The first of the month of Shawwâl is the first day
of the ’Iyd of Fitr and the tenth of Zilhijja is the first day of the ’Iyd of
Qurbân. On these two days it is wâjib for men to perform two rak’ats of ’Iyd
namâz at the time of ishrâq, that is,
after the time of karâhat[1] has passed following
the sunrise. The conditions for the namâz of ’Iyd are like the conditions for
the Friday prayer. But in the former, the khutba is sunnat and is said after
the namâz. In the ’Iyd of Fitr it is mustahab to eat something sweet [dates or
candy], to make a ghusl, to use the miswâk, to wear the newest clothes, to give
the fitra before the namâz, and to say the takbîr softly on the way.
In the ’Iyd of Qurbân it is mustahab not to eat
anything before the namâz, to eat the meat of Qurbân first after the namâz, to
say the takbîr-i teshrîq loudly, but
softly for those who have an excuse, when going for the namâz.
It is written in Halabî-yi
kebîr, “The namâz of ’Iyd consists of two rak’ats. It is performed
in jamâ’at. It cannot be performed individually. In the first rak’at, after the
Subhânaka the takbîr-i zawâid is said
three times, that is, the hands are lifted up to the ears three times; in the
first and second times, they are let down hanging on both sides, and after the
third time they are clasped under the navel. After the imâm says the Fâtiha and
the additional sûra aloud, they (the imâm and the jamâ’at) bow for the rukû’.
In the second rak’at the Fâtiha and an additional sûra are said first, then the
hands are lifted up to the ears three times, and after each time they are let
down hanging on both sides. In the fourth takbîr you do not lift your hands up
to your ears but instead prostrate for the rukû’. In the first and second
rak’ats five and four takbîrs are said respectively. And in order not to forget
where you will put your hands in those nine takbîrs, you memorize this
procedure as follows: “Hang them twice and clasp them once. Hang them thrice
and then prostrate.” It is stated in Mâ-lâ-budda[2], “A person who misses
the jamâ’at does not make qadâ of ’Iyd prayer. If they cannot perform it for
some excuse, they perform it on the second day of ’Iyd-i-fitr and on the third
day of ’Iyd-i-adhâ.”
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[1] Period of time wherein it is not permissible to perform namâz.
[2] It was written by Thenâullah Dahlawî 'rahmatullâhi ta'âlâ 'alaih', (1143 [1730 A.D.] - 1255 [1810].) The book was reproduced by Hakîkat Kitâbevi in 1409 [1989 A.D.]
’Iyd means bayram. Those
days are called ’Iyd because every year
Muslims’ sins are forgiven in the month of Ramadân and on the Arafa Day and
their joy and felicity come back on those days. If the first day of ’Iyd is a
Friday, both the namâz of ’Iyd and the namâz of Friday will be performed
according to the Hanafî Madhhab. They are performed in their appointed times.
If there is a janâza (funeral) on the morning of the ’Iyd the namâz of ’Iyd is
performed first. The namâz of janâza is performed after that because the namâz
of ’Iyd is wâjib for everybody. However, the namâz of janâza is to be performed
before the khutba of the ’Iyd.
It is mekrûh for those who are not on Arafât to
assemble at some place and do as the hadjis do on Arafa day (the day before the
first day of the ’Iyd of Qurbân). But it is permissible to assemble in order to
listen to some Islamic preaching or for doing any other worship. [Please see
the seventh chapter in the fifth fascicle of Endless Bliss.]
According to the Imâmayn, from morning prayer on
the Arafa day, that is, the day preceding the ’Iyd of Qurbân, until late
afternoon prayer on the fourth day, which amounts to twenty-three prayers of
namâz in all, it is wâjib for everyone, for men and women, for hadjis and for those who are not making the hajj, for those who are performing namâz in
jamâ’at and for those who are performing it alone to say the Takbîr-i teshriq (Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar. Lâ ilâha
illallah. Wallahu akbar. Allahu akbar wa lillahil-hamd) once immediately
after making the salâm in any namâz that is fard or when making qadâ of any
fard namâz for the days of this ’Iyd. This (takbîr) is said after the prayers
of Friday, too. It is mustahab to recite it after ’Iyd prayer. It is not said
after the namâz of janâza. It is not necessary to say it after leaving the
mosque or if you have talked (after the namâz). If the imâm forgets the takbîr,
the jamâ’at must not omit it. Men may say it loudly. The second, third and
fourth days of the ’Iyd of Qurbân are called Ayyâm-i
teshrîq.
It is written in the book Ni’met-i Islâm: “It is sunnat to do the following
things on the ’Iyd days: to get up early; to make a ghusl; to clean the teeth
with miswâk; to put on perfume [without alcohol]; to put on new and clean
clothes; to show that you are happy; to eat sweetmeat before the prayer of the
’Iyd of Fitr; to eat dates; to eat an odd number of them; for one who performs
the qurbân, to eat first the meat of qurbân; to perform morning prayer in the
masjid of one’s quarter and to go a large mosque for the ’Iyd prayer; to wear a
ring on that day; to go to the mosque early and to go on foot; to say the ’Iyd
takbîrs softly on the ’Iyd of Fitr and loudly on the
’Iyd of Adhâ; to take a
different route on one’s way back [from the mosque]. This is because the places
where one offers one’s ibâdat and the routes that one takes when going for
’ibâdat will stand as witnesses on the Day of Judgement; to welcome the
Believers [Muslims] with a smiling face and by saying ‘Salâmun ’alaykum’; to
give alms generously to the poor [and to give help to those who are working to
disseminate true Islam]; to give the sadaqa-i fitr before the ’Iyd prayer.” It
is sunnat also to reconcile those who are cross with one another; to visit
one’s relatives and brothers-in-Islam, and to give them presents. Finally, it
is sunnat for men to visit graves.
[It is stated as follows in hadîth-i sherîfs: “Man
takes to those who do them favours,” and “Give
presents to one another and you will love one another.” The most
valuable and the most useful present is a smiling face and honeyed words. You
should always treat everybody with a smiling face and soft words, whether they
are friends or enemies, Muslims or disbelievers, unless they are bid’at
holders. You should not quarrel with anybody. Quarreling will mar friendship.
It will aggravate hostilities. You should not become angry with anybody. A hadîth-i-sherîf admonishes: “Do not become angry!” At times of fitna, mischief, when you
see people worshipping a cow, feed straw to the cow lest you should anger them.