This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Muhammad Farooq's book Issues of the Two Eids.
Ruling on the Eid Sermon:
Listening to the Eid sermon is Sunnah and recommended, not obligatory. The evidence for this is the following hadith.
❀ Abdullah bin Saib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
شهدت مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم العيد فلما قضى الصلاة قال إنا نخطب فمن أحب أن يجلس للخطبة فليجلس ومن أحب أن يذهب فليذهب
"I attended Eid with the Prophet (peace be upon him), and when he completed the prayer, he said: Indeed, we will deliver a sermon, so whoever wishes to sit for the sermon should sit, and whoever wishes to leave may go."
Reference: Sunan Abu Dawood, Book of Prayer, Chapter on Sitting for the Sermon: 1155 - Sunan an-Nasa'i, Book of the Eid Prayers, Chapter on the Choice Between Sitting for the Eid Sermon: 1572 - Sunan Ibn Majah, Book on Establishing Prayers, Chapter on Waiting for the Sermon after Prayer: 1290 - Hakim: 290/1 - Sunan Bayhaqi: 301/3 - Its chain of narration is authentic
Fiqh of the Hadith:
(1) Shawkani says: This hadith is evidence that sitting to listen to the Eid sermon is Sunnah, not obligatory, and the Eid sermon is Sunnah.
(2) All scholars who hold the view of the obligation or non-obligation of the Eid prayer agree that the Eid sermon is not obligatory, and I do not know anyone who believes in the obligation of the Eid sermon.
Reference: Nail al-Awtar: 323/3-324
(3) Despite having the option not to listen, it is preferable to listen to the Eid sermon.
Reference: Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah with Al-Sharh Al-Kabir: 241/2
During the Eid sermon, the preacher may take support from a person:
It is permissible to deliver the sermon while standing with the support of a person during the khutbah.
❀ Jabir bin Abdullah رضي الله عنهما narrates:
شهدت مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم العيد فبدأ بالصلاة قبل الخطبة بغير أذان ولا إقامة ثم قام متوكئا على بلال
"I attended Eid with the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, and he started the prayer without the call to prayer (Adhan) and Iqamah before the khutbah. Then the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم stood leaning on Bilal رضي الله عنه (and delivered the khutbah)."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of the Two Eid Prayers: 885 - Sunan an-Nasa'i, Book of the Two Eid Prayers, Chapter: The Imam standing during the khutbah leaning on a person: 1576 - Musnad Ahmad: 318/3 - Bayhaqi: 296/3
Is it permissible to lean on an Eid arch or similar during the khutbah?
Leaning on a bow, stick, or spear during the Eid sermon is not permissible, as there is no authentic evidence to justify it. However, the hadith that mentions delivering the Eid sermon while leaning on a bow is weak.
❀ It is narrated from Bara' bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with them) that:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم نول يوم العيد قوسا فخطب عليه
"Indeed, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was given a bow on the day of Eid and he delivered the sermon while leaning on it."
Reference: Abu Dawood, Book of Prayer, Chapter: Delivering the sermon on a bow: 1145 - Its chain of narration is weak
Sufyan bin Uyaynah is known for tadlees (misleading narration) and Abu Janab Yahya bin Abi Hayyah Kalbi is a weak narrator.
Selection of the topic for the Eid sermon:
In the Eid sermon, a comprehensive topic should be chosen that encourages the audience to adopt piety, obey religious matters, and promotes admonition, advice, and charity.
❀ It is narrated from Jabir bin Abdullah رضي الله عنهما, who said:
شهدت مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم العيد فبدأ بالصلاة قبل الخطبة بغير أذان ولا إقامة ثم قام متوكئا على بلال فأمر بتقوى الله وحث على طاعته ووعظ الناس وذكرهم ثم مضى حتى أتى النساء فوعظهن وذكرهن فقال تصدقن فإن أكثركن حطب جهنم فقامت امرأة من سطة النساء سفعاء الخدين فقالت لم يا رسول الله قال لأنكن تكثرن الشكاة وتكفرن العشير قال فجعلن يتصدقن من حليهن يلقين فى ثوب بلال من أقرطتهن وخواتيمهن
"I attended Eid with the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, and he started the prayer without the call to prayer (Adhan) and Iqamah before the sermon. Then the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم stood leaning on Bilal رضي الله عنه and commanded the listeners to adopt the fear of Allah, urged them to obey it, and gave them admonition and advice. Afterwards, he went to the women, gave them admonition and advice, and said: Give charity and alms, for the majority of you are fuel for Hellfire." Then a dark-faced woman among the women stood up and asked: O Messenger of Allah! Why are women the majority of Hellfire? The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم replied: Because you complain excessively and are ungrateful to your husbands. The narrator said: Then the women began to give their jewelry in charity, putting their earrings, pendants, and rings into the clothes of Bilal رضي الله عنه."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Eid Prayers: 885 - Sunan an-Nasa'i, Book of Eid Prayers, Chapter on the Imam standing in the sermon leaning on a person: 1576 - Musnad Ahmad: 318/3 - Bayhaqi: 296/3
Fiqh of Hadith :
(1) Shawkani says: Giving advice and exhortation in the Eid sermon is a recommended act, and if there is no fear of fitnah or corruption on the preacher or the advised, then advising women and encouraging them to give charity is a recommended act.
(2) Separate seating for women should be arranged in men's gatherings, because mixing of men and women can cause fitnah through looking, etc.
Reference: Neel al-Awtar : 322/3
(3) Women can give jewelry in charity without the permission of their husband or guardian, and it is not correct to reprimand them for this act.
(4) Spreading out a bag during the Eid sermon is contrary to the etiquette of the sermon and is a disliked act for which there is no justification in Shariah; however, the Imam may appoint someone close to him to collect charity and donations.
If the voice of the preacher does not reach the women, then giving them a separate sermon is recommended:
If the Imam feels that his voice has not reached the women, then after addressing the men, he should separately preach and advise the women.
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates:
أشهد على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصلي قبل الخطبة قال ثم خطب فرأى لم يسمع النساء فأتاهن فذكرهن ووعظهن وأمرهن بالصدقة وبلال قائم بثوبه فجعلت المرأة تلقي الخاتم والخرص والشيء
"I give certain news that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) performed the prayer before the sermon, then gave the sermon, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) felt that he could not be heard by the women, so he came to the women, preached and advised them, and commanded them to give charity while Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) was spreading a cloth (then) the women began putting rings, earrings, and other items into that cloth."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Zakat, Chapter on Display in Zakat: 1449 - Sahih Muslim, Book of Eid Prayers: 884 - Sunan Abu Dawood, Book of Prayer, Chapter on the Sermon: 1142 - Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Establishing Prayers, Chapter on What was Related about the Eid Prayers: 1273
Is it obligatory to preach and advise women?
It is not obligatory for the Imam to constantly preach and advise women separately; rather, the previous hadith indicates that doing so is better only when the Imam's voice does not reach the women. Also, it is incorrect to deduce from the mentioned statement of Ata ibn Abi Rabah that it is obligatory to preach to women separately.
❀ Ibn Jurayj says, I asked Ata:
أحقا على الإمام أن يأتى النساء حين يفرغ فيذكرهن؟ قال: إي لعمري إن ذلك لحق عليهم، وما هم لا يفعلون ذلك؟
"Is it obligatory for the Imam, after finishing the sermon, to go to the women and preach and advise them? He said: Yes! By my life, it is their right, so what is wrong with them that they do not do this?"
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of the Two Eids, Chapter: The Imam's Advice to Women on Eid Day: 978, Sahih Muslim, Book of Eid Prayer: 885
Fiqh of Narration:
Qadi Iyaz states: The mentioned statement of Ata is not in accordance with his own narration
Reference: (Muslim: 884)
which was mentioned under the previous topic. Qadi Iyaz's analysis is not based on reality, rather it is recommended for the Imam that if he cannot deliver the sermon to women, he should go to the women and preach to them. In every era, it is correct to preach separately to women with this condition, and as long as this condition is met, nothing can prevent us from following this Sunnah.
Reference: Sharh al-Nawawi, 175/6
