The Fiqh oF

eid al-adha
Praise be to Allah that is due from all grateful believers,
a fullness of praise for all his favours: a praise that is
abundantly sincere and blessed. May the blessings of
Allah be upon our beloved Master Muhammad, the
chosen one, the Apostle of mercy and the seal of all
Prophets (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all);
and upon his descendants who are upright and pure: a
blessing lasting to the Day of Judgment, like the blessing
bestowed upon the Prophet Ibrahim (alaihis salam) and
his descendants. May Allah be pleased with all of the
Prophetic Companions (Ashab al-Kiram). Indeed, Allah
is most worthy of praise and supreme glorification!

The deen of al-Islam has two major holidays, Eid al-Fitr which is
celebrated at the end of fasting in the month of Ramadan and Eid al-
Adha which is celebrated on the 10th of Dhu’l Hijjah. As for feasting
and celebrating then this has a reference point from the Holy Qur’an
(Sura al-Ma’ida, 5:114, with the explanation of Imam al-Suyuti from his
Tafsir al-Jalalayn):

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Isa, son of Mary, said: ‘O Allah, our Lord, send down upon us a
Table from the heaven, that it shall be, that is, the day of its
sending down [shall be], a celebration (Eid) for us, which we shall
consecrate and honour, for the first (li-awwalinā is an inclusive
substitution for lanā, ‘for us’, with the repetition of the [oblique]
preposition [li-]) and the last of us, those who will come after us,
and a sign from You, of Your power and my Prophethood. And
provide, it, for us; You are the Best of Providers’.

Eid al-Adha essentially constitutes a congregational prayer (Salah), a

sermon (khutba) after the prayer, slaughtering an animal (for those
who it is binding upon according to the dictates of the Shari’a), as well
as eating and drinking of the permitted provisions. It is also a day of
bonding between fellow believers.

The following hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari (2/59) encapsulates some of

these points:

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Some points about the Salah and Qurbani:

1. The Eid Prayer in congregation is Wajib for males who are mature
(baligh) and it consists of two rak’ats, with 6 extra takbirs1 (according
to the Hanafi school, though other madhhabs also allow an additional
number like a total of 12 takbirs). There is no Adhan or Iqama for the
Eid Salah or any nafl salah before it.

2. After the Eid prayer, there is a khutba (sermon). It is necessary to

listen to this khutba, and everything disliked in the Friday khutba is
also disliked to be done here.

3. After this one should sacrifice an animal if it is binding upon one

and also trim the hair and nails after the sacrifice is complete

The Sunna’s and etiquettes of the Day of Eid al-Adha

include:

1) To wake up early, in order to prepare for the injunctions of the

day

2) Performing ghusl (bath)

3) Brush one’s teeth using a miswak if possible

4) To adorn oneself with one’s best clothes according to the

dictates of the Shari’a. White clothes are optimal for males.

5) Apply perfume (Itr). Women should not wear itr if it is likely

that stranger men (ghayr-mahram) may smell it as it is
condemned in hadiths

6) To delay eating until after the Eid al-Adha prayer

7) To go early on to the place the Eid prayer is taking place. It is

Sunna to prayer Eid Salah in an open place if possible;
otherwise as an exception the confines of a masjid will suffice

8) To return from the Eid prayer by a different route to the one

taken there, as established by the Prophetic practice

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See the second article for some proofs on this view

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 9) To walk to the place of Salah if possible

10) To give the takbirs of Eid

Takbir-ut-tashriq

Beginning from the Fajr of the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah (Hajj day) up to the
'Asr prayer of the 13th day, it is obligatory (wajib) on each Muslim to
recite the Takbir of Tashriq once after every Fard prayer whether you
are performing Salah with Jama'a (collectively) or on your own
(individually). The following words should be recited:

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar,

La Ilaha Illallahu, Wallahu Akbar,

Allahu Akbar wa lillahil-hamd.

Meaning: Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, there is no god but Allah
and Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest and to Allah belongs all praise.

For women also, it is commendable though not obligatory. However,

male Muslims should recite it in a loud voice, while females should
recite it in an inaudible voice.

Peace and blessings be upon our Master Muhammad

Abul Hasan Hussain Ahmed

Dhu’l Hijjah 1434AH/October 2013

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 ProoFs For The hanaFi
Procedure oF salaT al-‘id 2

Hadith One: A Sahih Marfoo‘ Hadith

Near the end of his Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar (2:371, Maktabah Haqqaniyyah), Imam al-
Tahawi (d. 321 H) narrates:

:‫ ﺛﻨﺎ ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﷲ ﺑﻦ ﻳﻮﺳﻒ ﻋﻦ ﳛﲕ ﺑﻦ ﲪﺰﺓ ﻗﺎﻝ‬:‫ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﻟﺮﲪﻦ ﻭﳛﲕ ﺑﻦ ﻋﺜﻤﺎﻥ ﻗﺪ ﺣﺪﺛﺎﻧﺎ ﻗﺎﻻ‬
‫ ﺣﺪﺛﲏ ﺑﻌﺾ ﺃﺻﺤﺎﺏ ﺭﺳﻮﻝ ﺍﷲ‬:‫ﺣﺪﺛﲏ ﻭﺿﲔ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻄﺎﺀ ﺃﻥ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﺳﻢ ﺃﺑﺎ ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﻟﺮﲪﻦ ﺣﺪﺛﻪ ﻗﺎﻝ‬
‫ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ ﻗﺎﻝ‬:

،‫ ﰒ ﺃﻗﺒﻞ ﻋﻠﻴﻨﺎ ﺑﻮﺟﻬﻪ ﺣﲔ ﺍﻧﺼﺮﻑ‬،‫ ﻓﻜﱪ ﺃﺭﺑﻌﺎ ﺃﺭﺑﻌﺎ‬،‫ﺻﻠﻰ ﺑﻨﺎ ﺍﻟﻨﱯ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ ﻳﻮﻡ ﻋﻴﺪ‬
‫ﺎﻣﻪ‬‫ ﻭﺃﺷﺎﺭ ﺑﺄﺻﺎﺑﻌﻪ ﻭﻗﺒﺾ ﺇ‬،‫ ﻻ ﺗﻨﺴﻮﺍ ﻛﺘﻜﺒﲑ ﺍﳉﻨﺎﺋﺰ‬:‫ﻓﻘﺎﻝ‬

Translation

‘Ali ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman and Yahya ibn ‘Uthman narrated to us, they said: ‘Abd
Allah ibn Yusuf narrated to us: From Yahya ibn Hamzah, he said: Wadin ibn ‘Ata’
narrated to me that al-Qasim Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman narrated to him, he said: One of
the companions of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace)
narrated to me, he said:

“The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) prayed with us on the day of ‘Id,
so did takbir, four [in the first rak‘ah] and four [in the second], and then he turned to
us with his face when he finished and he said: ‘Do not forget, [the takbirs of ‘Id are]
like the takbir of janazah.’ And he gestured with his fingers and clutched his thumb
(signalling the number four).”

Meaning

The “four” takbirs of the first rak‘ah mentioned in this narration includes the opening
takbir (takbirat al-iftitah) as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) drew a
comparison with the takbirs of Janazah in which one of the four takbirs is also of the
opening takbir. Furthermore, the four takbirs in the second rak‘ah includes the takbir
said when going into ruku‘. Hence, the additional takbirs are in fact six. This meaning
is clear from other narrations, some of which are reproduced below.
2
Courtesy and acknowledgments of http://reliablefatwas.com/proofs-for-the-hanafi-procedure-of-
salat-al-id/

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Authenticity

‘Allamah Badr al-Din al-‘Ayni (d. 855 H) said about this narration: “And this is a
sahih chain and its narrators are trustworthy.” (Nukhab al-Afkar, 16:442)

Here is a brief analysis of the narrators in the chain:

1. ‘Ali ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn al-Mughirah al-Kufi (d. 272 H),
the shaykh of al-Tahawi, known by the agnomen “‘Allan,” was also a shaykh
of Imam al-Nasa’i, and he is trustworthy (thiqah). He was declared
“trustworthy” (thiqah) by Ibn Yunus and is mentioned in al-Thiqat of Ibn
Hibban (Tahrir al-Taqrib, 3:49).
2. ‘Abd Allah ibn Yusuf al-Tinnisi (d. 218 H) is an undisputed Madinan Hadith
authority, whose narrations are found in Sahih al-Bukhari, and the Sunans of
Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasai. He is one of the most reliable transmitters of
Malik’s Muwatta’ (Tahrir al-Taqrib, 2:288-9).
3. Yahya ibn Hamzah ibn Waqid al-Hadrami (d. 183 H) is thiqah and his
narrations are found in all six of the famous hadith collections (Tahrir al-
Taqrib, 4:82).
4. Al-Wadin ibn ‘Ata’ ibn Kinanah (d.156) is at least saduq (reliable) if not
thiqah. Ahmad, Ibn Ma‘in, Abu Zur‘ah, Ibn Shahin, al-Dhahabi and others
declared him thiqah. Although some critics said he is weak, this was due to his
beliefs associated with qadar (predestination), which does not detract from his
strength as a hadith narrator (Tahrir al-Taqrib, 4:59-60).
5. Al-Qasim ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Dimashqi (d. 112)
was a companion of the famous Sahabi, Abu Umamah al-Bahili, and he is
thiqah, described so by al-Bukhari, Ibn Ma‘in, al-Tirmidhi, Juzjani and others
(Tahrir al-Taqrib, 3:171).
6. Although the Sahabi in this chain is unknown, this does not affect the
authenticity of the chain as all Sahabah are trustworthy and reliable by
consensus of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa l-Jama‘ah.

Imam al-Tahawi said after narrating the above hadith:

‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﺣﺪﻳﺚ ﺣﺴﻦ ﺍﻹﺳﻨﺎﺩ ﻭﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﷲ ﺑﻦ ﻳﻮﺳﻒ ﻭﳛﻰ ﺑﻦ ﲪﺰﺓ ﻭﺍﻟﻮﺿﲔ ﻭﺍﻟﻘﺎﺳﻢ ﻛﻠﻬﻢ ﺃﻫﻞ ﺭﻭﺍﻳﺔ‬
‫ﻣﻌﺮﻭﻓﻮﻥ ﺑﺼﺤﺔ ﺍﻟﺮﻭﺍﻳﺔ‬

“This is a hadith with a hasan chain. ‘Abd Allah ibn Yusuf, Yahya ibn Hamzah, al-
Wadin and al-Qasim are all people of transmission, recognised for authenticity in
transmission.” (Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar, 2:371)

Salafi scholar, Al-Albani, said after quoting this statement of al-Tahawi, “It is as he
said.” (Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah, no. 2997)

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 Hadith Two: The View of Major Sahabah

‘Abd al-Razzaq al-San‘ani narrates in his Musannaf:

‫ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﻟﺮﺯﺍﻕ ﻋﻦ ﻣﻌﻤﺮ ﻋﻦ ﺃﰊ ﺇﺳﺤﺎﻕ ﻋﻦ ﻋﻠﻘﻤﺔ ﻭﺍﻷﺳﻮﺩ ﺑﻦ ﻳﺰﻳﺪ ﻗﺎﻝ‬:

‫ﻛﺎﻥ ﺍﺑﻦ ﻣﺴﻌﻮﺩ ﺟﺎﻟﺴﺎ ﻭﻋﻨﺪﻩ ﺣﺬﻳﻔﺔ ﻭﺃﺑﻮ ﻣﻮﺳﻰ ﺍﻷﺷﻌﺮﻱ ﻓﺴﺄﳍﻤﺎ ﺳﻌﻴﺪ ﺑﻦ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﺹ ﻋﻦ ﺍﻟﺘﻜﺒﲑ‬
‫ ﻓﻘﺎﻝ ﻟﻪ‬،‫ ﺳﻞ ﻫﺬﺍ‬:‫ ﻭﻫﺬﺍ ﻳﻘﻮﻝ‬،‫ ﺳﻞ ﻫﺬﺍ‬:‫ ﻓﺠﻌﻞ ﻫﺬﺍ ﻳﻘﻮﻝ‬،‫ﰱ ﺍﻟﺼﻼﺓ ﻳﻮﻡ ﺍﻟﻔﻄﺮ ﻭﺍﻷﺿﺤﻰ‬
‫ ﻓﻘﺎﻝ ﺍﺑﻦ ﻣﺴﻌﻮﺩ‬،‫ ﺳﻞ ﻫﺬﺍ – ﻟﻌﺒﺪ ﺍﷲ ﺑﻦ ﻣﺴﻌﻮﺩ – ﻓﺴﺄﻟﻪ‬:‫ﺣﺬﻳﻔﻪ‬:

‫ﻳﻜﱪ ﺃﺭﺑﻌﺎ ﰒ ﻳﻘﺮﺃ ﻓﲑﻛﻊ ﰒ ﻳﻘﻮﻡ ﰱ ﺍﻟﺜﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﻓﻴﻘﺮﺃ ﰒ ﻳﻜﱪ ﺃﺭﺑﻌﺎ ﺑﻌﺪ ﺍﻟﻘﺮﺍﺀﺓ‬

Translation

‘Abd al-Razzaq from Ma‘mar (ibn Rashid) from Abu Ishaq (al-Sabi‘i) from ‘Alqamah
and al-Aswad ibn Yazid, he said:

Ibn Mas‘ud was sitting and next to him was Hudhayfah (ibn al-Yaman) and Abu
Musa al-Ash‘ari, whereupon Sa‘id ibn al-‘As asked these two (i.e. Hudhayfah and
Abu Musa) about the takbir in the Salah of the day of Fitr and Adha. So this one
began to say, ‘Ask this one,’ and this one to say, ‘Ask this one.’ Then Hudhayfah said
to him: ‘Ask this one’ – [pointing] to ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud. So he asked him. Ibn
Mas‘ud said:

“One does takbir four times and then he recites, then he bows, and then he stands in
the second (rak‘ah) and he recites, and then he does takbir four times after recitation.”
(Musannaf ‘Abd al-Razzaq, no. 5687, 3:293-4, al-Majlis al-‘Ilmi)

Authenticity

This is a very strong chain of narration, with all the narrators being known hadith
authorities, found in all six of the famous hadith collections.

Comment

This proves ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud prayed in the way described in the above hadith,
and he issued fatwa on it. And major Sahabah agreed with him. It is also established
in other narrations that Ibn Mas‘ud’s students, like ‘Alqamah, Aswad, Masruq and
others, would also pray in the same way.

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 Hadith Three: A Clearer Description

If there is some confusion and ambiguity in the above descriptions regarding the
tabkirs, the following hadith makes the procedure completely clear:

Ibn Abi Shaybah narrates:

‫ﺣﺪﺛﻨﺎ ﻭﻛﻴﻊ ﻋﻦ ﺳﻔﻴﺎﻥ ﻋﻦ ﺃﰊ ﺇﺳﺤﺎﻕ ﻋﻦ ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﷲ ﺑﻦ ﺃﰊ ﻣﻮﺳﻰ…ﺃﻥ ﺃﻣﲑﺍ ﻣﻦ ﺃﻣﺮﺍﺀ‬

‫ ﺇﻥ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﻌﻴﺪ‬:‫ﺍﻟﻜﻮﻓﺔ…ﺑﻌﺚ ﺇﱃ ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﷲ ﺑﻦ ﻣﺴﻌﻮﺩ ﻭﺣﺬﻳﻔﺔ ﺑﻦ ﺍﻟﻴﻤﺎﻥ ﻭﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﷲ ﺑﻦ ﻗﻴﺲ ﻓﻘﺎﻝ‬
‫ ﻓﻘﺎﻝ‬،‫ﻗﺪ ﺣﻀﺮ ﻓﻤﺎ ﺗﺮﻭﻥ؟ ﻓﺄﺳﻨﺪﻭﺍ ﺃﻣﺮﻫﻢ ﺇﱃ ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﷲ‬:

‫ ﰒ ﺗﻜﱪ ﰒ ﺗﺮﻛﻊ ﰒ ﺗﻘﻮﻡ ﻓﺘﻘﺮﺃ‬،‫ ﰒ ﺗﻘﺮﺃ ﺳﻮﺭﺓ‬،‫ﺎ ﺍﻟﺼﻼﺓ‘ ﰒ ﺗﻜﱪ ﺛﻼﺛﺎ‬ ‫ ﺗﻜﺒﲑﺓ ﺗﻔﺘﺘﺢ‬:‫ﺗﻜﱪ ﺗﺴﻌﺎ‬
‫ﺳﻮﺭﺓ ﰒ ﺗﻜﱪ ﺃﺭﺑﻌﺎ ﺗﺮﻛﻊ ﺑﺈﺣﺪﺍﻫﻦ‬

Translation

Waki‘ (ibn al-Jarrah) narrated to us from Sufyan (al-Thawri) from Abu Ishaq (al-
Sabi‘i) from ‘Abd Allah ibn Abi Musa…that an emir from the emirs of Kufah…sent
for ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud, Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman and ‘Abd Allah ibn Qays (i.e.
Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari) and he said: ‘Indeed ‘Id has come, so what is your opinion?’
They deferred their matter to ‘Abd Allah, and he said:

“You do nine takbirs: one takbir with which to open the Salah, and then you do three
takbirs, and then you recite a surah, and then you do takbir and then you bow, and
then you stand (in the second rak‘ah) and you recite a surah, and then you do four
takbirs and bow with one of them.”

Comment

This is a very clear description of the Hanafi procedure of Salat al-‘Id.

Authenticity

Again, this is an authentic chain. ‘Abd Allah ibn Abi Musa is a very senior Tabi‘i
whose narrations are found in Sahih Muslim, and he is thiqah (Taqrib, no. 3547).

Concluding Remarks

Further Support

Furthermore, there is an authentic narration in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (no. 5757)
that ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas, the great Makkan Sahabi, also prayed in this way.

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Hadiths on the Other Opinion of “Seven and Five” Takbirs

Finally, Imam al-Tahawi criticises all the narrations that say the Prophet (Allah bless
him and grant him peace) prayed “seven and five,” as they all have problematic
narrators in the chains like Kathir ibn ‘Abd Allah, ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-
Thaqafi and Ibn Lahi‘ah, and some have inconsistency (idtirab) in the chain. And he
says the narration above (hadith one) is free of these defects that are found in those
narrations that mention “seven and five.”

Furthermore, the narration above (hadith one) also contains a verbal instruction from
the Prophet (peace be upon him) i.e. his saying, “Do not forget, four like the takbirs of
Janazah.” And it is known that a verbal hadith is given priority over ones that only
describe a practice.

Hadiths on the Position of ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud in this Ummah

Another important fact that gives support to the Hanafi method is that it was
championed by the eminent Sahabi, ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased
with him). Consider the following two narrations:

Al-Hakim narrates in his Mustadrak (3:319) with his chain that the Prophet (peace be
upon him) said:

‫ﺭﺿﻴﺖ ﻟﻜﻢ ﻣﺎ ﺭﺿﻲ ﻟﻜﻢ ﺍﺑﻦ ﺃﻡ ﻋﺒﺪ‬

“I am pleased for you with what Ibn Umm ‘Abd (i.e. Ibn Mas‘ud) is pleased for you.”

Al-Hakim said it is sahih and al-Dhahabi agreed with him. Muhammad ‘Awwamah
analysed the chain and showed it is authentic (footnotes to Musannaf Ibn Abi
Shaybah, 17:193) Al-Albani also deemed it authentic (Silsilah Ahadith Sahihah, no.
1225).

And the Prophet (peace be upon him peace) said:

‫ﻭﲤﺴﻜﻮﺍ ﺑﻌﻬﺪ ﺍﺑﻦ ﺃﻡ ﻋﺒﺪ‬

“Hold fast to the instruction of Ibn Umm ‘Abd (i.e. Ibn Mas‘ud).”

It was narrated by al-Tirmidhi, Ahmad, al-Tahawi, Ibn Abi Shaybah and others.
Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut stated it is a “sahih hadith” (footnotes to Sharh Mushkil al-Athar,
no. 1224)

This, therefore, is a validation from the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself to follow
the verdicts and teachings of ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud.