Eid prayers

Eid prayer during Eid al-Fitr at Taipei Grand Mosque, Taiwan

Muslim males can be seen attending Khutbah as part of the Eid-ul-Adha prayers. Photo taken at Barashalghar union of Comilla's Debidwar upazila.

Eid prayers, also known as Salat al-Eid (Arabic: صلاة العيد) and Șālat al-’Īdayn (Arabic: صلاة العيدين "Prayer of the Two Eids"), is the special prayers offered to commemorate two Islamic festivals traditionally in an open space allocated (musalla or Eidgah) or field available for prayer. The two festivals on which these prayers are conducted in large congregations are:

• Eid al-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر), celebrated on the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal after the fasting in the holy month of Ramadan.
• Eid al-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى), celebrated on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah after the Day of Arafah, the main day of the Hajj pilgrimage season.

Name variations

Region/country	Language	Main
Arab World	Arabic	صلاة العيد (Ṣalāh al-'Eid)
Iran, Afghanistan	Persian	نماز عيد
Pakistan, India	Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi	نماز عيد, ईद नमाज़ (Eid namaaz)
Turkey, Azerbaijan	Turkish, Azeri	Bayram namazı
Balkans	Serbo-Croatian, Bosnian	Bajram-namaz
Bangladesh, West Bengal	Bengali	ঈদের নামাজ (Eider namaz)
Sweden	Swedish	Eidbön
Indonesia	Indonesian, Javanese	Salat Id
Malaysia	Bahasa Melayu	Solat Sunat Hari Raya
Iraqi Kurdistan	Kurdish Sorani	نوێژی جێژن
Tamil Nadu	Tamil	பெருநாள் தொழுகை (Perunal thozhugai)

Importance

Different scholars interpret the importance of this salat (prayer) differently. Salat al-Eid is Wajib (necessary/mandatory) according to Hanafi scholars, Sunnah al-Mu'kkadah according to Maliki and Shaf'i jurisprudence, and Fard according to Hanbali scholars. Some scholars say it is fard al-ayn and some say it is fard al-kifaya.

Timing

The time for Salat al-Eid begins when the sun reaches approximately three meters above the horizon until it reaches its meridian. It starts when the sun has risen above the height of a spear, and continues until the sun is approaching its zenith. It is recommended to offer it in the forenoon in the early hours after sunrise.

Adhering to the Sunnah, the time for Eid al-Fitr prayer is delayed and Eid al-Adha prayer is hastened, so as to facilitate distribution of Fitrana before the Eid al-Fitr prayer and offer sacrifice after the Eid al-Adha prayer. This has been a proved Sunnah and has been well recorded in Hadith books.

See also

• Eid al-Fitr
• Eid al-Adha
• Eidgah

References

2. Description of Eid Prayer.