Question:
Can women also go to the Eidgah for the Eid prayer?
Answer:
Women can also go to the Eidgah to perform the Eid prayer.
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, narrates:
خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمَ عِيدٍ، فَصَلّٰى رَكْعَتَيْنِ لَمْ يُصَلِّ قَبْلُ وَلَا بَعْدُ، ثُمَّ مَالَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ، وَمَعَهٗ بِلَالٌ فَوَعَظَهُنَّ، وَأَمَرَهُنَّ أَنْ يَتَصَدَّقْنَ، فَجَعَلَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ تُلْقِي الْقُلْبَ وَالْخُرْصَ.
“On one Eid occasion, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, came to the Eidgah, led a two-rak’ah prayer, did not pray any prayer before or after it, then came towards the women. Sayyiduna Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him, was also with the Prophet, peace be upon him. The Prophet gave a sermon to the women and commanded them to give charity, so the women began putting their rings and bangles into their cloaks.”
❀ Sayyida Umm Atiyah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrates:
أَمَرَنَا رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ نُّخْرِجَهُنَّ فِي الْفِطْرِ وَالْأَضْحٰى، الْعَوَاتِقَ، وَالْحُيَّضَ، وَذَوَاتِ الْخُدُورِ، فَأَمَّا الْحُيَّضُ؛ فَيَعْتَزِلْنَ الصَّلَاةَ، وَيَشْهَدْنَ الْخَيْرَ، وَدَعْوَةَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، قُلْتُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ! إِحْدَانَا لَا يَكُونُ لَهَا جِلْبَابٌ، قَالَ: لِتُلْبِسْهَا أُخْتُهَا مِنْ جِلْبَابِهَا.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, commanded that virgins, menstruating women, and secluded women should also be taken to the Eidgah on Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, but menstruating women should remain separate from the place of prayer while participating in the goodness and the prayers of the Muslims. It was asked: O Messenger of Allah! What if one of us does not have a sheet? He said: Her Muslim sister should give her her sheet.
❀ In Sahih Muslim
it is stated:
الْحُيَّضُ يَخْرُجْنَ، فَيَكُنَّ خَلْفَ النَّاسِ، يُكَبِّرْنَ مَعَ النَّاسِ.
“Menstruating women would go out and sit behind the people, and they would say the Takbirs with the people.”
❀ The words of Sahih Bukhari
are:
يَكُنَّ خَلْفَ النَّاسِ، فَيُكَبِّرْنَ بِتَكْبِيرِهِمْ، وَيَدْعُونَ بِدُعَائِهِمْ، يَرْجُونَ بَرَكَةَ ذٰلِكَ الْيَوْمِ، وَطُهْرَتَهٗ.
“Those who were menstruating would be behind the people, saying the Takbirs along with them, supplicating with their prayers, and hoping for the blessings and virtues of this blessed day.”
It has been understood that a menstruating woman may go to the Eidgah, yes! Veiled, wrapped in sheets, lowering her gaze like respectable daughters, engaged in the remembrance of Allah, she should head towards the Eidgah. Also, the permission of the husband or guardian should be included. This is proven from the predecessors as well;
❀ Naf’i, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
كَانَ عَبْدُ اللّٰهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ يُخْرِجُ إِلَى الْعِيدَيْنِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْ أَهْلِهٖ.
“Our master Abdullah bin Umar, may Allah be pleased with both of them, used to take women of the household to the Eidgah.”
❀ Allama Shawkani, may Allah have mercy on him (1250 AH), says:
اَلْقَوْلُ بِكَرَاهَةِ الْخُرُوجِ عَلَى الْإِطْلَاقِ رَدٌّ لِلْأَحَادِيثِ الصَّحِيحَةِ بِالْآرَاءِ الْفَاسِدَةِ، وَتَخْصِيصُ الشَّوَابِّ يَأْبَاهُ صَرِيحُ الْحَدِيثِ الْمُتَّفَقِ عَلَيْهِ وَغَيْرُهٗ.
“To categorically say that it is disliked for women to go out towards the Eidgah is actually to reject authentic hadiths with corrupt opinions. Similarly, to restrict this to elderly women is refuted by explicit hadiths in Bukhari, Muslim, etc.”
Warning:
Imam Abu Ja’far Tahawi Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him (321 AH), interpreted the mentioned hadith as follows:
يَحْتَمِلُ أَنْ يَكُونَ ذٰلِكَ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ قَلِيلٌ فَأَرَادَ التَّكْثِيرَ بِحُضُورِهِنَّ إِرْهَابًا لِلْعَدُوِّ وَالْيَوْمَ فَلَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلٰى ذٰلِكَ.
“It is possible that this was at a time when the number of Muslims was small, so the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, intended to increase the number by taking women along, so that the enemy would be frightened. Therefore, now there is no need for this.”
❀ In response to Tahawi, Allama Karmani, may Allah have mercy on him (786 AH), says:
هُوَ مَرْدُودٌ لِأَنَّهٗ يَحْتَاجُ إِلٰى مَعْرِفَةِ تَارِيخِ الْوَقْتِ وَالنَّسْخُ لَا يَثْبُتُ إِلَّا بِيَقِينٍ، وَأَيْضًا فَإِنَّ التَّرْهِيبَ لَا يَحْصُلُ بِهِنَّ وَلِذٰلِكَ لَمْ يَلْزَمْهُنَّ الْجِهَادُ.
“This is a false justification, because to claim this, it is necessary to know the time and history of this action, and abrogation always occurs with certainty (not merely with probability). Moreover, women cannot cause fear in the enemy, and therefore it is not necessary for women to participate in jihad.”
❀ Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him (852 AH), says:
بَلْ هُوَ مَعْرُوفٌ بِدَلَالَةِ حَدِيثِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّهٗ شَهِدَهٗ وَهُوَ صَغِيرٌ وَكَانَ ذٰلِكَ بَعْدَ فَتْحِ مَكَّةَ فَلَمْ يَتِمَّ مُرَادُ الطَّحَاوِيِّ وَقَدْ صُرِّحَ فِي حَدِيثِ أُمِّ عَطِيَّةَ بِعِلَّةِ الْحُكْمِ وَهُوَ شُهُودُهُنَّ الْخَيْرَ وَدَعْوَةَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَرَجَاءُ بَرَكَةِ ذٰلِكَ الْيَوْمِ وَطُهْرَتِهٖ وَقَدْ أَفْتَتْ بِهٖ أُمُّ عَطِيَّةَ بَعْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِمُدَّةٍ كَمَا فِي هٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ وَلَمْ يَثْبُتْ عَنْ أَحَدٍ مِّنَ الصَّحَابَةِ مُخَالَفَتُهَا فِي ذٰلِكَ وَأَمَّا قَوْلُ عَائِشَةَ: «لَوْ رَأَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا أَحْدَثَ النِّسَاءُ لَمَنَعَهُنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ»، فَلَا يُعَارِضُ ذٰلِكَ لِنُدُورِهٖ إِنْ سَلَّمْنَا أَنَّ فِيهِ دَلَالَةً عَلٰى أَنَّهَا أَفْتَتْ بِخِلَافِهٖ مَعَ أَنَّ الدَّلَالَةَ مِنْهُ بِأَنَّ عَائِشَةَ أَفْتَتْ بِالْمَنْعِ لَيْسَتْ صَرِيحَةً وَفِي قَوْلِهٖ: «إِرْهَابًا لِلْعَدُوِّ» نَظَرٌ لِأَنَّ الْاِسْتِنْصَارَ بِالنِّسَاءِ وَالتَّكَثُّرَ بِهِنَّ فِي الْحَرْبِ دَالٌّ عَلَى الضَّعْفِ وَالْأَوْلٰى أَنْ يُّخَصَّ ذٰلِكَ بِمَنْ يُؤْمَنُ عَلَيْهَا وَبِهَا الْفِتْنَةُ وَلَا يَتَرَتَّبُ عَلٰى حُضُورِهَا مَحْذُورٌ وَلَا تُزَاحِمُ الرِّجَالَ فِي الطُّرُقِ وَلَا فِي الْمَجَامِعِ.
“Rather, it was a well-known practice for women to go to the Eidgah, and the evidence for this is the hadith of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both. He was present at this Eid, and he was young at the time; this event occurred after the conquest of Makkah. Therefore, the intention of Imam Tahawi, may Allah have mercy on him, was not fulfilled. Furthermore, in the hadith of Sayyida Umm Atiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her, the reason for this ruling was also clarified, which was for women to be included in the goodness and the prayers of the Muslims, as well as to hope for the blessings and purity of that day. Some time after the passing of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, Sayyida Umm Atiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her, issued the same ruling (that women should go towards the Eidgah), as is mentioned in this hadith, and there is no evidence of any companion opposing Sayyida Umm Atiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her, on this issue. As for the statement of Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her: ‘The women have now started doing what they do; if the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, were to find them doing so, he would have forbidden them (from coming to the mosque).’ Even if one were to argue from this that Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, issued a ruling contrary to the hadith of Umm Atiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her, still this does not contradict the hadith of Umm Atiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her, because going to the Eidgah happens occasionally, and at the same time, the statement of Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, does not explicitly prove prohibition. The statement of Allama Tahawi, may Allah have mercy on him, that ‘this was to frighten the enemy,’ is questionable, because seeking help from women in war and their large numbers indicates weakness. The correct understanding is that this hadith (regarding attendance at the Eidgah) applies specifically to those women who are not feared to cause any fitnah (temptation), nor does their presence necessitate any unlawful act, and they do not mix with men on the roads and at the gathering places.”
Question:
Is there a prostration of forgetfulness (Sajdat al-Sahw) in the Eid prayers?
Answer:
Yes.
Question:
What is the ruling if one forgets the extra Takbirs in the Eid prayers?
Answer:
Perform Sajdat al-Sahw; the prayer is complete.
Question:
How is it to deliver the Eid sermon standing on the pulpit?
Answer:
It is not established. If there is an excuse, the sermon can be delivered sitting.
Question:
In Eid prayers, which comes first, the sermon or the prayer?
Answer:
The prayer is performed first.
Question:
When did the practice of delivering the sermon before the Eid prayer begin?
Answer:
The Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, is that on the day of Eid, the prayer is performed first and then the sermon is delivered. Contrary to this Sunnah, the practice of delivering the sermon first and then performing the prayer was initiated first by Marwan bin Hakam, upon which the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, also expressed disapproval.
❀ Sayyiduna Tariq bin Shahab, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
أَوَّلُ مَنْ بَدَأَ بِالْخُطْبَةِ يَوْمَ الْعِيدِ قَبْلَ الصَّلَاةِ مَرْوَانُ، فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ، فَقَالَ: الصَّلَاةُ قَبْلَ الْخُطْبَةِ، فَقَالَ: قَدْ تُرِكَ مَا هُنَالِكَ، فَقَالَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ: أَمَّا هٰذَا فَقَدْ قَضٰى مَا عَلَيْهِ، سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: مَنْ رَأَى مِنْكُمْ مُنْكَرًا فَلْيُغَيِّرْهُ بِيَدِهٖ، فَإِنْ لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِلِسَانِهٖ، فَإِنْ لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِقَلْبِهٖ، وَذٰلِكَ أَضْعَفُ الْإِيمَانِ.
“Marwan bin Hakam was the first to initiate delivering the sermon before the Eid prayer. Then a person stood up and said: The Eid prayer is before the sermon. Marwan said: The previous method practiced here has been abandoned. Then Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, said: This person has fulfilled his responsibility by objecting to Marwan, because I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘If any one of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he cannot, then with his tongue; and if he cannot, then with his heart—and that is the weakest level of faith.'”
❀ Hafiz Ibn Daqiq al-Eid, may Allah have mercy on him (702 AH), states:
فِي هٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ دَلِيلٌ عَلٰى أَنَّهٗ لَمْ يَعْمَلْ بِذٰلِكَ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَ مَرْوَانَ.
“This hadith is evidence that no one before Marwan did this act (delivering the sermon before the Eid prayer).”
Question:
What is the ruling on making dua after the Eid prayers?
Answer:
After the Eid sermons or prayers, collective dua can be made; however, it is not permissible to associate dua with any specific occasion or time without a Shariah-based evidence.
Question:
Is it obligatory to attend the Eid prayer?
Answer:
It is obligatory.
Question:
Will women attend Eid prayers?
Answer:
Women will also attend the Eid prayers.
❀ Sayyida Umm Atiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates:
“The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that we take maidens, menstruating women, and veiled women to the Eid ground on Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, but the menstruating women should remain apart from the place of prayer while participating in the goodness and the supplications of the Muslims. It was asked: O Messenger of Allah! What if one of us does not have a sheet? He said: Her Muslim sister should give her her sheet.”
Question:
Can a menstruating woman go to the Eid ground?
Answer:
It is permissible to go to the Eidgah during menstruation; in fact, there is emphasis on this in the Hadith.
❀ In Sahih Muslim
it is stated;
الْحُيَّضُ يَخْرُجْنَ، فَيَكُنَّ خَلْفَ النَّاسِ، يُكَبِّرْنَ مَعَ النَّاسِ.
“Menstruating women would go out and sit behind the people, and they would say Takbeers along with the people.”
❀ In Sahih Bukhari
these words are mentioned:
فَيَكُنَّ خَلْفَ النَّاسِ، فَيُكَبِّرْنَ بِتَكْبِيرِهِمْ، وَيَدْعُونَ بِدُعَائِهِمْ، يَرْجُونَ بَرَكَةَ ذٰلِكَ الْيَوْمِ، وَطُهْرَتَهٗ.
“Women who were menstruating would be behind the people, saying Takbeers along with them, making du’a along with their du’a, and hoping for the blessings and virtues of this blessed day.”
It is understood that a menstruating woman should go to the Eidgah, yes! Veiled, wrapped in sheets, lowering their gaze like respectable ladies, engaged in the remembrance of Allah, and heading towards the Eidgah. Also, the permission of the husband or guardian should be included. This is proven from the Salaf as well;
❀ Nafi’ (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
كَانَ عَبْدُ اللّٰهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ يُخْرِجُ إِلَى الْعِيدَيْنِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْ أَهْلِهٖ.
“Our master Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to take the women of his household to the Eidgah.”
Question:
Can the Eid sermon begin with the Takbeerat of the two Eids?
Answer:
Yes, it can.
Question:
From where should the Eid sermon be delivered?
Answer:
Where the prayer is offered, the sermon should be delivered standing there.
Question:
Is it obligatory to listen to the Eid sermons?
Answer:
Listening to the Eid sermons is not obligatory.
Question:
Should the sermon be short or long?
Answer:
It is preferable to keep the sermon short so that the listeners do not become bored.
❀ Sayyiduna Ammar bin Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Offering a long prayer and giving a short sermon is a sign of a person’s wisdom. Offer long prayers and give short sermons; some speeches cause drowsiness.”
Question:
Is there any prescribed prayer before the Eid prayer?
Answer:
No special nawafil before the two Eids; the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did not prescribe any nawafil before or after the Eid prayer.
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنهما narrates:
إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَرَجَ يَوْمَ الْفِطْرِ فَصَلّٰى رَكْعَتَيْنِ لَمْ يُصَلِّ قَبْلَهَا وَلَا بَعْدَهَا .
“The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ came out on the day of Eid al-Fitr, performed two rak’ahs (Eid prayer), and did not perform any prayer before or after it.”
It is established that no special nawafil are prescribed before or after the Eid prayer.
However, since this is not a prohibited time for nawafil, if someone wishes to perform any general nafl prayer at this time, there is no harm. It is proven from a large group of Sahabah رضي الله عنهم and Tabi‘in that they used to perform nawafil before the Eid prayer.
❀ Regarding Sayyiduna Buraidah Aslami رضي الله عنه:
إِنَّهُ كَانَ يُصَلِّي يَوْمَ الْعِيدِ قَبْلَ الصَّلَاةِ أَرْبَعًا، وَبَعْدَهَا أَرْبَعًا .
“You, may Allah be pleased with him, used to perform four rak’ahs of nawafil before and after the Eid prayer.”
❀ Ayub bin Abi Tamimah Sakhtiyani, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates:
رَأَيْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، وَالْحَسَنَ يُصَلِّيَانِ قَبْلَ خُرُوجِ الْإِمَامِ يَعْنِي يَوْمَ الْعِيدِ .
“I saw Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, and Hasan al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him; both of them used to perform nawafil until the Imam came on the day of Eid.”
❀ Sulayman bin Tarkhan Taymi, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates:
رَأَيْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، وَالْحَسَنَ بْنَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ، وَجَابِرَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ، وَسَعِيدَ بْنَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ يُصَلُّونَ قَبْلَ الْإِمَامِ فِي الْعِيدِ .
“I saw Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, Hasan bin Abi al-Hasan al-Basri, Jabir bin Zaid Azdi, and Saeed bin Abi al-Hasan, may Allah have mercy on them all; they all used to perform nawafil before the Imam came on the day of Eid.”
❀ Abdullah bin Fayruz Danaj, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates:
رَأَيْتُ أَبَا بَرْزَةَ، يَفْعَلُهُ .
“I saw Sayyiduna Abu Burzah Aslami, may Allah be pleased with him, and he used to do the same (i.e., continue offering nawafil until the imam came on the day of Eid).”
Similarly, many Tabi‘in also acted upon this.
Some Companions acted differently; they did not offer nawafil before or after the Eid prayer.
❀ Nafi‘, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
إِنَّ عَبْدَ اللّٰهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ لَمْ يَكُنْ يُصَلِّي يَوْمَ الْفِطْرِ قَبْلَ الصَّلَاةِ وَلَا بَعْدَهَا .
“Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with both of them, did not offer any prayer before or after the Eid prayer on the day of Eid al-Fitr.”
