Muwatta Malik (Yahya)

Twelve Takbirs and Raising the Hands in the Eid Prayers

It is narrated from Nafi‘ (rahimahullah), the freed slave of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar radi Allahu anhu, that I performed the Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr prayers with (i.e., behind) Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu, and he said seven takbirs before the recitation in the first rak‘ah and five takbirs before the recitation in the second rak‘ah.

Imam Malik said: This is the practice among us (in Madinah).

[موطأ امام مالك، رواية يحييٰ بن يحييٰ 1/ 180ح 435 وسنده صحيح، رواية ابي مصعب الزهري 1/ 230 ح 590]

The chain of this narration is absolutely authentic.

Imam al-Bayhaqi said:
And the mawquf narration of Abu Hurairah is authentic; there is no doubt about it. [الخلافيات قلمي ص 53 ب، مختصر الخلافيات لابن فرح ج 2 ص 220]

In one narration, Nafi‘ said: I found the people upon this. [الخلافيات قلمي، ص 55 ا وسنده حسن، عبدالله العمري عن نافع: حسن الحديث و ضعيف عن غيره]

In another narration, it is stated: And this is the Sunnah. [السنن الكبريٰ للبيهقي 3/ 288 وسنده صحيح]

Benefit: Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu, after performing his prayer (in general), used to say: By the One in Whose hand is my soul! I am the most similar to the prayer of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam among you; this was his prayer until he departed from this world. [صحيح بخاري: 803]

From this hadith, it is understood that every matter of Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu’s prayer is considered marfu‘ in ruling, and this was the last prayer of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam; therefore, every narration contrary to this is abrogated.

Imam Muhammad ibn Sirin (the famous trustworthy Tabi‘i) said:

«كل حديث أبى هريرة عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم» etc.

Every hadith of Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu is from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
[

شرح معاني الآثار 1/ 20 وسنده حسن]

This statement pertains to all narrations regarding the prayer of Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu, as is evident from the aforementioned hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari [803].

Summary of the Research: The hadith of twelve takbirs is absolutely authentic and is considered marfu‘ in ruling, and every narration contrary to it (even the narration of six takbirs in Ma‘ani al-Athar of al-Tahawi) is abrogated.

There are also marfu‘ narrations supporting the hadith of Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu. For example, see: [حديث ابي داود: 1151، وسنده حسن]

In an authentic hadith, it is mentioned that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to raise his hands at every takbir before the bowing (ruku‘) in each rak‘ah, until his prayer was completed. [مسند احمد 2/ 134، وسنده حسن، ماهنامه الحديث حضرو: 17 ص 6]

From this hadith, the pious predecessors (Imam al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra [3/ 292، 293], and Ibn al-Mundhir as in al-Talkhis al-Habir [2/ 86 ح 692]) have deduced (in agreement, i.e., without any difference) that one should raise the hands at the takbirs of the two Eids.

Imam al-Awza‘i rahimahullah (d. 157 AH) said: Raise the hands with all the takbirs. [احكام العيدين للفريابي: 136، وسنده صحيح]

Also see: [كتاب الام للشافعي 1/ 237 مسائل احمد رواية ابي داود ص 60 اور تاريخ يحييٰ بن معين رواية عباس الدوري: 2284]

The claim of some modern researchers and investigators that “one should not raise the hands at the takbirs of the two Eids” is baseless and rejected, being contrary to the unanimous understanding of the pious predecessors.

For details, see: [ماهنامه اشاعة الحديث حضرو: 17 ص 6 تا 17]

Note: It is not established from any single authentic hadith that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam ever performed the Eid prayer without the takbirs, nor is it established that he did not raise his hands at these takbirs.

. . . For the original article, see . . .
Tahqiqi wa ‘Ilmi Maqalat (Volume 3, pages 197 and 198) by Shaykh Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai rahimahullah