The 365 · Sunnah · Day 360 · Special Days
Attending the Two Eid Prayers
The hadith
«أمرنا النبيّ ﷺ أن نخرج يوم العيدين: العواتق وذوات الخدور، وأمر الحيّض أن يعتزلن مصلّى المسلمين».
Umm ʿAṭiyyah said: 'The Prophet ﷺ ordered us to bring out (to Eid prayer) the unmarried girls and those in seclusion; he ordered the menstruating women to keep away from the prayer area but witness the gathering.' (Bukhari 974)
Svenska: Umm ʿAṭiyyah sade: 'Profeten ﷺ beordrade oss att föra ut (till Eid-bönen) flickorna och de inneslutna; han beordrade menstruerande kvinnor att hålla sig borta från böneplatsen men bevittna sammankomsten.' (Bukhari 974)
Bukhari 974
The story
The Prophet ﷺ would gather all of Madinah for Eid prayer in an open area. The takbīr echoed; the families gathered; the joy was visible. He never missed an Eid prayer.
Why it's here
Ṣalāt al-ʿEid is the annual community prayer that gathers everyone, including women and children. The Sunnah was so emphasized that the Prophet ﷺ told women to come even if menstruating to witness the gathering and duʿāʾ. The Eid prayer is community formation.
Try it today
Attend both Eid prayers (Fiṭr and Aḍḥā) every year with family. Walk to the prayer place if possible. Return by a different route (Sunnah). Wear best clothes. For ʿEid al-Fiṭr: eat dates before going. For ʿEid al-Aḍḥā: do not eat until after the prayer.
In your day
Many modern families skip Eid prayer for various reasons. Recover the Sunnah. Bring the children. The community is formed in the Eid gathering.
A reflection to carry
Two annual gatherings, every Muslim called. Bring the family; walk; return by a different route.
Read the longer reflection
The Eid prayer is the Ummah's annual public worship. May Allah let us never miss an Eid, and may we gather our families around it as the Prophet ﷺ gathered his.
Sources: Sahih Bukhari. The Qur'an and its translation are verified; the scholarship is retold faithfully in our own words and credited to its sources, never reproduced verbatim.
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