This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Muhammad Farooq's book Issues of the Two Eids.
Carrying weapons to the Eidgah is an undesirable act:.
Since Eid is a religious festival of the Muslims and people enthusiastically gather at the Eidgah to demonstrate unity and solidarity, and also because 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 evidences for this are as follows:
Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, in Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Eidayn, has dedicated a 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’eed 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 point pierced the sole of his foot and his foot got stuck in the stirrup. I dismounted from the mount and pulled his foot out of the stirrup. This incident happened in Mina. Then this news reached Hajjaj bin Yusuf, 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, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: You carried weapons on that day (Eid day) when carrying weapons was 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, Chapter on what is disliked about carrying weapons on Eid and in the Haram: 966 - Bayhaqi: 155/8
Sa’eed 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, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: I am fine. He (Hajjaj) asked who wounded him. He replied: The person who ordered to carry weapons on that (Eid) day, the day when carrying weapons is not permissible, has wounded me."
Reference: Bukhari, Kitab al-Eidayn, Chapter on what is disliked about carrying weapons on Eid and in the 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 taking 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 (that it was done like this during the time of the Prophet) is considered a Marfu’ hadith ruling.
Reference: Nail al-Awtar: 3/302
Is carrying weapons in the Eidgah Haram?
Going out armed towards the Eidgah on 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 both) 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 would 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 Sutrah of the Imam and Sutrah behind him: 494 - Sahih Muslim, Book of Prayer, Chapter on Sutrah for the Prayer and the Recommendation to use 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 both), who states:
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
Furthermore, the hadiths that indicate prohibition of carrying weapons in 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 mentioning a companion.
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) 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 two Eids, except when facing the enemy (then it is permissible to be armed on 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 Najiḥ is weak, Ismail bin Ziyad Hanafi is abandoned, and Ibn Jurayj’s narration is an ‘an’anah (repetitive omission).
