The Prayer of the two 'Eeds

the prayer of the two 'eeds (al-fitr and al-adh.haa) in the musallaa

on the day of ('eed) al-fitr and al-adh.haa, the messenger of allah (peace be upon him) would come out to the musallaa (place just outside of town), and the first thing with which he would begin with would be the ('eed) prayer.

[transmitted by al-bukhaaree] 

2) the messenger of allah (peace be upon him) said:

((the takbeer (the saying of allahu akbar) for (the 'eed) al-fitr (prayer) is (to be done) seven times at (the beginning of) the first (rak'ah) and five times at (the beginning of) the second (rak'ah) and the (standard) recitation (of the prayer) is to be done for each (rak'ah) after (the takbeer).)),

[hasan, transmitted by abu daawood] 

3) the messenger of allah (peace be upon him) ordered us to make sure the women come out (of their homes) to attend the ('eed) al-fitr and al-adh.haa (prayers), they being:

a) the captives;

b) those upon their menses;

c) the young unmarried virgins.

as for those upon their menses, then they are to abstain from the prayer itself and suffice with benefiting from listening to the khutbah (sermon). i said o messenger of allah, (and what if) one of us does not have a jilbaab (loose fitting outer garment worn over clothing)? he said:

((then her sister is to provide her with a jilbaab)),

[it's authenticity is agreed upon by al-bukhaaree and muslim]

4) on the day of ('eed) al-fitr, the messenger of allah (peace be upon him) would not leave (for the 'eed prayer) until he had eaten an odd number of dates.

[transmitted by al-bukhaaree]

benefits extracted from these ahaadeeth

1) the prayer of the two 'eeds (al-fitr and al-adh.haa) are legislated as being two rak'ahs each. one pronounces the takbeer seven times at the beginning of the first rak'ah and five times at the beginning of the second rak'ah. thereafter, (soorah) al-faatihah is recited and (after it, another soorah from) what is easy. 

2) the 'eed prayer is to be performed in the musallaa, and that is a place just outside of town. the messenger of allah (peace be upon him) would leave home and make his way to the musallaa for both the 'eed (al-fitr and al-adh.haa) prayers. the young and the women and the youth would be with him, and even the menstruating women who were legally excused (from the prayer). 

al-haafith ibn hajar al-'asqalaanee said in fat.h al-baaree: and for (the 'eed prayers) they would depart to the musallaa, and it would not be held in the masjid except out of necessity. 

3) one would begin the pronouncing of the takbeer on the night before 'eed al-fitr and cease to do so after the 'eed prayer is over. allah (the almighty) says:

{(he wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify allah [i.e. to say takbeer] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to him},

[soorah al-baqarah, ayah 185]

innovations during the 'eed

1) visiting the graves: it has become a habit to visit the graves on the days of 'eed, and there is no evidence to support this during this period. 

2) free mixing: the free mixing of men and women at the graves. he (peace be upon him) said:

((i have not left behind me a fitnah (trial) more harmful for the men than the (fitnah of the) women.)),

[the authenticity of this narration has been agreed upon by al-bukhaaree and muslim] 

3) recitation of the qur'an: it is prohibited to recite the qur'an at the graves. he (peace be upon him) said:

((do not render your homes as graveyards. certainly, the house within which soorah al-bakarah is recited is protected from the (evil of) shaytaan)),

[transmitted by muslim] 

and the messenger (peace be upon him) taught his companions to recite the following upon entering the graveyard:

((peace be upon you all, o inhabitants of the graves, amongst the believers and the muslims. verily we will, allah willing, be united with you, may allah have mercy upon those already called and those still delayed among us all. we ask allah for well-being for us and you (from the punishment))),

[transmitted by muslim]