The two Eid prayers

The prayers of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are wajib in the Hanafi school. Their time runs from a little after sunrise (about 15–20 minutes) until before noon. There is no adhan or iqamah, and the sermon comes after the prayer.

How to pray — two rak‘ahs with six extra takbirs

1. Intend the Eid prayer, say the opening takbir, fold the hands and recite the opening praise.
2. Then say “Allahu akbar” three times — raising the hands to the ears and dropping them the first two times, and folding them after the third.
3. The imam recites the ta‘awwudh, basmalah, Al-Fatihah and a surah; bow and prostrate as usual.
4. In the second rak‘ah, after the recitation and before ruku‘, the imam says “Allahu akbar” three times — raise and drop the hands each time — then a fourth takbir, without raising the hands, to go into ruku‘.
5. Complete the prayer as usual and listen to the sermon.

Sunnahs of Eid

• Bathing, wearing one’s best clothes and perfume.
• On Eid al-Fitr, eating an odd number of dates or something sweet before going (Bukhari 953); on Eid al-Adha, eating first from the sacrifice after the prayer.
• Giving zakat al-fitr before the Eid al-Fitr prayer.
• Going by one road and returning by another (Bukhari 986), saying the takbir on the way:
  اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ، وَاللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلِلّٰهِ الْحَمْدُAllahu akbar, Allahu akbar, la ilaha illallah, wallahu akbar, Allahu akbar, wa lillahil-hamdAllah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest; there is no god but Allah; Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, and to Allah belongs all praise.