Six Sunnahs of Eid

Author: AlKauthar Institute Category: Eid
  1. Doing ghusl before going out to the prayer.

    It was narrated in a Saheeh hadeeth in al-Muwatta’ and elsewhere that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar used to do ghusl on the day of al-Fitr before going out to the prayer-place in the morning. Al-Muwatta’ 428.
  2. Adorning oneself on the occasion of Eid.

    Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had a cloak which he would wear on the two Eids and on Fridays. Saheeh Ibn Khuzaymah, 1756.

    So a man should wear the best clothes that he has when going out for Eid.

    With regard to women, they should avoid adorning themselves when they go out for Eid because they are forbidden to show off their adornments to non-mahram men. It is also not permissible for a woman who wants to go out to put on perfume.
  3. Eating before going out to pray on Eid al-Fitr and after the prayer on Eid al-Adha:

    Narrated from Anas ibn Maalik, who said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used not to go out on the morning of Eid al-Fitr until he had eaten some dates… of which he would eat an odd number. Al-Bukhaari, 953.

    But on Eid al-Adha it is mustahabb not to eat anything until one comes back from the prayer, so he should eat from the udhiyah if he has offered a sacrifice. If he is not going to offer a sacrifice there is nothing wrong with eating before the prayer.
  4. Takbeer on the day of Eid

    Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

    “(He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allaah [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allaahu Akbar: Allaah is the Most Great)] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him”
    [al-Baqarah 2:185]

    Ibn Shihaab al-Zuhri (may Allaah have mercy on him) used to say, “The people used to recite takbeer from the time they came out of their houses until the imam came in.”

    The time for takbeer on Eid al-Fitr starts from the night before Eid until the imam enters to lead the Eid prayer.

    In the case of Eid al-Adha, the takbeer begins on the first day of Dhu’l-Hijjah and lasts until sunset on the last of the days of tashreeq.

    Description of the takbeer: It was narrated in the Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah with a saheeh isnaad from Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he used to recite takbeer during the days of tashreeq:

    Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, wa Allaahu akbar, Allaah akbar, wa Lillaah il-hamd
  5. Offering congratulations

    Taqabbala Allaah minna wa minkum (May Allaah accept (good deeds) from us and from you”

    It was narrated that Jubayr ibn Nufayr said: When the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) met one another on the day of Eid, they would say to one another, “May Allaah accept (good deeds) from us and from you.” Ibn Hajar said, its isnaad is hasan. Al-Fath, 2/446.
  6. Going to the prayer by one route and returning by another.

    Narrated by Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: On the day of Eid, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to vary his route. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 986.