Nafl Prayer After Eid: What is the Sharʿī Ruling?
Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Vol. 1, p. 252
Question:
What is the ruling on offering two nafl rakʿāt after returning from the Eid prayer ground? Is it permissible or not?
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd:
There is a clear narration in both Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim:
«عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رضی اﷲ عنهما أَنَّ النَّبِیَّ ﷺ خَرَجَ يَوْمَ الْفِطْرِ فَصَلَّی رَکْعَتَيْنِ لَمْ يُصَلِّ قَبْلَهَا وَلاَ بَعْدَهَا»
“Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما narrates: The Prophet ﷺ came out on the day of Eid al-Fiṭr and prayed two rakʿāt (of Eid), and he did not pray before them nor after them.”
[Bukhārī, Kitāb al-ʿĪdayn, Bāb al-Ṣalāh Qabla al-ʿĪd wa Baʿdahā; Muslim]
Ruling:
From this narration, it is clear that:
- The Prophet ﷺ did not perform any nafl prayers after the Eid prayer.
- There is no authentic evidence for praying nafl after Eid either in the Eid ground or after returning from it.
✅ Conclusion:
Offering nafl prayer after the Eid ṣalāh is not from the Sunnah. A Muslim should restrict himself to what is authentically established from the Prophet ﷺ.
