•  Eid ul Fitr

EID-AL-FITR is celebrated on the first day of Shaw'waal, at the completion of Ramadan. Shaw'waal is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar. The Eid-al-Fitr is a very joyous day; it is a true Thanksgiving Day for the believing men and women. On this day Muslims show their real joy for the health, strength and the opportunities of life, which Allah has given to them to fulfill their obligation of fasting and other good deeds during the blessed month of Ramadan.

The Sunnah of Eid:

•  Wake up early.

•  Offer Salatul Fajr. 

•  Prepare for personal cleanliness take care of details of clothing, etc.

•  Take a Ghusl (bath) after Fajr.

•  Brush your teeth.

•  Dress up, putting on best clothes available, whether new or cleaned old ones.

•  Use perfume (men only).

•  Have breakfast on Eid-al-Fitr before leaving for prayer ground. On Eid-al-Adha, eat breakfast after Salaat or after sacrifice if you are doing a sacrifice.

•  Pay Zakaat-al-Fitr before Salaat-al-Eid (on Eid-al-Fitr).

•  Go to prayer ground early.

•  Offer Salaat-al-Eid in congregation in an open place except when whether is not permitting like rain, snow, etc.

•  Use two separate routes to and from the prayer ground.

•  Recite the following Takbir on the way to Salaat and until the beginning of Salaat-al-Eid. On Eid-al-Adha, Takbir starts from Mughrib on the 9th Zdilhijjah and last until the Asr on the 12th Zdilhijjah: Allaho-Akber, Allaho-Akber. La ila-ha ill-lal-lah. Allaho-Akber, Allaho-Akber. Wa-lilahill hamd. (Allah is greater. Allah is greater. There is no god but Allah. Allah is greater. Allah is greater. And all praises are for Allah).

How to Offer Salaat-Al-Eid: Ibn Abbass (ra) reported: ' I participated in the Salaat-al-Eid-al-Fitr with the Messenger of Allah (saw), Abu Bakr (ra), Umar (ra) and Uthman (ra), and all of them held Salaat-al-Eid before Khutbah, and then the Prophet Muhammad (saw) delivered the Khutbah (sermon)'. Hadith, Muslim

Who Should go to the Prayer Ground and Offer Salaat-Al-Eid: Umm Atiyah (ra) reported: 'The Messenger of Allah (saw) commanded us to bring out on Eid-al- Fitr and Eid-al-Adha, young women, hijab-observing adult women and the menstruating women. The menstruating women stayed out of actual Salaat but participated in good deeds and Duaa (supplication)'. I (Umm Atiyah) said to the Holy Prophet (saw): 'O! Messenger of Allah, one does not have an outer garment.' He replied: "Let her sister cover her with her garment." Hadith Muslim. On the Eid day, every believing man, woman and child must go to the prayer ground and participate in this joyous occasion.

Structure of Salaat-Al-Eid: Salaat-al-Eid is wajib (strongly recommended, just short of obligatory). It consists of two Rakaat (units) with six or thirteen additional Takbirs. It must be offered in congregation. The Salaat is followed by the Khutbah. The Khutbah is part of the worship and listening to it is Sunnah. During the Khutbah, the Imam must remind the community about its responsibilities and obligations towards Allah, fellow Muslims and the fellow human beings. The Imam must encourage the Muslims to do good and ward off evil. The Muslim community must also be directed to the state of the community and the Ummah at large and the feelings of sacrifice and Jihaad should be aroused in the community.

At the conclusion of the Salaat the Muslims should convey greetings to each other, give reasonable gifts to the youngsters and visit each other at their homes. Muslims should also take this opportunity to invite their non-Muslims neighbors, co-workers, classmates and business acquaintances to Eid festivities to expose them to Islam and Muslim culture.

"For every people there is a feast and this is our feast"said the Prophet (S) to Aboo Bakr (R). [Bukhaaree and Muslim]. "Our feast" has a great meaning for Muslims because it tells us that these are our own and derived from our Sharee'ah alone. Since holidays are usually based on religious traditions, it is very important that we demonstrate our celebrations with great joy and gathering to make us feel that they are our own, and to feel that they are different from the Mushriks' holidays. We do not celebrate Christmas, Hanuka or any other pagan festivals and our thanks are given to Allaah (T) alone.

The Prophet (S) has ordered us in numerous speeches to be different from the Mushrik's (pagans), and these two "Eeds" are among that the Prophet (S) wanted us to take special care of being different with them. That is why he said, after seeing that the people of Madeenah had two holidays which they celebrated before Islaam, " Allaah (S) has given you better than those (feasts): The 'Eed-al-Adhaa (Sacrificing) and the 'Eed- al-Fitr". [Ahmad, Aboo Dawood and Nasaa'ee].

The 'Eed-al-Adhaa comes after completing the "Hajj" (Pilgrimage) and the 'Eed-al-Fitr comes after the fasting in the month of Ramadaan. So it is not surprising that we must show and demonstrate our holidays ('Eed). Due to these clear facts, Muslim scholars put great emphasis on the concept of being different from the Mushrik in our ceremonies.

This is because ceremonies have great effect over the human mind and behaviour. Being different in our ceremonies means also that we must not participate in the Mushriks' ceremonies on their holidays. 'Umar (R) said: "Do not learn the language of the Mushriks - without a necessity- nor enter the churches of Mushriks on their festivals because the anger of Allaah descends on them."[Bayhaqee].

We, Muslims, may even fast on the Mushriks' holidays. Umm Salamah (R) said the Prophet (S) used to fast on Saturdays and Sundays, and when asked he said: They are two days of the Mushriks' holidays so I like to oppose them in their ceremonies " [Ahmad and Nasaaee]

To assess this concept of being different from the Mushriks, it is very important to say that: In order to be different in our ceremonies in the way the Prophet (S) wanted us to be, we must follow the Sunnah literally. That would give us the deeds of being true followers of the Prophet (S).

So if we want to be his followers we must be aware of Bid'ah in these ceremonies. Bid'ah comes at the expense of Sunnah which is replaced by it. Ibn Taymiyah says: "There is no place in the heart for both Sunnah and Bid'ah." [Al-Iqtidaa] .Allaah says (which means):

{Say - O Muhammad - If you really do love Allaah follow me, Allaah will love you.} [Aali-Imraan, 3:31 ]

We present to you, dear brothers and sisters, some of the Sunnahs of Eed so that you can try to implement them. Also presented are some of the Bid'ahs of Eed so that we can avoid them. It is of great importance to follow the Sunnah of Eed so we can truly say that our feasts are different from the Mushriks' feasts.

Sunnahs of 'Eid

•  It is Sunnah to dress in the best clothes we have on Eed. It was narrated that Ibn 'Umar used to do that along with other Companions of the Prophet (S). [Fath al-Baaree]

•  It is a must (Waajib) to pray Eed al-Fitr Prayer. The Prophet (S) and his Companions never ceased doing it, and they even gathered the people for it including women who were having their menses, children and the elderly. [Bukhaaree and Muslim]

•  It is Sunnah to eat dates before we leave for Eed prayer to show that we are not fasting. " The Prophet (S) used not to leave for Eed Prayer (except) after eating some dates." [Bukhaaree and Ahmad]

•  It is Sunnah to say Takbeer loudly when leaving our homes to go to Eed Prayer. The Prophet (S) used to say this until he finished the Prayer. [Silsilat Al-ahadeeth As-Sunnah]

•  There is no Hadeeth related to Rasoolullaah (S) as to what should be said when reciting Takbeer on the way to Prayer, but Ibn Mas'ood used to say the following:

Allaahu Akbar         (Twice) Allaah is great
Laa Illaha Illallaaha     There is none worthy of worship except Allaah
Allaahu Akbar         (Twice) Allaah is great
Wa Lillaahil Hamd     And to Him belongs all Praise
[Reported by Ibn Abee Shaybah]

•  The Sunnah for Eed Prayers is to pray in the Musallah (that is in an uncovered place) and not in the Masjid. The Prophet (S) never prayed Eed Prayer in the Masjid. Aboo Sa'eed (R) reported: " The Prophet (S) used to go on the day of 'Eed-al-Fitr and Eed-al-Adhaa to the Musallah, and the first thing he did was to pray." [Bukhaaree and Muslim]

•  Neither Adhaan nor Iqaamah are pronounced for Eed Prayer. [Muslim]

•  Ibn Abbaas reported: "The Prophet (S) prayed two Raka'ahs for the Eed prayer and did not pray before it or after it." [Bukhaaree]

•  Jabir (R) reported: "The Prophet (S) used to come back from 'Eed-al-Fitr on a path other than the one used in going to it." [Bukhaaree]

•  It is permitted to listen to songs (without music) on 'Eed day especially for children. [Bukhaaree and Muslim]

Bid'ahs of 'Eed
It is Bid'ah (innovation in Deen):

•  To shave the beards especially for 'Eed. The Prophet (S) has ordered us not to shave our beards; so it is a shame that, on this great day of demonstrating our differences in ceremonies to those of the Mushriks, that some Muslim shaves his beard so that he looks "clean" like the Mushriks.

•  To imitate the Mushriks in their practices and dress, and to shake hands with women. The Prophet (S) said: "It is better that a man is hit with needle on his head than to touch a woman who is not lawful for him." [Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth as-Sunnah]

•  To listen to music on 'Eed. The Prophet (S) said: "There will be some in my nation who will regard adultery, men dressing in silk, drinking intoxicants (al-Khamr), and musical instruments to be lawful." [Bukhaaree, Abu Dawood and Bayhaqee]

•  For women not to wear Hijaab. To do so is to celebrate 'Eed while committing a major sin.

•  To visit the graveyard especially on Eed. It is permitted to visit the graveyard all year long so we should not make a special case out of it on 'Eed;

•  To waste money and being extravagant with food instead of giving them to poor.

We ask Allaah (T) to help us avoid all Bid'ah and to guide us in following the Sunnah of His Prophet (S).