This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Muhammad Farooq's book Issues of the Two Eids.
Noteworthy Matters in Preparing for the Two Eids:.
It is recommended and preferable to keep the following matters in mind when preparing for the Eid prayers.
Ghusl (ritual bath) for the Two Eids:.
Performing ghusl on the day of Eid is a recommended act, and the evidences are as follows:
Zadhan, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates that a person asked Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, about ghusl, and Ali said: If you wish, bathe daily. The person said: That is not what I mean; rather, tell me about the obligatory ghusl. He replied: The ghusl of Friday, Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and Eid al-Fitr days is obligatory.
Reference: Sunan al-Bayhaqi: 278/3 - Arwa al-Ghaleel: 1177/1 - Its chain is Hasan, Zadhan is a narrator of Hasan grade
Benefit:.
Allama al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, states that this narration is the best evidence for the recommendation of ghusl on the two Eids.
Reference: Arwa al-Ghaleel: 176/1
Nafi, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
أن ابن عمر كان يغتسل للعيدين
Undoubtedly, Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with both of them, also performed ghusl on the two Eids.
Reference: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, its chain is authentic
Analogy of ghusl on Friday:.
Since Friday is the gathering and Eid of the people of Islam, and due to this reason, the Friday bath (Ghusl) is obligatory. Similarly, these reasons exist for the two Eids as well. Therefore, it is better to adhere to the bath on the two Eids too.
It is narrated from Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
إن هذا يوم عيد، جعله الله للمسلمين، فمن جاء إلى الجمعة فليغتسل ، وإن كان طيب فليمس منه، وعليكم بالسواك
"Indeed, Allah has made this day (Friday) the Eid of the Muslims, so whoever comes for Friday should perform Ghusl, and if perfume is available, he should use it, and also adhere to using the Miswak (tooth-stick) on Friday."
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Establishing Prayers, Chapter on Adornment on Friday: 1098 - Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 5016 - Its chain is Hasan, Al-Bayhaqi: 243/3. In Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, there is specification of Zuhri's narration.
It is narrated from Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
غسل يوم الجمعة واجب على كل محتلم، وسواك ويمس من الطيب ما قدر عليه
Ghusl is obligatory on every adult person on Friday, Miswak is necessary, and he should use perfume according to his ability.
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Friday, Chapter on the obligation of Ghusl on every adult man on Friday: 846 - Sahih Ibn Hibban: 1233 - Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 1743 - Musnad Ahmad: 69/3 - Sunan Nasai: 384
Benefits:
➊ Taking a bath on Friday is obligatory, but taking a bath on the two Eids is at least recommended.
➋ Using a tooth-stick (miswak) and applying perfume for the Friday and Eid prayers is a recommended practice.
The elevated narrations regarding the bath of the two Eids are weak:
➊ Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يغتسل يوم الفطر و يوم الأضحى
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to perform ghusl (ritual bath) on the day of Eid al-Fitr and the day of Eid al-Adha."
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Establishing the Prayers, Chapter on what has been narrated about ghusl on the two Eids: 1315 - Sunan Bayhaqi: 678/3 - Its chain of narration is weak
In the chain of this hadith, Jabbarah bin Muflis and Hajjaj bin Tamim Jazari are weak narrators.
➋ Fakih bin Saad (may Allah be pleased with him) states:
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يغتسل يوم الفطر، ويوم النحر ويوم عرفة، وكان الفاكه يأمر أهله بالغسل فى هذه الأيام
"Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to perform ghusl on the day of Eid al-Fitr, the day of Eid al-Adha, and the day of Arafah, and Fakih bin Saad (may Allah be pleased with him) used to command his family to perform ghusl on these days."
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Establishing the Prayers, Chapter on what has been narrated about ghusl on the two Eids: 1316 - Musnad Ahmad: 78/4 - Fabricated
In the chain of this hadith, Yusuf bin Khalid Samti is a liar and Wadda' is weak, and Abdul Rahman bin Uqbah bin Fakih is an unknown narrator.
➌ It is narrated from Abu Rafi' (may Allah be pleased with him), who states:
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إغتسل للعيدين
"Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) performed ghusl on the two Eids."
Reference: Musnad Bazzar: 292/5 - Al-Bahr Al-Zakhar: 242/9, Its chain of narration is weak
In this hadith, Muhammad bin Ubaidullah bin Abu Rafi' and Mandal bin Ali are weak narrators.
Wearing the Best Clothes on Eid Day:.
Wearing the finest clothes on Eid day is a recommended practice. The evidences are as follows.
Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates:
أخذ عمر جبة من إستبرق تباع فى السوق، فأخذها فأتى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم - فقال: يا رسول الله ! إبتع هذه، تحمل بها للعيد والوفود، فقال له رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إنما هذه لباس من لا خلاق له
"Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) took a thick silk cloak that was being sold in the market. He brought this cloth to the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, please buy it and make it an adornment for Eid and delegations. Upon this, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to him: This is the clothing of those who have no share in the Hereafter."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari: 948 - Sahih Muslim, Book of Clothing and Adornment, Chapter on the Prohibition of Wearing Silk: 2068 - Sunan Abu Dawood, Book of Prayer, Chapter on Clothing for Friday: 1077 - Sunan an-Nasa'i: 1561
Fiqh of Hadith:.
Wearing the finest clothes on Fridays, Eid days, and when meeting delegations is a recommended act.
Reference: Sharh An-Nawawi: 37/14
For a person who has the means to wear the best clothes, it is a commendable practice to wear the best attire on the two Eids. Similarly, it is permissible and recommended to adorn oneself when attending gatherings and meeting delegations.
Reference: Sharh Ibn Battal: 166/4
This hadith is evidence that adorning oneself on the two Eids and when meeting delegations was a well-known and common practice. Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, states that he heard from the scholars that they liked perfume and adornment on the two Eids. Moreover, the head is especially more deserving of adornment because it is the focus of everyone's attention.
Reference: Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah with Al-Sharh Al-Kabir: 228/2
Nafi’, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
أن ابن عمر كان يلبس فى العيدين أحسن ثيابه
Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, used to wear his best clothes on the two Eids.
Reference: Sunan Al-Bayhaqi: 281/3 - Its chain of narration is authentic
Weak narrations regarding the emphasis on wearing beautiful clothes:.
Jabir bin Abdullah رضي الله عنهما narrates:
كانت للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم جبة، يلبسها فى العيدين ويوم الجمعة
"The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had a cloak which he used to wear on the two Eids and on Fridays."
Reference: Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 766 - Sunan Bayhaqi: 247/3 - Tabaqat Ibn Saad: 451/1 - Al-Da'ifah: 2455 – Its chain of narration is weak
Hajjaj bin Artaah is a weak and a muddler narrator and in this chain he is narrating from An.
Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما narrates, he says:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يلبس يوم العيد بردة حمراء
"The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم used to wear a red cloth on the day of Eid."
Reference: Al-Mu'jam al-Awsat by Al-Tabarani: 7609, Al-Sahihah: 1279 - Its chain of narration is weak; in this hadith's chain Sa'd bin Salat is an unknown narrator.
Ja'far, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates from his father, who narrates from his grandfather:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يلبس برد حبرة فى كل عيد
"Indeed, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to wear a striped Yemeni cloth on every Eid."
Reference: Kitab al-Umm by Al-Shafi'i: 152/1 - Its chain of narration is very weak
In this hadith's chain, Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Abi Yahya is abandoned and it is not established that Ali bin Husayn رضي الله عنه heard from his grandfather Ali bin Abi Talib رضي الله عنه.
It is narrated from Hasan bin Ali رضي الله عنهما, he says:
أمرنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى العيدين أن نلبس أجود ما نجد، وأن نتطيب بأجود مانجد، وان نضحي بأسمن مانحد
"The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم commanded us to wear the best clothes available on the two Eids, to use the best perfume available, and to sacrifice the fattest animal as much as possible."
Reference: Mustadrak Hakim: 230/4 - 231 - Al-Tabarani Kabir: 2756 – Its chain of narration is weak; Ishaq bin Bazraj is a weak narrator.
Eating an odd number of dates before the Eid prayer on the day of Eid al-Fitr:.
Consuming an odd number of dates before the Eid al-Fitr prayer is a Sunnah and recommended practice because it was the regular habit of the Prophet ﷺ to eat an odd number of dates before the Eid al-Fitr prayer.
Anas bin Malik (RA) narrates:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يغدو يوم الفطر حتى يأكل تمرات وياكلهن وترا
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would not go out on the day of Eid al-Fitr until he had eaten some dates, and he used to take an odd number of dates.”
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of the Two Eids, Chapter: Eating on the Day of Fitr before Going Out: 953. Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 1429 - Musnad Ahmad: 126/3
Anas bin Malik (RA) narrates:
ما خرج رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يوم الفطر حتى يأكل تمرات ثلاثا أو خمسا، أو سبعا أو أقل من ذلك أو أكثر من ذلك وترا
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ never went out on the day of Eid al-Fitr (for the Eid prayer) without eating three, five, seven, or an odd number of dates, whether less or more.”
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 232/3. Sahih Ibn Hibban: 3814 - Bayhaqi: 283/3 - Hakim: Isnad Hasan
Buraidah bin Husayb (RA) states:
كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يخرج يوم الفطر حتى يطعم، ولا يطعم يوم الأضحى حتى يصلي
“The Prophet ﷺ would not go out for the Eid al-Fitr prayer without eating, and on the day of Eid al-Adha, he would not eat anything until he had performed the Eid prayer.”
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 360/5 - Jami’ Tirmidhi, Chapters of the Two Eids, Chapter on Eating on the Day of Fitr before Going Out: 542 - Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Fasting, Chapter on Eating on the Day of Fitr before Going Out: 1756 - Hakim: 295/1. Isnad Hasan, Thawab bin Utbah Mahri Saduq is the narrator.
Benefits:.
Imam Tirmidhi, may Allah have mercy on him, states that according to the scholars, it is recommended to eat something before going out for the Eid al-Fitr prayer, but eating dates is the most preferred practice.
Reference: Tirmidhi, under Hadith: 542
Wisdom behind eating something before the Eid al-Fitr prayer:.
Mahlab bin Abi Safrah, may Allah have mercy on him, says: The wisdom behind eating before the Eid al-Fitr prayer is so that no one suspects that fasting is obligatory until after the Eid prayer. In other words, this practice remedies such suspicion. Some scholars say that since on the day of Eid al-Fitr, after the obligation of fasting has ended, the obligation to break the fast has come into effect, therefore, in compliance with Allah’s command, it is recommended to eat early before the Eid prayer on the day of Eid al-Fitr. Limiting oneself to a small amount of food is intended to comply with the divine command, because if obedience to the divine command was not considered, the Prophet, peace be upon him, would have eaten a larger amount.
Reference: Fath al-Bari: 576/2
Wisdom behind eating dates before the Eid al-Fitr prayer:.
The wisdom behind the recommendation to eat dates before the Eid al-Fitr prayer is that the sweetness strengthens the eyesight, which has weakened due to fasting. Also, because sweetness corresponds to faith and the interpretation of dreams, it softens the heart and is easily available. Some of the Tabi‘in, may Allah have mercy on them, have even considered the use of any sweet thing in general as recommended, such as honey. Moreover, whoever does not have access to dates or similar can consume anything as breakfast, even just water. Maḥlab, may Allah have mercy on him, says: Eating dates in an odd number points to the oneness of Allah, and the Prophet ﷺ used to use odd numbers in all matters as a form of blessing.
Reference: Fath al-Bari: 577, 576/2 - Tuhfat al-Ahwazi: 68/3
Ibn Qudamah, may Allah have mercy on him, states that the opinion of most scholars, such as Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, and Shafi‘i, may Allah have mercy on him, is that eating before the Eid prayer on Eid al-Fitr and eating after the Eid prayer on Eid al-Adha is a Sunnah act, and there is no disagreement among scholars regarding this Sunnah practice.
Reference: Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah with Al-Sharh Al-Kabir: 229/2
Statement of weak narrations related to this issue:.
It is narrated from Jabir bin Samurah رضي الله عنه, he states:
كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يغدو يوم الفطر حتى يأكل سبع تمرات
"The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would not go out for the Eid prayer on the day of Eid al-Fitr until he had eaten seven dates."
Reference: Al-Tabarani Al-Kabeer: 2039 - Its chain is very weak - in its chain, Nasih bin Abdullah and Abu Abdullah Haik are abandoned narrators.
It is narrated from Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما:
كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يغدو يوم الفطر حتى يغدي أصحابه من صدقة الفطر
"The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would not go out for the Eid prayer on the day of Eid al-Fitr without feeding his companions the Zakat al-Fitr."
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Fasting, Chapter on eating on the day of Fitr before going out: 1755 - Its chain is weak
In its chain, three narrators, Jabbara bin Muflis, Mandal bin Ali, and Umar bin Sahban are weak.
Eating the meat of sacrifice after the Eid prayer on the day of Eid al-Adha is preferable:.
Eating the meat of the sacrifice after the Eid prayer on the day of Eid al-Adha is a Sunnah and recommended act.
Buraidah bin Hushaib رضي الله عنه narrates:
كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يخرج يوم الفطر حتى يطعم، ولا يطعم يوم الأضحى حتى يصلي
“The Prophet ﷺ would not go out for the Eid al-Fitr prayer until he had eaten something, and on the day of Eid al-Adha, he would not eat anything until he had performed the prayer.”
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 360/5 - Jami' Tirmidhi, Chapters of the Two Eids, Chapter on Eating on the Day of Fitr before Going Out: 542 - Ibn Majah, Book of Fasting, Chapter on Eating on the Day of Fitr before Going Out: 1756 - Mustadrak Hakim: 295/1 - Its chain is Hasan, Thawab bin Utbah Mahri, truthful and Hasan hadith.
It is narrated from Buraidah bin Hushaib رضي الله عنه, he states:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يخرج يوم الفطر حتى يطعم، وكان لا يأكل يوم النحر شيئا حتى يرجع فيأكل من أضحيته
“Indeed, the Prophet ﷺ would not go out for the Eid al-Fitr prayer without eating something, and on the day of Eid al-Adha, he would not eat anything until after the prayer was completed, then he would return home and eat from the meat of his sacrifice.”
Reference: Dar Qutni: 1697 - Its chain is Hasan
Nafi' رحمه الله states:
أن ابن عمر كان يوم الأضحى يخرج إلى المصلى، ولا يطعم شيئا
“Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما would head towards the Eidgah on the day of Eid al-Adha without eating anything.”
Reference: Bayhaqi: 283/3 - Its chain is Sahih
Benefits:
Imam Tirmidhi, may Allah have mercy on him, states that the scholars have deemed it recommended to eat after returning from the Eid prayer on the day of Eid al-Adha.
Reference: Tirmidhi under Hadith: 542
Ibn Qudamah, may Allah have mercy on him, says: The wisdom behind delaying eating on the day of Eid al-Adha is that on this day, performing the sacrifice and eating from the sacrificial meat is a prescribed act. Therefore, breaking the fast (having breakfast) with the sacrificial meat on this day has been made permissible.
Reference: Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah with Al-Sharh Al-Kabeer: 229/2 - Nayl Al-Awtar: 307/3 - Tuhfat Al-Ahwazi: 3/68
Explanation of a weak hadith:
It is narrated from Buraidah رضي الله عنه that he said:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا كان يوم الفطر يخرج حتى يأكل شيئا، و إذا كان الأضحى لم يأكل شيئا حتى يرجع، وكان إذا رجع أكل من كبد أضحيته
“When the day of Eid al-Fitr came, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم would not leave the house until he had eaten something, and on the day of Eid al-Adha, he would not eat until he had performed the prayer and returned home, and when he returned home, he would eat the liver of his sacrifice (i.e., kebab).”
Reference: Bayhaqi: 283/3 – Its chain is weak; Aqbah bin Abdullah Asamm is weak and a narrator who conceals defects, and this narration contains his concealment as well.
Since this narration is weak, it is not correct to deduce from it that eating the liver of the sacrifice specifically after Eid prayer is prescribed; rather, choosing any part of the sacrificial meat is Sunnah.
Eating before the Eid al-Adha prayer is permissible.
Although it is a recommended practice to eat after the Eid prayer on the day of Eid al-Adha, there is no harm in eating before the Eid prayer as well, and this is proven from the Prophet ﷺ. As Bara bin Azib (RA) narrates:
خطبنا النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يوم الأضحى بعد الصلاة فقال: من صلى صلاتنا، ونسك نسكنا فقد أصاب النسك، و من نسك قبل الصلاة فإنه قبل الصلاة ولانسك له، فقال أبوبردة بن نيار خال البراء: يارسول الله ! فإنى نسكت شاتي قبل الصلاة وعرفت أن اليوم يوم أكل و شرب، وأحببت أن تكون شاتي أول شاة تذبح فى بيتي، فذ بحت شاتي و تغديت قبل أن آتي الصلاة، قال: شاتك شاه لحم
“The Prophet ﷺ delivered the Eid sermon after the Eid prayer on the day of Eid al-Adha and said: Whoever prays the prayer according to our way and sacrifices according to our Sunnah, then indeed he has attained the purpose of the sacrifice (i.e., reward and blessing). And whoever sacrifices before the Eid prayer, then that is a slaughter before the prayer and his sacrifice is not accepted.” (Upon hearing this) Bara bin Azib’s maternal uncle, Abu Burda bin Niyar (RA), said: O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I sacrificed my goat before the Eid prayer because I was well aware that this is a day of eating and drinking, so I preferred that my goat be slaughtered first in my house. So, I slaughtered my goat before the Eid prayer and ate before attending the prayer. The Prophet ﷺ said: Your goat is just meat goat (meaning its sacrifice is not accepted but it is like ordinary meat).”
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of the Two Eids, Chapter: Eating on the Day of Sacrifice: 955 - Sunan Bayhaqi: 274/3 - Musnad Abu Ya’la: 1662 - Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 1427
Benefits:
The day of Eid al-Adha is a day for eating and drinking, and there is no prohibition on eating or drinking before or after the Eid prayer. However, it is preferable to eat after the Eid prayer, but eating before the Eid prayer is permissible, and such a person will not be sinful.
Eating before the Eid al-Adha prayer is permissible because if this act were forbidden and impermissible, just as the Prophet ﷺ reprimanded Abu Burda (may Allah be pleased with him) for sacrificing before the Eid prayer and ordered him to repeat the sacrifice, similarly, the Prophet ﷺ would have certainly scolded eating before the Eid prayer. But the silence of the Prophet ﷺ is evidence of the permissibility of this act.
Ibn Battal (may Allah have mercy on him) says: Eating before the Eid prayer on the day of Eid al-Adha is neither a recommended act nor forbidden (rather it is permissible). Do you not see that in the mentioned hadith, the Prophet ﷺ neither praised the companion for eating before the Eid prayer nor reprimanded him for it (so this silence is proof of the permissibility of this act).
Reference: (Sharh Ibn Battal: 174/4)
Ibn Khuzaymah (may Allah have mercy on him) titled this hadith as follows: Although eating before heading to the Eidgah on the day of Eid al-Adha is permissible and the one who eats before the Eid prayer is not sinful, it is preferable not to eat before slaughtering the sacrifice.
It is permissible to go to the Eidgah both on foot and on horseback.
It is permissible and allowed to proceed towards the Eidgah on foot or mounted for the performance of the Eid prayer, because there is no evidence specifying one method over the other. Rather, Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, in Sahih Bukhari, in the Book of the Two Eids, has dedicated this chapter __ARABIC_N_22__ (The description of going mounted or on foot towards the Eidgah for the Eid prayer) indicating the permissibility of both methods. Also, the narrations indicating the recommendation of going on foot towards the Eidgah are not conclusive, the explanation of which is presented in the following lines.
Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, states:
__ARABIC_N_23__
"Indeed, going on foot towards the Eidgah for the Eid prayer is Sunnah."
Reference: Tirmidhi: 530, Ibn Majah 1296, Musannif Abdul Razzaq: 5667 - Sunan Bayhaqi: 281/3 - Its chain is very weak
In the chain of this hadith, Abu Ishaq Sabi'i is a narrator who commits tadlis (concealing a defect in the chain) and narrates from him, and Harith ibn Abdullah Awar is a liar narrator.
Sa'd Quradh, may Allah be pleased with him, states:
__ARABIC_N_24__
"The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to come to the Eidgah on foot and return on foot."
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Establishing Prayer, Chapter on Going to Eid on Foot: 1294
This hadith is continuous but weak.
It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with both of them, who states:
__ARABIC_N_25__
"The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, used to go to the Eidgah on foot and return on foot."
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Establishing Prayer, Chapter on Going to Eid on Foot: 1295 - Its chain is very weak
Abdur Rahman ibn Abdullah ibn Umar ibn Hafs al-Umari is a discarded narrator.
Abu Rafi', may Allah be pleased with him, states:
__ARABIC_N_26__
"Indeed, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, used to come to the Eidgah on foot."
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Establishing Prayer, Chapter on Going to Eid on Foot: 1297 - Its chain is weak
In the chain of this hadith, Mundhir ibn Ali and Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Rafi' are weak narrators.
Saeed ibn Musayyib, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
__ARABIC_N_27__
Eid al-Fitr has three Sunnahs:
(1) Going on foot towards the Eidgah.
(2) Eating before going to the Eidgah.
(3) Performing ghusl (ritual bath).
Reference: Ahkam al-Eidayn by al-Firyabi, its chain is weak
There are two reasons for the weakness of this hadith:
➊ Imam Zahri, may Allah have mercy on him, is a narrator who commits tadlis, and there is tadlis in this hadith.
➋ Saeed ibn Musayyib, may Allah have mercy on him, is a Tabi'i (successor), and the narration of a Tabi'i calling an act Sunnah does not establish a marfu' (attributed to the Prophet) narration. Therefore, due to Imam Zahri's tadlis and the marfu' narration not being established, this narration is weak in any case.
Imam Zahri, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
__ARABIC_N_28__
"Indeed, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, never rode in any funeral nor did he ride towards the Eidgah for the Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr prayers."
Reference: Ahkam al-Eidayn by al-Firyabi
(1) Imam Zahri, may Allah have mercy on him, commits tadlis.
(2) Imam Zahri, may Allah have mercy on him, is a Tabi'i of the Tabi'in, and there is no direct link between the Tabi'in and the Sahabah in this chain, therefore this chain is problematic and rejected and not acceptable as evidence.
Taking weapons to the Eidgah is a disliked act:.
Since Eid is a religious festival for the people of Islam and for the performance of this religious duty, people enthusiastically gather at the Eidgah to demonstrate unity and solidarity. Also, in such a large crowd, even a slight carelessness by an armed person can cause harm to the attendees. Therefore, to prevent such harm, Shariah has declared carrying weapons in the Eidgah as disliked (makruh). The arguments for this are as follows:
Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, in Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Eidayn, has dedicated this chapter (باب مايكره من حمل السلاح فى العيد والحرم) (The statement on the dislike of carrying weapons in the Eidgah and Haram) indicating the dislike of carrying weapons in the Eidgah.
Sa'id bin Jubair, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates:
كنت مع ابن عمر حين أصابه سنان الرمح فى أخمص قدمه. فلزقت قدمه بالركاب، فنزلت فنزعتها، وذلك بمني، فبلغ الحجاج فجعل يعوده فقال: لو نعلم من أصابك، فقال ابن عمر: أنت أصبتني، قال: وكيف؟ قال: حملت السلاح فى يوم لم يكن يحمل فيه، وأدخلت السلاح الحرم، ولم يكن السلاح يدخل الحرم
"I was with Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, when a spear's tip pierced the sole of his foot and his foot got stuck in the stirrup. I dismounted and pulled his foot out of the stirrup. This incident happened in Mina. Then Hajjaj bin Yusuf was informed and he came to visit him and said: If we find out that someone has wounded you, we will punish him severely. Upon hearing this, Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: You have wounded me. Hajjaj asked: How? Ibn Umar said: You carried weapons on that day (Eid day), a day on which carrying weapons is not allowed, and you brought weapons into the Haram, whereas weapons are not allowed to be brought into the Haram."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Eidayn, Bab Ma Yukrah min Hamli al-Silah fi al-Eid wa al-Haram: 966 - Bayhaqi: 155/8
Sa'id bin Amr, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates:
دخل الحجاج على ابن عمر وأنا عنده، فقال: كيف هو؟ فقال: صالح قال: من أصابك؟ قال: أصابني من أمر بحمل السلاح فى يوم لا يحل فيه حمله (يعني الحجاج)
"Hajjaj bin Yusuf came to Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, while I was also present there, and asked how he was. Ibn Umar said: I am fine. He (Hajjaj) asked who wounded him. He replied: The person who wounded me is the one who ordered to carry weapons on that (Eid) day, a day on which carrying weapons is not permissible."
Reference: Bukhari, Kitab al-Eidayn, Bab Ma Yukrah min Hamli al-Silah fi al-Eid wa al-Haram: 967
Benefits:
Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy on him, says: The statement of Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, implies that carrying weapons on the day of Eid al-Adha in the sacred and non-sacred areas is not permissible, and similarly, carrying weapons in the sacred precinct is also not correct.
Reference: Fath al-Bari by Ibn Rajab: 7/45
Ibn Battal, may Allah have mercy on him, states that the saying of Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both: (حملت السلاح فى يوم لم يكن يحمل فيه) is evidence that carrying weapons in the Eidgah is not befitting of Eid, and carrying weapons to such gathering places (during the Eid congregations) is disliked where there is no need for weapons. Because at such occasions, due to the crowding of people, there is a risk of people getting injured or killed.
Reference: Sharh Ibn Battal: 4/184
Shawkani, may Allah have mercy on him, explains: The words of the hadith (weapons were not carried on that day) are evidence that carrying weapons on the day of Eid (in the Eidgah) is a disliked act, and the companion’s كان يفعل كذا (it was done like this during the time of the Prophet) statement holds the status of a Marfu’ hadith.
Reference: Nail al-Awtar: 3/302
Is carrying weapons in the Eidgah Haram?
Going armed to the Eidgah on the days of the two Eids is a disliked act, and despite the dislike, it is permissible to carry weapons to the Eidgah under some Shariah necessity. The evidences for permissibility are as follows:
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates:
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا خرج يوم العيد أمر بالحربة فتوضع بين يديه فيصلى إليها، والناس وراءه، وكان يفعل ذلك فى السفر
"Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), when he set out on the day of Eid (for Eid prayer), would order his servant to carry a spear, then that spear would be planted in front of him, and he would pray facing it, and the people would be behind him. This was also his usual practice during travel."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Chapters on Sutrah for the prayer, Chapter on the Sutrah of the Imam and the Sutrah behind him: 494 - Sahih Muslim, Book of Prayer, Chapter on Sutrah for the one praying and the recommendation to pray facing a Sutrah: 501 - Sunan Abu Dawood, Book of Prayer, Chapter on what covers the one praying: 687
It is narrated from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that he said:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يخرج بالعنزة معه يوم الفطر والأضحى ليركزها فيصلي إليها
"Indeed, the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to go out on the days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha carrying a spear with him so that he could plant it and pray facing it."
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 145/2 - Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq: 2281 - Its chain is authentic
Also, the subsequent hadiths that indicate prohibition of carrying weapons to the Eidgah are weak and not reliable.
It is narrated from Dhahak bin Muzahim (may Allah have mercy on him) that:
نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يخرج بالسلاح يوم عيد
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade going out armed on the day of Eid."
Reference: Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq: 5668 - Its chain is very weak
In this hadith, there is tadlis (concealment) by Abd al-Razzaq bin Hammam (may Allah have mercy on him), and Juwaybir is a very weak narrator, and Dhahak bin Muzahim (may Allah have mercy on him) is not a companion, so the narration is mursal due to the absence of mention of a companion.
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) states:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم نهى أن يلبس السلاح فى بلاد الإسلام فى العيدين إلا أن يكونوا بحضرة العدو
"Certainly, the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade wearing weapons in Islamic lands on the days of the two Eids, except when facing the enemy (then it is permissible to be armed on the days of the two Eids)."
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Prayer, Chapter on what has been narrated about wearing weapons on the day of Eid: 1314 - Al-Tabarani, Al-Awsat: 7622 - Its chain is very weak
In the chain of this hadith, Nail bin Najiha is weak, Ismail bin Ziyad Hanafi is abandoned, and it is a repeated narration from Ibn Jurayj.
