Written by: Sheikh Mubashar Ahmad Rabbani (Hafizahullah)
Abu Saeed al-Khudri (رضي الله عنه) narrates:
_"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would go out to the Eidgah on the days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha." _
[Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Eid Prayers, Chapter: Going Out to the Prayer Ground Without a Pulpit, Hadith 956]
"According to 'Akhbar al-Madinah,' the Musalla (Eidgah) was a well-known place in Madinah, located at a distance of about 1,000 hand spans from the door of the mosque."
Abdullah ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) narrates:
"When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would go out to the Eidgah, he would have a spear with him, which would be planted in front of him at the Eidgah, and he would pray towards it."
[Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Eid Prayers, Chapter: Carrying a Small Spear or a Lance Before the Imam on the Day of Eid, Hadith 973]
From this, it is clear that the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ) is to perform the Eid prayer in an open field rather than in the mosque.
Imam Ibn Hazm (رحمه الله) mentions:
_"It is narrated from Umar and Uthman (رضي الله عنهما) that they led the people in the Eid prayer inside the mosque due to rain." _
[Al-Muhalla, 5/128-129]
Question:
Should the Eid prayer be performed in the mosque or in an open field outside the mosque? Please clarify in light of the Quran and Sunnah.Answer:
The Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is to perform the Eid prayer in the Eidgah (open prayer ground). The Prophet (ﷺ) would leave Madinah on the day of Eid and perform the prayer in the open field outside the city.Abu Saeed al-Khudri (رضي الله عنه) narrates:
_"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would go out to the Eidgah on the days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha." _
[Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Eid Prayers, Chapter: Going Out to the Prayer Ground Without a Pulpit, Hadith 956]
The Eid Prayer Should Be Performed in the Eidgah
Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (رحمه الله) states in Fath al-Bari:"According to 'Akhbar al-Madinah,' the Musalla (Eidgah) was a well-known place in Madinah, located at a distance of about 1,000 hand spans from the door of the mosque."
Abdullah ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) narrates:
"When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would go out to the Eidgah, he would have a spear with him, which would be planted in front of him at the Eidgah, and he would pray towards it."
[Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Eid Prayers, Chapter: Carrying a Small Spear or a Lance Before the Imam on the Day of Eid, Hadith 973]
From this, it is clear that the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ) is to perform the Eid prayer in an open field rather than in the mosque.
Performing Eid Prayer in the Mosque Due to an Excuse
However, in the case of a valid excuse (such as bad weather), the Eid prayer may be performed in the mosque. There is a weak narration mentioning that the Prophet (ﷺ) once performed Eid prayer in the mosque due to rain.Imam Ibn Hazm (رحمه الله) mentions:
_"It is narrated from Umar and Uthman (رضي الله عنهما) that they led the people in the Eid prayer inside the mosque due to rain." _
[Al-Muhalla, 5/128-129]
