#1013: On Observing The Id At Home

“Assalamu’alaykum, hope you had a wonderful Sahur, may Allah accept our ibadah. Please I want to suggest if you can enlighten us more on praying Eid @home in light of present happenings and all the information out there about praying it at home. Also, is it possible to bring together like 5 families and pray the eid?…. May Allah reward all your hard work put into enlightening us.”

ANSWER:

Wa Alaykum Salam Warahmatullah Wabarakaatuh.

Know, may Allah be merciful to myself and to you, and forgive my numerous sins, and yours, that the ID is among those Prayers which were made to be done in congregation and not in private. And the Fuqaha of Islam, rather, the Ummah of Islam are in agreement that the ID is observed in congregation.

The Rasul salallahu alayhi wasallam, as Umm ‘Atiyyah Al-Ansariyyah said, commanded that the Womenfolk, even the Menstruating and newly wedded virgin, attended the ID congregation. This is because the more the number of people gathered, the better and the closer it is to the Sunnah of the Rasul salallahu alayhi wasallam.

Second, know that the Fuqahaa, due to the importance of the ID sanctioned the compensation for it if one misses it on a normal situation. This is the position held by Malik, Ash-Shaafi’i, Al-Muzani, Ahmad and others: that the ID if missed should be compensated (Qadaa) for by the one who missed it.

Third, how is the ID of missed supposed to be observed?

Of the Fuqahaa are those that held that the one who misses it must observe four Raka’at in its stead. Either with two Taslim or with one. This is the position of Ibn Mas’ud and the one favoured by Imam Sufyan Ath-Thawri, the Imam of Hadith.

Of the Fuqahaa are those that held that he observes it like any other two raka’at nawaafil. This is the position held by the Polymath and Haafidh Imam, Al-Awzaa’i rahimahullah.

Of the Fuqahaa are those that held that he should observe it in the same manner as was observed by the Imam who led the ID, meaning he should observe it like Salaatu Al-‘Id is observed. Exactly in like manner as the Takbiraat are observed. This is the positon favoured by Imam Ahmad bn Hanbal and Ismail bn Sa’ad.

It was also the choice of the Teacher of Ad-Daraqutni and An-Nasa’i, the Muhaddith and Haafidh Imam Abu Abdillah Al-Jawzajaani. It is also the position of An-Nakha’i, Maalik, Ash-Shaafi’i, Abu Ath-Thawr and Imam Ibn Al-Mundhir.

It was narrated from Anas bn Maalik that once he missed the Salaatu Al-Id in Basrah, he would gather his entire family and his Slaves and have one of them lead them in Salaatu Al-Id.

Know, may Allah brighten my face and yours, that there is no doubt that this last position is that which is strengthened with proof. Can’t you see that this is observed as a compensation for what was missed of the original Salaat? It therefore follows that it should be done exactly as was missed.

What then can be said about the Khutbah?

Some of the Fuqaha have held that he does not observe the Khutbah while others have upheld the Khutbah provided he is in a congregation. What is stronger in this regard is that the Khutbah can be recited provided he is not alone, and Allah knows best.

This is because Salaatu Al-Id that he missed is that in which there was Khutbah. It is therefore recommended for him to replicate the ID as if it was observed in the Prayer Field as close as possible. And Allah knows best.

Fourth, based on the foregoing, what is expected of Muslims in this Era and situation where there is inability to observe the Salaatu Al-Id due to lockdown situations, is to observe it in their respective homes, two Raka’at in the same way it is observed had it been done in the Prayer Field where everyone gathered, with the Takbiraat that are the characteristics of the Id, and with a Khutbah if possible.

However in all of these are ease and the Believer is at liberty to choose which of the above he wants and find easy to do.

Fifth, as for bringing nearby families together, then this is encouraged provided it doesn’t increase the possibility of further spreading the disease for which the Congregational Salaatu Al-Id was not convened in the first place. If that risk exists then it should be avoided and Allah knows best.

May Allah accept our fast and forgive my sins and yours.

Barakallahu Fikum.
Jazakumullahu Khayran

Abū Asim

30th Ramadān, 1441AH.

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