The adhkār for the two ‘Īds

KNOW THAT IT is mustaḥabb to spend the nights preceding the ‘Īds in dhikr of Allah , ṣalāh and other acts of obedience, because of the hadiths in this regard: “If a person spends the night of ‘Īd worshipping Allah, his heart will not die on the day when hearts die.” In another hadith [the Prophet ] said: “If a person has stayed up on the nights of the two ‘Īds to worship Allah, hoping for the reward thereof, his heart will not die on the day when hearts die.” Thus it is reported by ash-Shāfi‘ī and Ibn Mājah, ^[1].but it is a weak hadith which we have narrated in the version of Abū Umāmah in both marfū‘ and mawqūf form—both of which are weak. Nevertheless, it is permissible to practice on [the basis of] weak hadiths when they concern virtuous deeds, as we explained near the beginning of this book.

The ‘ulamā’ disagree about the amount by which spending the night in worship is accomplished. What is more apparently correct is that it has to be done for most of the night. Others say that is is accomplished by even one hour [of worship].

It is mustaḥabb to say takbīr on the nights of the two ‘Īds. It is mustaḥabb on ‘Īd al-Fiṭr from sunset until the Imam starts the ṣalāh of ‘Īd. This is mustaḥabb after the ṣalāh and in all other situations. It should be increased when there is a crowd. One should say takbīr walking, sitting, lying down, in the street, in the mosque and in bed. On ‘Īd al-Aḍḥā the takbīr should be said after the Ṣubḥ ṣalāh on the Day of ‘Arafāt until praying the ṣalāh of ‘Aṣr on the last day of tashrīq. One says takbīr after ‘Aṣr, and then ceases.

This is the most correct [understanding] which is the basis of practice, although there is well-known disagreement amongst scholars both in our madhhab and others. But the correct opinion is what we have mentioned. There are hadiths about this that we have related from the Sunan of al-Bayhaqī, and I have explained all of that with regard to hadith and the transmission of the madhhab in Sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab, mentioning all the furū‘ discussions relating to them. Here my intention is only to allude to it in summary fashion.

Know that the takbīrāt are prescribed after every ṣalāh that is performed on the days of the takbīr, whether it be wājib, nāfil or the funeral ṣalāh, and regardless of whether it be a compulsory ṣalāh performed in its proper time or a ṣalāh of which the due time has passed. This is not the proper place to mention the divergent views; the correct opinion is what I have mentioned, and the legal ruling is to act upon it.

If the Imam makes takbīr contrary to what the person following him believes [to be correct] because the Imam thought the takbīr should be done for the Day of ‘Arafāt or the ayyām at-tashrīq and the person following him did not think so, or vice versa, should one then follow the Imam or not? There are two views, according to our [Shāfi‘ī] colleagues. The more correct is to follow one’s conviction, because adherence to the Imam (qudwah) ends with the concluding salām of the ṣalāh, which does not apply if he does more takbīr in the ‘Īd prayer than the person following him thinks right—in which case he should be followed because of the qudwah.

All of this [dhikr] is unlimited and unrestricted. If anyone leaves out all this dhikr and the seven or five takbīrāt, his ṣalāh will still be valid and he does not have to prostrate for forgetfulness, but he will have forfeited this immense merit. If one forgets the takbīrāt until after starting recitation, he does not have to return to the takbīrāt, according to the correct opinion. Ash-Shāfi‘ī has a weak opinion, which is that one should return to [the takbīrāt].

In the two sermons of the ṣalāh of ‘Īd it is mustaḥabb to say takbīr nine times in the first and seven times in the second [rak‘ah].

As for the recitation in the ṣalāh of ‘Īd, we have already explained what is mustaḥabb to recite in it in the chapter describing the adhkār of the ṣalāh. One should recite in the first rak‘ah, after al-Fātiḥah, Sūrah Qāf  ^[2].and in the second Iqtarabati-s-sā‘ah, i.e. Sūrat al-Qamar. ^[3].If one wishes he may [instead] recite in the first Ṣabbihi-sma Rabbika-l-A‘lā; ^[4].and in the second Hal atāka ḥadīthu-l-Ghāshiyah. ^[5].