The following acts are prescribed as Sunnah at the beginning of the day of ‘Eid-ul-Fitr before proceeding to the Eid prayer:
1. To wake up early in the morning.
2. To clean one’s teeth with a Miswaak or a brush.
3. To take a bath.
4. To put on one’s best available clothes.
5. To wear perfume.
6. To eat a sweet food, preferably dates, before the Eid prayer.
7. To recite the following Takbir in the low voice while going to the ‘Eid prayer:
Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar La Ilaha Ila Allah Wa Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar Wa Lillahi Alhamd
Sadaqat-ul-fitr is an obligation for every Muslim, male or female, who owns 613.35 grams of silver or its equivalent, either in the form of money, ornaments, stock-in-trade, or in the form of some goods or commodities beyond one’s normal needs. Every person who owns such an amount has to pay Sadaqat-ul-fitr, not only on behalf of himself but also on behalf of his minor children. The prescribed amount of Sadaqat-ul-fitr is 1.75 Kilograms of wheat or its value in money. This amount is prescribed for paying Sadaqat-ul-fitr for one person only. If a person has some minor children, the same amount has to be paid on behalf of each one of them separately. The following points must be remembered concerning the payment of Sadaqat-ul-fitr.
1. Sadaqat-ul-fitr is obligated on each adult male or female separately, and the relevant adult person himself is responsible to pay it. The husband is not required to pay Sadaqat-ul-fitr on behalf of his wife nor is the wife supposed to pay it on behalf of her husband. Similarly, a father is not bound to pay Sadaqat-ul-fitr on behalf of his adult children or vice-versa. However, if the head of the family, by his own free will, wishes to pay Sadaqat-ul-fitr for each one of the members of his family, he should seek their authorization for that purpose. In this case the Sadaqat-ul-fitr paid by him will be valid on their behalf. If he did not pay the Sadaqat-ul-fitr on behalf of any of the members of his family, he will not be responsible for it. Rather, it is the duty of every adult member of the family to discharge his own obligation or to request the head of the family to pay it on his or her behalf.
2. It is a Sunnah that the Sadaqat-ul-fitr is paid before performing the ‘Eid prayer. It can also be paid before the ‘Eid day, but it is not advisable to delay it up to the performance of’Eid prayer. However, if a person has failed to pay on its proper time, he should pay it as soon as possible, whereby the obligation will stand discharged.
3. The Sadaqat-ul-fitr is not necessary on behalf of a child who was born after the break of dawn in the ‘Eid day, nor is it necessary to pay Sadaqat-ul-fitr on behalf of a person who dies before the dawn of the Eid day.
4. Sadaqat-ul-fitr should be paid only to a person who is entitled to receive Zakah.
The second obligation on ‘Eid day is to perform the ‘Eid prayer. Some rules in this respect are mentioned hereunder:
1. The Eid prayer is Wajib (obligatory) on every male Muslim.
2. The Eid prayer can be performed any time between the Ishraq and Zawal.
3. It is preferable that the ‘Eid prayer is performed at an open field and not in a mosque. However, if, it is difficult for any reason to perform it in an open field, it can also be performed in a big mosque.
4. It is not advisable to hold the ‘Eid prayer in every mosque, rather it is preferable that the people from several small mosques get together to either perform it in an open field or, in its absence, in a big mosque which can accommodate a large number of people.
5. No Nafl Salah can be performed before the ‘Eid prayer, neither in one’s home, nor at the place of’ Eid prayer. Similarly, Nafl prayer cannot be performed after the Eid prayer at the same place. However, it can be performed after one comes back to his home.
6. The Eid prayer has neither Adhan nor Iqamah.
The Eid Prayer has two rak’ah to perform in the normal way, with the only addition of six takbirs, three of them in the beginning of the first rak’ah, and three of them just before ruku’ in the second rak’ah. The detailed way of performing the ‘Eid prayer is as follows:
The Imam will begin the prayer without Adhan or Iqamah. He will begin the prayer by reciting takbir of Tahrimah (Allahu Akbar). You should raise your hands up to the ears, and reciting the takbir, you give a little pause during which you should recite Thana’ (Subhanak Allahumma…….)· After the completion of Thana’ the Imam will recite takbir (Allahu Akbar) three times, and after reciting each Takbir (Allahu Akbar) in a low voice, you should bring your hands down and leave them earthwards. But, after the third takbir, you should set them at the level of your navel as you do in the normal prayer.
After these three takbirs the Imam will recite the Holy Qur’an, which you should listen quietly. The rest of the rak’ah will be performed in the normal way.
After rising for the second rak’ah, the Imam will begin the recitations from the Qur’an during which you should remain calm and quiet. When the Imam finishes his recitation, he will recite three takbirs once again, but this time it will be before bowing down for ruku’. At each takbir you should raise your hands up to the ears, and after saying “Allahu Akbar’ bring them down and leave them earthwards. After these three takbirs have been called and completed, the Imam will say another takbir for bowing down into the ruku’ position. At this takbir you need not raise your hands. You just bow down for your ruku’ saying, ‘Allahu Akbar’. The rest of the Salah will be performed in its usual way.
Khutbah: The Address of ‘Eid-ul-fitr
In this Salah, Khutbah is a Sunnah and is delivered after the Salah, unlike the Salah of Jumu’ah where it is Fard and is delivered before the Salah. However, listening to the Khutbah of ‘Eid Salah is wajib or necessary and must be heard in perfect peace and silence.
It is a sunnah that the Imam begins the first Khutba by reciting takbirs ‘Allahu Akbar’ nine times and the second Khutbah with reciting it seven times.
Note: The way of ‘Eid prayer described above is according to the Hanafi school of Muslim jurists. Some other jurists, like Imam Shafi’i, have some other ways to perform it. They recite Takbir twelve times before beginning the recitations from the Holy Qur’an in both rak’ah. This way is also permissible. If the Imam, being of the Shafi’i school, follows this way, you can also follow him. Both ways are based on the practice of the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam.
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