Source: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Vol. 1, p. 549❖ Question:
While going to perform the Eid prayers, the takbīrs that are recited — in which book of ḥadīth are they mentioned? Kindly explain with references.
❖ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd:
The reference for these takbīrs is found in Sunan al-Dāraquṭnī (vol. 2, p. 50).
The wording of the takbīrs as narrated is as follows:
Text of the Takbīrs (as in the Ḥadīth):
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ۔
or in extended form:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ۔
These takbīrs are the ones upon which the practice (ʿamal) of the Ummah is established.
❖ Statement of Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī رحمه الله:
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar mentioned an additional variation of wording in Fatḥ al-Bārī:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرًا۔
(Fatḥ al-Bārī, Bāb al-Takbīr Ayyām Minā, vol. 2, p. 587)
However, the first form —
“Allāhu Akbar, Allāhu Akbar, Lā ilāha illā Allāh, Allāhu Akbar, Allāhu Akbar, wa lillāhi al-ḥamd” —
is the most well-known and commonly practiced version among the scholars and the Ummah.
ھٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
This is what I hold to be correct, and Allah knows best what is right.
