EID UL- FITR RULES & REGULATIONS
The celebration of Eid Al-Adha is symbolic of sacrifice and is a joyous occasion. Salatul Eid is fard upon all Muslims in the tradition of the sunnah. This holiday is of great importance to all adherents of Islam as it is believed to be wajib by many scholars. One receives a sin for not performing this act of worship unless there is a valid reason. This is indicated in the following:
a-The Prophet sallah allahu alieh wasalam ordered everyone to go pray the Eid prayer and he consistently prayed it.
b-The Fard of Salatul Jummah gets dropped to being a Dhur if they fall on the same day. Therefore, the scholars say it cannot be a sunnah because a sunnah cannot drop a fard/wajib.
c-He ordered all women, those enslaved and even women on their menstrual cycle, to go to the prayer areas.
The importance of this day and the prayer is apparent, regardless of the opinion you choose to follow.
We do, however, need to make sure we do not fall in innovations, prohibitions, or actions that will take away the reward we gained during the blessed days of Ramadan or Dhul Hajjah. The devil, having been held captive for 29 or 30 days during Ramadan, is released the maghrib before the Eid. It is also during the 9 days of Dhul Hajjah, the devil is eager to distract us from any acts of worship we pursue. Therefore, it is imperative for one to be on guard against the whisperings of the devil. The following is a list of preferred actions as well as actions one should avoid.
Undesirable Actions on the Day of Eid:
1) It is haram to fast the day of Eid.
2) Some people consider it from the sunnah to stay up the night before the Eid worshipping, praying, and reading Quran.
3) One should avoid excessive mixing and mingling with the opposite sex who are not mahrem relatives. Naturally, this should be done throughout the year, but even more so during the Eid, given the celebratory nature of this day.
4) Sisters should be cautious of wearing make-up and wearing perfume when leaving their houses and being in public.
5) There is no sunnah prayer before the Eid prayer. If the Eid prayer is performed in the masjid, then one should pray 2 rakat of tahiyat al-masjid-in respect to the masjid-upon entering it.
6) One should always observe the limits prescribed by Islam. Although it is from the sunnah to enjoy the celebration of Eid, one should avoid parties that contain instruments of the devil, or staying up late to the point of missing Salatul Fajr.
7) It is haram to shake hands of the opposite sex who are not mahrem.
8) To visit the graves specifically on the day of the Eid is an innovation. If one visits the graves throughout the year, there is no particular harm, and actually will be rewarded since it is from the sunnah. One should not make it a point to do on this day only.
Desirable actions to be done on the Day of Eid:
1) Eating dates after Salatul Fajr and before the Eid prayer, as the Prophet sallah allahu alieh wasalam did, symbolizing the breaking of his fast.
2) Bathing and wearing one’s best attire before going to the Eid prayer.
3) Walking to the masjid rather than riding (if the masjid is of walking distance and does not burden or create a hardship).
4) It is from the sunnah to go back to one’s house walking from a different route than that which was taken to get there. (Some scholars explain this as a way to meet and greet more people.)
5) To say takbeer out loud because it is one of the symbols of that day.
a-The Prophet sallah allahu alieh wasalam ordered everyone to go pray the Eid prayer and he consistently prayed it.
b-The Fard of Salatul Jummah gets dropped to being a Dhur if they fall on the same day. Therefore, the scholars say it cannot be a sunnah because a sunnah cannot drop a fard/wajib.
c-He ordered all women, those enslaved and even women on their menstrual cycle, to go to the prayer areas.
The importance of this day and the prayer is apparent, regardless of the opinion you choose to follow.
We do, however, need to make sure we do not fall in innovations, prohibitions, or actions that will take away the reward we gained during the blessed days of Ramadan or Dhul Hajjah. The devil, having been held captive for 29 or 30 days during Ramadan, is released the maghrib before the Eid. It is also during the 9 days of Dhul Hajjah, the devil is eager to distract us from any acts of worship we pursue. Therefore, it is imperative for one to be on guard against the whisperings of the devil. The following is a list of preferred actions as well as actions one should avoid.
Undesirable Actions on the Day of Eid:
1) It is haram to fast the day of Eid.
2) Some people consider it from the sunnah to stay up the night before the Eid worshipping, praying, and reading Quran.
3) One should avoid excessive mixing and mingling with the opposite sex who are not mahrem relatives. Naturally, this should be done throughout the year, but even more so during the Eid, given the celebratory nature of this day.
4) Sisters should be cautious of wearing make-up and wearing perfume when leaving their houses and being in public.
5) There is no sunnah prayer before the Eid prayer. If the Eid prayer is performed in the masjid, then one should pray 2 rakat of tahiyat al-masjid-in respect to the masjid-upon entering it.
6) One should always observe the limits prescribed by Islam. Although it is from the sunnah to enjoy the celebration of Eid, one should avoid parties that contain instruments of the devil, or staying up late to the point of missing Salatul Fajr.
7) It is haram to shake hands of the opposite sex who are not mahrem.
8) To visit the graves specifically on the day of the Eid is an innovation. If one visits the graves throughout the year, there is no particular harm, and actually will be rewarded since it is from the sunnah. One should not make it a point to do on this day only.
Desirable actions to be done on the Day of Eid:
1) Eating dates after Salatul Fajr and before the Eid prayer, as the Prophet sallah allahu alieh wasalam did, symbolizing the breaking of his fast.
2) Bathing and wearing one’s best attire before going to the Eid prayer.
3) Walking to the masjid rather than riding (if the masjid is of walking distance and does not burden or create a hardship).
4) It is from the sunnah to go back to one’s house walking from a different route than that which was taken to get there. (Some scholars explain this as a way to meet and greet more people.)
5) To say takbeer out loud because it is one of the symbols of that day.