This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Farooq Rafi Sahib's book Qurbani, Aqiqa, and Ashra Zil-Hijjah.
There are no specific times for saying the takbeerat; rather, during these days, it is a recommended practice to say takbeerat at all times. The evidences for this are as follows:
كان عمر رضى الله عنه يكبر فى قبته بمنى فيسمعه أهل المسجد فيكبرون ويكبر أهل الأسواق حتى ترتج منى تكبيرا
"Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say takbeerat in his tent at Mina, and upon hearing his takbeerat, the people in the mosque and the market would also say takbeerat until Mina echoed with the sound of takbeerat."
وكان ابن عمر يكبر بمنى تلك الأيام وخلف الصلوات وعلى فراشه وفي فسطاطه ومجلسه وممشاه وتلك الأيام جميعا
"Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say takbeerat during the days of Mina, after prayers, on his bed, in his tent, in his gathering, and while walking throughout all these days."
وكان النساء يكبرن خلف أبان بن عثمان وعمر بن عبد العزيز ليالي التشريق مع الرجال فى المسجد
"And the women used to say takbeerat in the mosque behind Aban bin Uthman and Umar bin Abdul Aziz (may Allah have mercy on them) along with the men during the nights of Tashreeq."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of the Two Eids, Chapter: Takbeer on the Days of Mina and When Going to Arafah.
Benefits:
① Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
"Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) adopted the position that during the days of Takbeerat, it is permissible for all people (men and women, residents and travelers) to recite the Takbeerat at all times, and the aforementioned evidences support this position."
Reference: Fath al-Bari: 595/2.
② Imam Shawkani (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
"The preferred ruling is that it is not only recommended to say Takbeerat at specific times after prayers, but rather it is a recommended act to say Takbeerat at all times during all the days of Takbeerat, and the evidences mentioned above are proof of this."
Reference: Nail al-Awtar: 334/3.
③ There are no specific times for Takbeerat during the days of Tashreeq; rather, it is a recommended act to say Takbeerat at all times on these days.
Reference: Fiqh al-Sunnah: 307/1.
Also, the narration that specifies saying Takbeerat only after obligatory prayers is weak, which is narrated by Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him):
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يكبر فى صلاة الفجر يوم عرفة إلى صلاة العصر من آخر أيام التشريق حين يسلم من المكتوبات
"The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say Takbeerat from the Fajr prayer on the day of Arafah until the Asr prayer on the last day of Tashreeq (at the time) of turning away from the obligatory prayers."
Reference: Dar Qutni: 49/2: 1717 - Nasb al-Rayah: 406/3. Its chain is very weak.
Amr bin Shammar is abandoned and Jabir bin Yazid bin Harith al-Jaafi is a weak and lying narrator.
Women will also say Takbeerat:
Just as men are commanded to say the Takbirs on the two Eids, women are also included in this command, and it is a recommended act for women to say the Takbirs as well. Further evidences are as follows:
① In Sahih Bukhari, in the translation of the chapter, it is mentioned:
وكان النساء يكبرن خلف أبان بن عثمان وعمر بن عبد العزيز ليالي التشريق مع الرجال فى المسجد
"And women used to say the Takbirs in the mosque behind Aban bin Uthman and Umar bin Abdul Aziz, may Allah have mercy on them, along with the men on the nights of Tashreeq."
However, scholars have different opinions regarding the permissibility of women saying the Takbirs:
① The Madhhab of Malik and Shafi'i is that it is obligatory for women to say the Takbirs after the prayers during the days of Tashreeq.
② Abu Hanifa says: Women do not say the Takbirs during the days of Tashreeq.
③ Abu Yusuf and Muhammad's position is that the Takbirs are equally permissible for women as they are for men.
Reference: Sharh Ibn Battal: 192/4.
④ Sufyan Thawri's opinion is that women say the Takbirs if they perform the prayer in congregation; Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, also considered this opinion the best.
⑤ However, another narration from Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, is that women should not say the Takbirs, because Takbir is a form of dhikr in which raising the voice is prescribed, and raising the voice in the Takbirs of the Adhan is not permissible for women.
Reference: Al-Mughni with Al-Sharh Al-Kabir: 248/2.
The strongest position on this issue is that without specification or limitation, women can say the Takbirs at all times during the days of Takbirs, as Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, explains:
"There is considerable disagreement regarding the times of Takbirs (and who should say the Takbirs):
① Some scholars have specified the time of Takbirs to be after the prayer.
② Some scholars have specified the time of Takbirs to be after the obligatory prayers rather than the Nawafil.
③ Some scholars have restricted the Takbirs to men rather than women.
④ Some have specified it for congregational prayers rather than individual prayers.
⑤ Some have imposed the condition of performed prayers, excluding Qadha (missed) prayers.
Some scholars have restricted it to residents excluding travelers, but Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, adopted the position that saying Takbirs (at all times and) by all individuals (men, women, residents, and travelers) is permissible and valid, and the narrations mentioned in the translation of the chapter support this position."
Reference: Fath al-Bari: 595/2.
Menstruating Women Should Also Recite Takbeerat!
Menstruating women are also advised to arrange for the recitation of takbeerat on the two Eids. Umm Atiyah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates:
كنا نؤمر أن نخرج يوم العيد حتى نخرج البكر من خدرها حتى نخرج الحيض فيكن خلف الناس فيكبرن بتكبيرهم ويدعون بدعائهم يرجون بركة ذلك اليوم وطهرته
"We were ordered to arrive at the Eid gathering on the day of Eid, to the extent that (we were commanded) to remove the virgin from her private place and also the menstruating women, and they (the menstruating women) would stay behind the people and recite takbeerat along with their takbeerat, pray along with their prayers, and hope for the blessings of that day and purification from sins."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of the Two Eids, Chapter on Takbeer on the Days of Mina and When Proceeding to Arafah: 971.
Note:
① Ibn Qudamah Hanbali, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
وينبغي لهن أن يخفضن أصواتهن حتى لا يسمعهن الرجال
"It is appropriate for women to say the takbirs in a low voice so that men cannot hear their voices."
Reference: Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah with Al-Sharh Al-Kabeer: 248/2.
② Ibn Rajab Hanbali, may Allah have mercy on him, writes:
"When women perform congregational prayer, they should also say the takbirs with the men; there is no difference of opinion on this:
ولكن المرأة تخفض صوتها بالتكبير
But when saying the takbirs, a woman should keep her voice low."
Reference: Fath al-Bari by Ibn Rajab: 58/7.
Words of the Takbirs:
Remember! The words related to the Takbirs are not authentically established from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with a sound chain of narration; rather, the subsequent narration attributed to him on this matter is extremely weak. Jabir bin Abdullah رضي الله عنه narrates:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا صلى الصبح من غداة عرفة يقبل على أصحابه فيقول: على مكانكم، ويقول: الله أكبر، الله أكبر، الله أكبر، لا إله إلا الله، والله أكبر، الله أكبر، ولله الحمد
“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed the Fajr prayer on the morning of Arafah, he would turn towards his companions and say, ‘Remain in your places,’ and he ﷺ would say these words: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illa Allah, wallahu Akbar, wa lillahil hamd.”
Reference: Dar Qutni: 50/2 - Arwa al-Ghaleel: 47/3 Isnad very weak.
Amr bin Shammar is abandoned and Jabir bin Yazid bin Harith al-Ja’fi is weak and a liar narrator.However, the words of the Takbirs have been transmitted with an authentic chain from some of the Companions رضي الله عنهم.
① Abu Uthman Nahdi رحمه الله narrates:
كان سلمان يعلمنا التكبير يقول: كبروا الله، الله أكبر، الله أكبر مرارا، اللهم أنت أعلى وأجل من أن تكون لك صاحبة أو يكون لك ولد أو يكون لك شريك فى الملك أو يكون لك ولي من الذل وكبره تكبيرا، الله أكبر تكبيرا، اللهم اغفر لنا، اللهم ارحمنا
“Salman al-Farsi رضي الله عنه used to teach us the words of the Takbirs. He said: ‘Describe the greatness of Allah (meaning) say Allahu Akbar repeatedly, then say these words:
اللهم أنت أعلى وأجل من أن تكون لك صاحبة أو يكون لك ولي من الذل وكبره تكبيرا، الله أكبر تكبيرا، اللهم اغفر لنا، اللهم ارحمنا
O Allah, You are above and beyond having a wife, or offspring, or any partner in kingship, or any helper in weakness, and describe His greatness well. Allah is truly the Greatest, describe Him with great praise. O Allah, forgive us, O Allah, have mercy on us.’”
Reference: Sahih: Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq: 290/11: 20581, Bayhaqi: 316/3.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar has declared this narration as the most authentic in terms of chain.
Reference: Fath al-Bari: 595/2.
