The ‘Id Prayers
The schools differ concerning the prayers performed on the two ‘Ids (festivals), al-Fitr and al-’Adha, as to whether they are obligatory (wajib) or recommended (mustahabb). The Imamis and the Hanafis observe: It is wajib for every individual if the conditions mentioned in Friday prayer are fulfilled. If some or all of these conditions do not exist, there is no obligation in the opinion of the two schools, except that the Imamis add:
In the absence of conditions necessary for its wujub, one can perform it as mustahabb either singly or in jama’ah, during both journey and stay.
According to the Hanbalis it is fard kifa’i. The Shafi’is and the Malikis consider it a highly recommended practice (sunnah mu’akkadah).
In the opinion of the Imamis and the Shafi’is its time is from sunrise until the sun crosses the meridian. According to the Hanbalis, its time is from when the sun rises to the height of a spear until it crosses the meridian.
The Imamis say: Delivering of two sermons is wajib here as in the Friday prayer. The other schools consider it as mustahabb. All the schools concur that the sermons are to be delivered after the salat, as against the Friday prayer, in which they are delivered earlier.
According to the Imamis and the Shafi’is it can be validly performed individually as well as in jama’ah. The other schools consider perfoming in jama’ah is necessary for salat al-’ld.
As to the mode of its performance, it comprises two units (rak’ahs) performed differently by the various schools in the following manner:
Takbirat al-ihram will be said after making the niyyah, followed by the praise of God. Then will follow three more takbirahs, with an interval of silence equaling three takbirahs, and it is also correct to say:
سبحان الله والحمد لله ولا إله إلاّ الله والله أكبر
"Subhana Allahi wa alhamdu lillahi wa la ilahailla Allah wa Allahu Akbar".
Then will follow the recital of Surat al-Fatihah, another surah, then ruku’ and sujud, in that order. The second rak’ah will begin by reciting Surat al-Fatihah, which will be followed by another surah, three takbirahs, ruku’ and sujud. After this the salat will be completed.
After saying the takbirat al-ihram, the Du’a’ al-Istiftah1 will be recited, followed by seven takbirahs, reciting after every two of them in a low voice:
سبحان الله والحمد لله ولا إله إلاّ الله والله أكبر
"Subhana Allahi wa alhamdu lillahiwa la ilaha illa Allah wa Allahu Akbar”;
اعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم
(A’udhubillahi mina al-shaitani al-Rajeem ), al-Fatihah and Surat Qaf will be recited, followed by ruku’ and sujud.
After standing up for the second rak’ah and saying a single takbirah for it, five more takbirahs will be added, reciting after every two of them:
سبحان الله والحمد لله ولا إله إلاّ الله والله أكبر
"Subhana Allahi wa alhamdulillahi wa la ilaha illa Allah wa Allahu Akbar".
This will be followed by al-Fatihah and Surat Iqtarabat, and then the salat will be completed.
The Du’a’ al-Istiftah will be recited followed by six takbirahs reciting after every two of them in a low voice:
الله أكبر كبيراً، والحمد لله كثيراً، وسبحان الله بكرة وأصيلاً، وصلّى الله على محمد وآله وسلم تسليماً
"Allahu akbaruKabeera, wa alhamdu lillahi katheera, wa subhana allahi bukratan waaseela, wa salla allahu ala Muhammadin wa alihi wa sallama tasleema".
This will be followed by ta’awwudh, basmalah, al-Fatihah and Surat Sabbihisma Rabbik.
The rak’ah will be then completed. Upon standing up for the second rak’ah, five takbirahs, apart from the takbirah for the qiyam, will be said, reciting after every two of them what was mentioned concerning the first rak’ah. Then the basmalah will be followed by Surat al-Ghashiyah and ruku’ and the salat will then be completed.
After the takbirat al-ihram, six more takbirahs will be said, followed by al-Fatihah, Surat al-A’la, ruku’ and sujud. Then standing up for the second rak’ah and saying the takbirah for it, five more takb’irahs will be said, followed by al-Fatihah, Surat al-Shams or a similar surah; the salat will then be completed.
The takbirat al-ihram will be followed by al-Fatihah and another surah. Then five takbirahs will be said with qunut (raising and holding hand in front of body for supplication) after each of them, then ruku’ and sujud will follow. After standing up for the second rak’ah, al-Fatihah and another surah will be recited, followed by four takbirahs, each of them followed by qunut. Then the ruku’ will be performed and the salat completed.
1. According to the Sunni schools, Du’a al-Ifititah or Du’a al-Istiftah is:
سبحانك اللّهم وبحمدك وتبارك اسمك وتعالى جدّك ولا إله غيرك