Complete Takbeer Wordings for Eid with Hadiths and Sayings of the Pious Predecessors
Written by: Abu al-Asqa‘ Qari Usamah bin Abd al-Salam
Reciting Takbeeraat aloud on the day of Eid is a recommended and Sunnah practice, established through the Qur’an, Prophetic Hadiths, and the actions of the Salaf al-Salihīn (pious predecessors).
Allah ﷻ commanded the believers to proclaim His greatness upon completing the fasts of Ramadan:
وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
(Surah Al-Baqarah: 185)
(That you may glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.)
✔ The General Command of the Prophet ﷺ:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"زيِّنوا العيدينِ بالتكبيرِ.”
(Adorn both your Eids with Takbeer.)
(Al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat by al-Tabarani: 5087 – Weak)
"التَّكبيرُ في الفطرِ سبعٌ في الأولى، وخمسٌ في الآخرةِ، والقراءةُ بعدَهُما كلتاهُما.”
(There are seven Takbeers in the first Rak‘ah and five in the second of the Eid al-Fitr prayer, followed by recitation.)
(Sunan Abi Dawood: 1151 – Hasan)
✔ Raising the Voice in Takbeer on the Day of Eid:
Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما:
"أن رسول الله ﷺ كان يخرج يوم الفطر والأضحى رافعًا صوته بالتكبير.”
(The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to come out on the days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha and raise his voice in Takbeer.)
(Al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani: 11367 – Authentic Chain)
✔ Practice of the Companions (Sahabah):
Narrated by Nafi‘ رحمه الله:
Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما would go to the marketplace on the day of Eid and recite Takbeer aloud along the way. People hearing him would also start reciting Takbeer.
(Sahih al-Bukhari – Chapter: Takbeer on the Day of Eid)
Salman al-Farsi رضي الله عنه said:
"كبروا، فإنها سنة.”
(Recite the Takbeer, for it is Sunnah.)
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 5633)
✔ From Umar, Ali, and Ibn Mas‘ud رضي الله عنهم:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ.
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 5635 – Authentic Chain)
✔ From Ibn Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرًا، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرًا، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَأَجَلُّ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ.
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi: 6236)
✔ From Imam al-Shafi‘i رحمه الله:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ.
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi: 6238)
✔ From Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal رحمه الله:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ.
(Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah: 2/246)
✔ From the Tabi‘īn (Followers of the Companions):
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَأَجَلُّ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ عَلَى مَا هَدَانَا.
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi: 6237)
✔ Eid al-Fitr:
It is recommended (mustahabb) to recite Takbeer from the sighting of the moon until the Eid prayer.
✔ Eid al-Adha:
It is obligatory (wājib) to recite the Takbeeraat of Tashreeq aloud after every obligatory prayer, starting from Fajr on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah (Day of Arafah) until ‘Asr on the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah.
The practice of reciting Takbeeraat is firmly established through the actions of the Prophet ﷺ, the Companions, and the Pious Predecessors. Various authentic wordings are found in Hadiths and Athar. On the days of Eid, we too should raise our voices in glorifying Allah, so that His greatness is spread and Shaytan is cast into despair.
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ!
Written by: Abu al-Asqa‘ Qari Usamah bin Abd al-Salam
✿ Introduction
Reciting Takbeeraat aloud on the day of Eid is a recommended and Sunnah practice, established through the Qur’an, Prophetic Hadiths, and the actions of the Salaf al-Salihīn (pious predecessors).
➊ Evidence from the Qur’an
Allah ﷻ commanded the believers to proclaim His greatness upon completing the fasts of Ramadan:
وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
(Surah Al-Baqarah: 185)
(That you may glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.)
➋ Evidences from the Prophetic Hadiths ﷺ
✔ The General Command of the Prophet ﷺ:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"زيِّنوا العيدينِ بالتكبيرِ.”
(Adorn both your Eids with Takbeer.)
(Al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat by al-Tabarani: 5087 – Weak)
"التَّكبيرُ في الفطرِ سبعٌ في الأولى، وخمسٌ في الآخرةِ، والقراءةُ بعدَهُما كلتاهُما.”
(There are seven Takbeers in the first Rak‘ah and five in the second of the Eid al-Fitr prayer, followed by recitation.)
(Sunan Abi Dawood: 1151 – Hasan)
✔ Raising the Voice in Takbeer on the Day of Eid:
Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما:
"أن رسول الله ﷺ كان يخرج يوم الفطر والأضحى رافعًا صوته بالتكبير.”
(The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to come out on the days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha and raise his voice in Takbeer.)
(Al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani: 11367 – Authentic Chain)
✔ Practice of the Companions (Sahabah):
Narrated by Nafi‘ رحمه الله:
Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما would go to the marketplace on the day of Eid and recite Takbeer aloud along the way. People hearing him would also start reciting Takbeer.
(Sahih al-Bukhari – Chapter: Takbeer on the Day of Eid)
Salman al-Farsi رضي الله عنه said:
"كبروا، فإنها سنة.”
(Recite the Takbeer, for it is Sunnah.)
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 5633)
➌ Wordings of Takbeer from the Pious Predecessors
✔ From Umar, Ali, and Ibn Mas‘ud رضي الله عنهم:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ.
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 5635 – Authentic Chain)
✔ From Ibn Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرًا، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرًا، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَأَجَلُّ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ.
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi: 6236)
✔ From Imam al-Shafi‘i رحمه الله:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ.
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi: 6238)
✔ From Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal رحمه الله:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ.
(Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah: 2/246)
✔ From the Tabi‘īn (Followers of the Companions):
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَأَجَلُّ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ عَلَى مَا هَدَانَا.
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi: 6237)
➍ Timing for Takbeer
✔ Eid al-Fitr:
It is recommended (mustahabb) to recite Takbeer from the sighting of the moon until the Eid prayer.
✔ Eid al-Adha:
It is obligatory (wājib) to recite the Takbeeraat of Tashreeq aloud after every obligatory prayer, starting from Fajr on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah (Day of Arafah) until ‘Asr on the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah.
✿ Conclusion
The practice of reciting Takbeeraat is firmly established through the actions of the Prophet ﷺ, the Companions, and the Pious Predecessors. Various authentic wordings are found in Hadiths and Athar. On the days of Eid, we too should raise our voices in glorifying Allah, so that His greatness is spread and Shaytan is cast into despair.
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ!
