir said: Abu Ja'far used to give fatwa according to the view of Sayyiduna Abdullah regarding the takbirs of the two Eids.

Makhul said about the takbirs of Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr: There are seven and five takbirs, and all of them are before the recitation; do not join the two recitations together.

Al-Hasan and Muhammad held the view of nine takbirs in Eid.

Yahya bin Ya'mar used to say nine takbirs in one Eid and eleven takbirs in the other.

Abd al-Rahman bin Rafi' said: Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say twelve takbirs in the Eid prayers: seven in the first rak'ah and five in the second rak'ah.

Abd al-Aziz bin Umar said about his father that he used to say seven and five takbirs in the Eid prayer: seven in the first rak'ah and five in the second rak'ah.

Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: There are five and seven takbirs in the two Eids: seven in the first rak'ah before the recitation and five in the second rak'ah before the recitation.

Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: There are seven and five takbirs in the two Eids.

Muhammad bin Hilal said: I heard Salim bin Abdullah and Ubaydullah bin Abdullah instructing the governor of Madinah, Abd al-Rahman bin al-Dahhak, on the day of Eid al-Fitr to say seven takbirs in the first rak'ah and then recite Surah al-A'la, and to say five takbirs in the second rak'ah and recite Surah al-Alaq.

Thabit bin Qays said: I prayed the Eid al-Fitr prayer behind Umar bin Abd al-Aziz; in the first rak'ah he said seven takbirs before the recitation, and in the second rak'ah five takbirs before the recitation.

Ammar bin Abi Ammar said: Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said twelve takbirs in the Eid prayer: seven in the first rak'ah and five in the second rak'ah.

Al-Sha'bi and al-Musayyib said: Nine takbirs are to be said in the Eid prayers: five in the first rak'ah and four in the second rak'ah. There is no takbir between the two recitations.