It is permissible to say “Taqabbal Allah minna wa mink” as a congratulatory greeting after Eid prayer:
Although it is established from the practice of the Companions to give congratulations after Eid prayer with the words تقبل الله منا ومنك, the related Marfoo’ narration is weak.
Khalid bin Ma’dan narrates that on the day of Eid, I met Wathilah bin Asqa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) and I said to him the congratulatory words تقبل الله منا ومنك. In response, he also said تقبل الله منا ومنك. Then Wathilah said: لقيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يوم عيد فقلت: تقبل الله منا ومنك، قال: نعم! تقبل الله منا ومنك.
On the day of Eid, I met the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and I said to him these words تقبل الله منا ومنك (May Allah accept our and your good deeds). He replied: Yes! تقبل الله منا ومنك (May Allah accept our and your deeds).
In this hadith, Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Alaa Dimashqi is a denier of the hadith and Baqiyah bin Walid is a fabricator.
Interaction of the Companions:
On the day of Eid, the Companions used to greet each other with the words «تَقَبَّلَ اللَّهُ مِنَّا وَمِنْكَ» as Eid greetings, therefore, this action of the Companions is evidence of its permissibility.
❀ Thus, Jubayr bin Nufayr (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
كان أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا التقوا يوم العيد، يقول بعضهم لبعض: تقبل الله منا ومنك
The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), when they met each other on Eid, used to say to one another تقبل الله منا ومنك.
Is exchanging these words a disliked act?
Saying تقبل الله منك as a congratulation is a known and permissible act among the Companions, and the narration about its dislike is weak. It is narrated from Ubada bin Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said:
سألت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن قول الناس فى العيدين تقبل الله منا ومنكم، قال: ذلك فعل أهل الكتابين وكرهه.
I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about people saying to each other “Taqabbal Allah minna wa minkum” on the two Eids, and he said: “This is the practice of the Jews and Christians, and you should dislike this method.”
Is it permissible to say Eid Mubarak?
On the day of Eid, it is impermissible to use any words as congratulations other than تقبل الله منا و منك, because there is no proof to justify such words. Therefore, only the established congratulatory words should be used.
Shaking hands and hugging as Eid greetings after the Eid prayer is an innovation:
Shaking hands or hugging as Eid greetings after the Eid prayer is an innovation because this practice is not established from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ or the companions, may Allah be pleased with them.
Fatwa of Fazilat al-Sheikh, Hafiz Abdul Sattar al-Hammad Allah:
Question: Muhammad Shafi from Theing Mor, Allahabad asks that it is common in our area to shake hands and hug after the Eid prayer. What is the Islamic ruling on this?
Answer: There is no evidence from the Quran and Sunnah to support shaking hands or hugging after the Eid prayer. When someone asked Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari (may Allah have mercy on him) about this, he gave a very comprehensive answer in these words: “Handshaking comes after the greeting (salam). On the day of Eid, if handshaking is done as a completion of the greeting, then it is permissible. But as a special practice, Eid handshaking is an innovation (bid’ah) because it was not customary during the time of the Prophet and the Caliphate.” [Fatawa Sanaiya: 45/1 – Fatawa Ashaab al-Hadith: 416]
Praying the Eid prayer before the appointed time and praying in the Eidgah after the Eid prayer is disliked:
Performing voluntary prayer before Eid prayer in the Eidgah or at home, and after Eid prayer in the Eidgah, is a disliked act. The evidences for this are as follows:
1. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم خرج يوم الفطر فصلى ركعتين، لم يصل قبلها ولا بعدها
“Indeed, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) went out on the day of Eid al-Fitr for the Eid prayer and performed two rak’ahs of prayer. He did not perform any voluntary prayer before or after the Eid prayer.”
2. It is narrated from Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them) that he said:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، لم يصل قبلها ولا بعدها فى عيد
“Undoubtedly, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not perform any voluntary prayer before or after the Eid prayer on the day of Eid.”
Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman bin Ya’li bin Ka’b Taifi Saduq is the narrator. Abu Bakr Abdullah bin Hafs bin Umar bin Sa’d bin Abi Waqas Al-Maliki states that Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) went out towards the Eidgah on the day of Eid and did not perform any voluntary prayer before or after the Eid prayer وذكر أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فعله and he reported that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also followed this practice.
Fiqh of Hadith:
These hadiths indicate that performing voluntary prayers before and after the Eid prayer is absolutely not permissible and disliked, but according to the following hadith, it is Sunnah to pray two rak’ahs after returning home from the Eid prayer. Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يصلي قبل العيد شيئا، فإذا رجع إلى منزله صلى ركعتين
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not perform any voluntary prayer before Eid, but when he returned home, he would pray two rak’ahs.
