The Eid Prayers (صلاة العيدين) & Takbirs of Tashriq

Read the bilingual lesson for The Eid Prayers (صلاة العيدين) & Takbirs of Tashriq and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. Legal Status of Eid Prayers

صَلَاةُ الْعِيدِ وَاجِبَةٌ عَلَى مَنْ تَجُبُّ عَلَيْهِ الْجُمُعَةُ بِشَرَائِطِهَا سِوَى الْخُطْبَةِ • Legal Status: Performing the two Eid prayers (Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha) is classified as Wajib (obligatory/necessary). • Upon Whom: Eid prayer is obligatory strictly upon those individuals upon whom the Friday prayer is obligatory. • Difference from Friday Prayer: ◦ The Friday sermon is a prerequisite condition (shart) for the validity of Friday prayer, and must be delivered before the prayer. ◦ The Eid sermon is a Sunnah practice, and is delivered after the prayer is completed (delivering it before Eid prayer is disliked).

2. Structural Method: First Rak'ah Extra Takbirs

وَكَيْفِيَّةُ صَلَاتِهِمَا: أَنْ يَنْوِيَ صَلَاةَ الْعِيدِ، ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرَ لِلتَّحْرِيمَةِ، ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرَ تَكْبِيرَاتِ الزَّوَائِدِ ثَلَاثًا... • First Rak'ah Sequence: The Eid prayer consists of two units with a total of six extra Takbirs (Takbirat al-Zawa'id): ◦ Intention & Opening Takbir: Form the intention, say Allahu Akbar, clasp the hands below the navel, and recite the opening supplication (Thana'). ◦ Three Extra Takbirs: The Imam will call three extra Takbirs aloud: ◦ On the first and second Takbirs, raise the hands to the ears and release them at the sides. ◦ On the third Takbir, raise the hands and clasp them below the navel. ◦ Recitation: The Imam then recites the Ta'awwudh, Tasmiyah, Surah al-Fatihah, and an appended Surah, followed by the normal bowing and prostration.

3. Structural Method: Second Rak'ah Extra Takbirs

ثُمَّ فِي الرَّكْعَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ يَبْتَدِئُ بِالْقِرَاءَةِ، ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ ثَلَاثًا لِلزَّوَائِدِ، ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ الرَّابِعَةَ لِلرُّكُوعِ • Second Rak'ah Sequence: Upon standing up for the second unit: ◦ Recitation First: The Imam immediately commences the recitation of Surah al-Fatihah and the appended Surah without raising the hands. ◦ Three Extra Takbirs: After completing the recitation and before bowing, the Imam calls three extra Takbirs: ◦ On all three extra Takbirs, raise the hands to the ears and release them at the sides. ◦ The Fourth Takbir: The Imam then calls the fourth Takbir, on which worshippers proceed directly into bowing (Ruku') without raising their hands. • Preserving this specific sequence is necessary for the validity of the Eid prayer.

4. The Takbirs of Tashriq Part 1

وَيَجُوبُ تَكْبِيرُ التَّشْرِيقِ مِنْ بَعْدِ فَجْرِ عَرَفَةَ إِلَى عَصْرِ يَوْمِ النَّحْرِ عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ... • Concept: The Takbirs of Tashriq (Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar...) are Wajib to recite aloud once immediately after performing the obligatory (Fard) prayers. • The View of Imam Abu Hanifah: ◦ These Takbirs are obligatory starting from the Fajr prayer of the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah (Day of Arafah) until the Asr prayer of the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah (Day of Sacrifice). ◦ This spans a total of nine (9) prayers. • The View of the Two Companions (and the Fatwa): ◦ Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad held that these Takbirs are obligatory starting from the Fajr of the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah until the Asr prayer of the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah (the final day of Tashriq). ◦ This spans a total of twenty-five (25) prayers, and this remains the authoritative fatwa of the Hanafi school.

5. The Takbirs of Tashriq Part 2: Phrasing and Conditions

وَهُوَ: اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ • Abu Hanifa's attribution: Takbir al-Tashriq has the restricted conditions stated in the source. • Sahibayn and operative fatwa: It applies after every Fard to one who prayed, including an individual, traveler, or villager, through Asr of the stated final day.

Practice questions

Question 1

What is the legal status of the two Eid prayers (Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha) in Hanafi Fiqh?

  • Fard 'Ayn
  • Wajib (Obligatory/Necessary)
  • Sunnah Mu'akkadah
  • Mandub (Recommended)

Question 2

Unlike the Friday prayer, the Eid sermon (Khutbah) is delivered after the prayer units are completed.

  • True
  • False

Question 3

How many extra Takbirs (Takbirat al-Zawa'id) are performed in total during the two units of Eid prayer?

  • Three (3) extra Takbirs.
  • Six (6) extra Takbirs (three in the first rak'ah, three in the second).
  • Twelve (12) extra Takbirs.
  • Exactly nine (9) extra Takbirs.

Question 4

During the second rak'ah of the Eid prayer, the extra Takbirs are performed before commencing the recitation of Surah al-Fatihah.

  • True
  • False

Question 5

According to the authoritative fatwa of the Hanafi school, what is the duration for reciting the Wajib Takbirs of Tashriq?

  • Only nine (9) Fard prayers, ending on the Asr of the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah.
  • Exactly twenty-five (25) Fard prayers, starting from the Fajr of the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah until the Asr of the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah.
  • Five (5) prayers of the Eid day only.
  • Throughout the entire month of Dhul-Hijjah.

Question 6

If a worshipper engages in worldly conversation immediately after the Fard prayer's Salaam, they can still validly recite the Takbirs of Tashriq.

  • True
  • False

Question 7

Match the Eid prayer units with the correct chronological placement of their extra Takbirs:

Question 8

Which of the following represents the correct and authorized wording of the Wajib Takbir of Tashriq?

  • "Subhanallahi wal-Hamdulillahi wa La ilaha illallahu Wallahu Akbar."
  • "Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar La ilaha illallahu Wallahu Akbar Allahu Akbar wa lillahil-Hamd."
  • "La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu lahul-mulku."
  • "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar."

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