Explanation of the Two Eids
❀ The two Eids are among the symbols of Islam and cannot be abandoned under any circumstances.
❀ There are only two Eids in Islam. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
كان لكم يومان تلعبون فيهما وقد أبدلكم الله بهما خيرا منهما يوم الفطر ويوم الأضحى
“In the time of ignorance, you had two days for playing and amusement, and Allah Almighty has replaced them with two better days for you, namely the Day of Fitr and the Day of Adha.”
Fasting on the Days of the Two Eids:
❀ It is not permissible to fast on the days of the two Eids. Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه stated:
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قد نهاكم عن صيام هذين العيدين
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade you from fasting on the days of the two Eids.”
Preparing for Eid:
❀ The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, used to wear beautiful and special clothes on the day of Eid.
❀ Abdullah ibn Zubair, may Allah be pleased with him, said on the day of Eid al-Fitr: “Two Eids have come together on the same day.”
Therefore, all the etiquettes mentioned in relation to Friday should be observed on Eid as well.
Playing and Recreation on the Day of Eid:
❀ Eid days are days of happiness, and playing and frolicking on these days is permissible to express joy. Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says:
“It was the day of Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was also present with me when Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came, and two girls were reciting the poems of the Battle of Baaath which the poets of Ansar had composed in their pride. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: These are satanic songs! He repeated this phrase twice, then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: O Abu Bakr! Leave them, every nation has its Eid, and our Eid is this day.”
❀ Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says:
“On the day of Eid, the Abyssinian companions were playing with their shields and spears.”
Meeting on the day of Eid:
❀ The trustworthy and truthful narrator Imam Ali bin Thabit Al-Jazari, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“I asked Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, about تقبل الله منا ومنك (May Allah accept our and your good deeds), which people say to each other on the day of Eid, and he said: In our place (Medina), people have always done this and we do not consider any harm in it.”
❀ It is reported about the trustworthy and truthful Tabi’i Imam Makhool, may Allah have mercy on him, that on the day of Eid when someone met him, he would supplicate for them:
بَارَكَ اللَّهُ فِيكَ
“May Allah bless your deeds.”
There is no evidence to support embracing or hugging on the days of the two Eids to my knowledge.
Takbeerat of Eid:
❀ Saying Takbeerat is a part of Eid and should be said compulsorily. The Divine command is:
وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
“And complete the count of the month and glorify Allah for that He has guided you, so that you may be grateful.”
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said:
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يخرج فى العيدين… رافعا صوته بالتهليل والتكبير
“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to go out on the days of the two Eids while reciting Takbeer and Tahleel loudly.”
❀ The trustworthy Tabi’i Imam Nafi’ (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to leave the mosque very early towards the Eidgah and would keep saying Takbeerat loudly until he reached the Eidgah, and he would continue saying Takbeerat there until the Imam arrived.”
❀ Women also say Takbeerat in a low voice while going to the Eidgah and during the prayer there. It is narrated from Umm Atiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said:
“(By the command of) the Prophet (peace be upon him), we were ordered to go to the Eidgah on the day of Eid, so much so that even a virgin girl would come out from her secluded place and women who were menstruating would also come out; they would stay behind the men, say Takbeerat with them, join them in supplication, and hope to gain the blessings and purity of that day.”
❀ Various phrases of Takbeerat are established from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). They are as follows:
➊ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to recite the Takbeerat as follows:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَأَجَلُّ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَانَا
“Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, and all praise is for Allah alone. Allah is the Greatest and the Most Majestic, Allah is the Greatest, (all these praises) because He has guided us.”
➋ And from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) these words are also established:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرًا، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرًا، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَأَجَلُّ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ
“Allah is the Greatest, very Great, Allah is the Greatest, very Great, Allah is the Greatest and the Most Majestic, Allah is the Greatest and all praise is for Him alone.”
➌ From Sayyiduna Salman Al-Farsi (may Allah be pleased with him), the words of Takbeer are narrated as:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرًا، اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ أَعْلَىٰ وَأَجَلُّ مِنْ أَنْ تَكُونَ لَكَ صَاحِبَةٌ أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ وَلَدٌ أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ شَرِيكٌ فِي الْمُلْكِ أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ وَلِيٌّ مِنَ الذُّلِّ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرًا، اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَنَا، اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْنَا
“Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, very Great, O Allah! You are above having any wife, or offspring, or any partner in kingship, or any helper due to weakness or need. Keep proclaiming the greatness of Allah, O Allah! Forgive us, O Allah! Have mercy on us!”
➍ The trustworthy Tabi’i Ibrahim An-Nakha’i (may Allah have mercy on him) stated that people used to say these Takbeerat on the Day of Arafah:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ
“Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, none is worthy of worship except Him, Allah is the Greatest and all praise is for Allah alone.”
The words of Takbeerat for Eid are also narrated in a Marfoo’ (attributed to the Prophet) form in Daraqutni, but its chain is very weak. The same words are narrated from Ali and Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with them) in Ibn Abi Shaybah, but that chain is also weak.
Explanation of Eid Prayer
❀ Eid prayers are an essential part; they are obligatory on all men and women (who are legally accountable according to Sharia).
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
إن أول ما نبدأ به فى يومنا هذا أن نصلي
“We will begin our (Eid day) with the prayer.”
❀ Sayyida Umm Atiyah, may Allah be pleased with her, said:
أمرنا نبينا صلى الله عليه وسلم أن نخرج العواتق ذوات الخدور
“Our Prophet, peace be upon him, commanded us to bring young veiled women to the Eid gathering.”
Participation of Women in Eid Prayer:
❀ Women’s participation in the Eid gathering is obligatory, even if they are experiencing menstruation or postpartum bleeding.
❀ Women who are menstruating or in postpartum bleeding should stay away from the prayer but must participate in the supplication, takbirs, and the sermon. Umm Atiyah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates:
أمرنا أن نخرج الحيض يوم العيدين وذوات الخدور فيشهدن جماعة المسلمين ودعوتهم ويعتزلن الحيض عن مصلاهن قالت امرأة يا رسول الله إحدانا ليس لها جلباب قال لتلبسها صاحبتها من جلبابها
“We were commanded to bring menstruating and veiled women on the day of Eid so that they could join the Muslims’ gathering and supplication, but menstruating women should stay away from the place of prayer. A woman said: O Messenger of Allah! None of us has a shawl? He (peace be upon him) said: Her companion should share a part of her shawl with her.”
Despite all these hadiths, some people have prohibited women from going to the Eid gathering and have spread the notion that it is forbidden for women to attend the Eid gathering. This is outright oppression and contradicts the hadiths. Commenting on this, Allama Al-Shawkani (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
“To categorically declare women’s going out for Eid as disliked is to reject authentic hadiths through flawed opinions, and if young girls are specifically prevented, then the explicit agreed-upon hadith denies this, meaning it is explicitly against the agreed-upon hadith.”
Children’s Participation in Eid Prayer:
❀ Children should also participate in the Eid prayer.
Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنهما (who was a child during the time of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said:
خرجت مع النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يوم فطر أو أضحى فصلى العيد
“I went out with the Noble Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم on the day of Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha and performed the Eid prayer.”
❀ It is obligatory for adults to take all family members (young, old, men, and women) with them.
Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما said:
“The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم used to go out for the Eid prayers taking the household members: Fadl bin Abbas, Abdullah, Abbas Ali, Jafar, Hasan, Husayn, Usama bin Zaid, Zaid bin Harithah, and Ayman bin Umm Ayman رضي الله عنهم all with him.”
Etiquettes of Going to the Eidgah:
❀ The etiquettes for going to Eid prayer are the same as those for going to regular prayer, so please refer to the etiquettes for going to congregational prayer. In addition to these, it is Sunnah to say Takbeerat aloud while going to the Eidgah and until the prayer in the Eidgah.
❀ In another narration, Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) said:
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يخرج فى العيدين رافعا صوته بالتهليل والتكبير
“Undoubtedly, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to go out for the two Eids saying لا إله إلا الله and Takbeer loudly.”
Timings of Eid Prayer:
❀ The time for Eid prayer is when the sun has risen and is slightly elevated.
❀ Eid prayer should be performed early. Yazid bin Khumayr al-Rajabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“The Companion of the Prophet, Abdullah bin Basar, may Allah be pleased with him, went out with the people on the day of Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha, expressed displeasure at the delay of the Imam, and said: (In the Prophetic era) at this time we used to have finished the prayer, and that was the time of Duha prayer.”
❀ The last time for Eid prayer is before the zenith (zawal), as when a caravan arrived in the last part of the day and testified before the Prophet, peace be upon him, that they had sighted the moon the previous night, so the Prophet, peace be upon him, announced to break the fast and to come for the Eid prayer the next day.
Adhan and Iqamah for Eid prayer:
❀ There is no Adhan or Iqamah for the Eid prayer. Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah رضي الله عنه narrates:
I attended the Eid prayer with the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, and he صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم started the prayer before the sermon, without Adhan and Iqamah.
❀ However, it is permissible to announce the time of the Eid prayer through a speaker, etc., as when a caravan testified before the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم that they had sighted the moon the previous night, he صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ordered to break the fast and declared the next day as Eid.
Method of Eid prayers:
❀ On the day of Eid, the Eid prayer should be performed first.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
إن أول ما نبدأ به فى يومنا هذا أن نصلي
“We will begin our (Eid day) with prayer.”
❀ The Eid prayer consists of two rak’ahs. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم خرج يوم الفطر فصلى ركعتين
“The Prophet, peace be upon him, went out on the day of Eid al-Fitr and performed two rak’ahs of prayer.”
❀ The method of performing the Eid prayer is the same as the regular prayer, the only difference being that there are twelve additional takbirs in the Eid prayer. In the first rak’ah, after the opening supplication (du’a al-istiftah), say seven additional takbirs (pausing between each), then recite the Qur’an; in the second rak’ah, while standing, say five additional takbirs, then recite the Qur’an.
❀ Sayyidna Amr ibn Awf al-Muzani, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كبر فى العيدين فى الأولى سبعا قبل القراءة وفي الآخرة خمسا قبل القراءة
“The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to say seven takbirs in the first rak’ah of the Eid prayers, then recite, and in the second rak’ah say five takbirs, then recite.”
❀ According to the Hanafi school, there are six additional takbirs, three in the first rak’ah and three in the second rak’ah, but the narration supporting this is weak.
❀ While saying each additional takbir, raising the hands (raf’ al-yadayn) is recommended. Sayyidna Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, said:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا قام إلى الصلاة رفع يديه حتى تكونا حذو منكبيه ثم يكبر ويرفعهما فى كل تكبيرة يكبرها قبل الركوع
“When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, stood for prayer, he would raise his hands up to the level of his shoulders, then say takbir, and before bowing, for every takbir he said, he would raise his hands.”
This hadith establishes the permissibility of raising the hands with all takbirs said before bowing, although it does not explicitly mention the Eid prayer. However, the practical consensus of the Ummah is this. When Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked about raising the hands with the additional takbirs of Eid, he said: “Yes! Raise your hands with every takbir, but I have not heard any hadith regarding this matter.”
Besides them, Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi’i, Imam Ahmad (i.e., the four Imams), Imam Awza’i, and Ata, may Allah have mercy on them, hold the same view.
Recitation in Eid Prayers:
❀ In the Eid prayers, the recitation should be done aloud.
❀ It is established from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that in the first rak’ah of the Eid prayer, Surah Q (Surah Al-Qamar) is recited, and in the second rak’ah, Surah Q (Surah Al-Qamar) is recited. Additionally, it is also established to recite Surah Al-A’la in the first rak’ah and Surah Al-Ghashiyah in the second rak’ah.
Eid Sermon:
❀ The Eid sermon is only one, which takes place after the prayer and is delivered while standing.
❀ In the Eid sermon, preaching and advice should be given, and the command of charity should be conveyed. Abu Saeed Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
“The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to go to the Eidgah on the days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha and first lead the prayer, then after finishing the prayer, he would stand before the people while they sat in their rows, and he would preach and advise them, explain the rulings of Shariah, and say: Give charity, give charity, give charity.”
❀ There is no authentic evidence for two sermons on Eid, and it is absolutely incorrect to argue for two sermons based on the Prophet (peace be upon him) giving a separate sermon to women, because Sahih Muslim
explains that the reason was that they did not hear the sermon due to distance.
❀ The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not bring a pulpit to the Eidgah to deliver the Eid sermon; rather, he stood and delivered the sermon without a pulpit.
❀ If the number of people is large and the Imam’s voice does not reach the people, the Imam may stand on a higher place to deliver the sermon.
Abu Saeed Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خطب يوم العيد على راحلته
“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) delivered the sermon on Eid while sitting on a mount.”
❀ Listening to the Eid sermon is Sunnah, so out of necessity, a person may leave without listening to the sermon. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said after the Eid prayer:
إنا نخطب فمن أحب أن يجلس للخطبة فليجلس ومن أحب أن يذهب فليذهب
“Now we will deliver the sermon; whoever wishes to sit and listen to the sermon may sit, and whoever wishes to leave may leave.”
Nawafil in the Eidgah:
❀ It is not permissible to offer Nawafil in the Eidgah before or after the Eid prayer. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) said:
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 and offered two Rak’ahs of prayer, and he did not pray any prayer before or after it.”
Eid Prayer in the Village:
❀ Some people think that Eid prayer is only held in the city, not in the village, but this idea is incorrect, because Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) instructed his servant Ibn Abi Aqabah regarding Eid in the village of Zawiyah, so he gathered his family and sons and offered the Eid prayer like the people of the city and recited the Takbirs like them.
Where should the Eid prayer be performed?
❀ The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, always performed the Eid prayer in the Eidgah. Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يخرج يوم الفطر والأضحى إلى المصلى
“The Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, used to go towards the Eidgah on the days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.”
In cases of necessity, the Eid prayer can be performed in the mosque or any other place.
❀ Allah the Exalted says:
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَاسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا
“Fear Allah as much as you are able, listen to the commands, and obey.”
What if Eid falls on the day of Jumu’ah?
❀ Some people among us consider it very wrong for Eid to fall on a Friday in favor of the government; this is not true at all. Rather, it is a reason for happiness that two Eids have coincided on the same day.
❀ If Eid and Friday fall on the same day, Eid prayer must be performed, but attending Friday prayer is optional, although performing both is preferable. It is narrated from Ayas bin Abi Ramlah Al-Shami that he said: I went to Sayyiduna Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), and he was asking Sayyiduna Zaid bin Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him): “During the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), did two Eids (Friday and Eid) ever coincide on the same day while you were present?” He said: “Yes!” He asked: “What did you do then?” He replied: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) performed the Eid prayer, then excused the Friday prayer and said:
فمن شاء أن يصلي فليصل
‘Whoever wants to pray Friday prayer may do so.'”
Return from the Eidgah:
❀ It is Sunnah to change the route when returning from the Eid prayer.
Sayyiduna Jabir رضي الله عنه says:
كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا كان يوم عيد خالف الطريق
“The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم used to change the route when going to and returning from the Eid prayer.”
Specific Issues of Eid al-Fitr:
❀ Eid al-Fitr occurs on the first of Shawwal. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
الفطر يوم يفطر الناس
“Eid al-Fitr is the day when people break their fast.”
❀ If the moon of Shawwal is not sighted, then complete thirty days of Ramadan. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
“Do not fast or break your fast without sighting the moon, until you see it. If clouds cover it, then complete thirty days.”
❀ If the knowledge of the Shawwal moon is not known and fasting is observed, and later it is found that the moon has been sighted, then there are two cases: One is that the news of the moon was received within the time of Eid, then the fast should be broken and Eid celebrated. The second case is that the news of the moon was received after midday; then the fast should be broken but Eid should be celebrated the next day.
Issue of Sadaqah al-Fitr (Fitrana):
❀ Before going out for Eid prayer, it is obligatory for every Muslim to pay Fitrana on behalf of themselves and those under their care.
❀ The amount of Fitrana for one person is one Sa’ of the local food. Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) made Sadaqat al-Fitr obligatory, one Sa’ of dates or one Sa’ of barley upon every Muslim, whether slave or free, male or female, young or old, and commanded that it be given before people go out for Eid prayer.”
One Sa’ consists of four Mudd, and one Mudd is when a man with medium-sized hands spreads both his hands and fills them with grain.
Therefore, it is established that one Sa’ is four Mudd of a man with medium-sized palms.
The easy way to give Sadaqat al-Fitr is that a man with medium-sized hands fills both fists and gives it four times.
Eating before Eid al-Fitr:
❀ It is Sunnah to eat something before going for Eid al-Fitr.
Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه said:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يغدو يوم الفطر حتى يأكل تمرات ويأكلهن وترا
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to eat an odd number of dates on the day of Eid al-Fitr before going out.”
Specific issues of Eid al-Adha:
❀ Eid al-Adha occurs on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah.
Virtue of the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah:
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“No deed done on any day is more beloved to Allah than the deeds done on the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah.” The people said: “Not even Jihad?” He ﷺ said: “Not even Jihad, except for the one who goes out with his life and wealth and does not return.”
Takbeerat of the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah:
❀ During the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah, one should frequently say Takbeerat.
Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) and Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) used to walk in the markets during the ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah, saying Takbeerat loudly, and the people of the markets would also join them in saying Takbeerat.
The Virtue of Arafah:
❀ On the day of Arafah, Islam was completed, meaning it is the day of the completion of the religion.
❀ On the day of Arafah, Allah frees His servants from Hellfire, draws near to His servants, and proudly says to the angels:
هؤلاء ما يريدون؟
“What do these people want?”
Takbeerat of the Day of Arafah:
❀ During the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah, one should keep saying Takbeerat from the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah, and especially from the 9th to the 13th of Dhu al-Hijjah.
Sayyiduna Ali and Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) used to say Takbeerat from the Fajr prayer of the Day of Arafah until the evening of the 13th of Dhu al-Hijjah; they did not say it in the Maghrib prayer.
Fasting on the Day of Arafah:
❀ The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
صيام يوم عرفة أحتسب على الله أن يكفر السنة التى قبله والسنة التى بعده
“If one fasts on the Day of Arafah (9th of Dhu al-Hijjah), I hope that Allah will forgive the sins of the previous year and the coming year because of it.”
❀ Some scholars have differed regarding the Day of Arafah whether the fast should be observed according to the sighting in one’s own area on the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah, or according to the sighting in Makkah on the day when the pilgrims gather in the plain of Arafat. The correct view is that the fast should be observed on the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah according to the sighting in one’s own area.
Virtue of the Day of Sacrifice:
❀ The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
إن أعظم الأيام عند الله يوم النحر ثم يوم القر
“The most virtuous day in the sight of Allah is the Day of Sacrifice (i.e., the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah), then the 11th of Dhu al-Hijjah.”
Etiquettes of Eid al-Adha Prayer:
❀ It is Sunnah to eat after the Eid prayer on the day of Eid al-Adha. Sayyiduna Buraydah رضي الله عنه states:
كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يخرج يوم الفطر حتى يطعم ولا يطعم يوم الأضحى حتى يصلي
“The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to eat something (dates) before going out on the day of Eid al-Fitr, and on the day of Eid al-Adha, he would eat after the prayer.”
❀ It is better to eat from the meat of the sacrifice, because from Sayyiduna Buraydah رضي الله عنه there is another chain with these words of the narration:
ولا يطعم يوم النحر حتى يذبح
“The Prophet ﷺ did not eat anything on the day of Eid al-Adha until he had performed the sacrifice.”
Sacrifice after the Eid prayer:
❀ Sacrifice should be done after offering the Eid al-Adha prayer, because slaughtering the animal before the prayer is not considered a valid sacrifice.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
إن أول ما نبدأ فى يومنا هذا أن نصلي ثم نرجع فننحر فمن فعل ذلك فقد أصاب سنتنا ومن نحر قبل الصلاة فإنما هو لحم قدمه لأهله ليس من النسك فى شيء
“On that day, we will first perform the prayer, then return and offer the sacrifice. Whoever does this has followed our way, and whoever sacrifices before the prayer has only provided meat for his family; that is not a sacrifice.”
❀ If someone mistakenly sacrifices before the Eid prayer (and has the means), they should sacrifice again after the prayer. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
من ذبح قبل أن يصلي فليذبح أخرى مكانها
“Whoever sacrifices before the Eid prayer should offer another sacrifice in its place (if he has the means).”
