Changing the Route on the Day of Eid: A Prophetic Sunnah
Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
➊ Narrated by Jābir (رضي الله عنه):
"When it was the day of Eid, the Prophet ﷺ would change his route."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 986, Book of Jumuʿah: Chapter on Returning by a Different Path on Eid]
➋ Narrated by Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
"On the day of Eid, when the Prophet ﷺ would go (to the Eid prayer) through one path, he would return by another."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tirmidhī: 446, Book of Jumuʿah: Chapter on the Prophet’s Exit for Eid via One Route and Return via Another; Also in Tirmidhī: 541, Ibn Mājah: 1301, Aḥmad: 2/338, Ḥākim: 1/296, Ibn Khuzaymah: 1468]
❖ To revive a Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
❖ To spread the greetings of Eid and meet more people.
❖ So that more paths of the land may witness the remembrance of Allah.
❖ Possibly to show openness and joy of the Eid occasion throughout the community.
◉ This act is considered mustahabb (recommended), not obligatory.
◉ Practiced consistently by the Prophet ﷺ on both Eid al-Fiṭr and Eid al-Aḍḥā.
Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
✿ Changing the Path is Recommended (Mustahabb)
➊ Narrated by Jābir (رضي الله عنه):
"When it was the day of Eid, the Prophet ﷺ would change his route."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 986, Book of Jumuʿah: Chapter on Returning by a Different Path on Eid]➋ Narrated by Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
"On the day of Eid, when the Prophet ﷺ would go (to the Eid prayer) through one path, he would return by another."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tirmidhī: 446, Book of Jumuʿah: Chapter on the Prophet’s Exit for Eid via One Route and Return via Another; Also in Tirmidhī: 541, Ibn Mājah: 1301, Aḥmad: 2/338, Ḥākim: 1/296, Ibn Khuzaymah: 1468]✔ Wisdom Behind Changing the Route:
❖ To revive a Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
❖ To spread the greetings of Eid and meet more people.
❖ So that more paths of the land may witness the remembrance of Allah.
❖ Possibly to show openness and joy of the Eid occasion throughout the community.
Scholarly Consensus:
◉ This act is considered mustahabb (recommended), not obligatory.
◉ Practiced consistently by the Prophet ﷺ on both Eid al-Fiṭr and Eid al-Aḍḥā.
