Salat al-Eid

For those of you offering Salat al-Eid, or Eid prayer, at home, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide to help guide you.

Why is Salat al-Eid prayed?

Salat al-Eid is considered either a sunnah, wajib (required) or fard kifaya (communal obligation) act of worship, depending on the madhab you follow.

How to prepare

On the morning of Eid, it’s sunnah to take a shower (i.e. perform ghusl) before you settle down to pray. It is also sunnah to start the day by eating dates after you’ve prayed.

When to pray

Eid prayer must be performed after the sun has risen. As a result, you cannot pray the Eid prayer immediately after Fajr. Also, Eid prayer must be performed before zawaal. Zawaal refers to the time in which the sun has reached zenith, its highest point in the sky. Therefore, our recommendation is to perform the Eid prayer anytime between the hours of 7 am and 12 pm.

There is no khutbah (sermon) after the prayer if you pray at home. However, you can listen to an online sermon, which is considered mandub (recommended).

Salat al-Eid: Your Guide

Whether it’s your first time praying at home or you need a quick refresher,
use this step-by-step guide to prepare for a blessed Eid celebration.

When to Pray

Perform prayer between 7:00 AM and 12:00 PM (after sunrise but before Zawaal).

The Sunnah Prep

Perform Ghusl (ritual shower) before prayer and dress in your best clothes.

The First Bite

It is Sunnah to eat an odd number of dates before heading to prayer.

How to Perform the Prayer

Key Differences: No Adhan, No Iqama, and extra Takbeerat (Allahu Akbar).

How it’s prayed

Unique elements of Eid prayer:

No adhan or iqama
Extra takbeerat (saying Allahu Akbar)
Two rakahs
Khutbah

Hanafi Madhab

1. When you stand up to pray, first do takbeerat al-ihram (Allahu akbar) to open the salah.

2. Say the takbeer three times before beginning to recite from the Qur’an.

3. Recite Surah Al-Fatiha followed by another surah. The sunnah is Surah Al-Alaa and Surah Ghashiya or Surah Qaf and Surah Qamar for first and second rakas, respectively.

4. Perform rukuu and two sajdas as normal. This concludes the first rakah.

5. After you come up from sujood from the first rakah, you recite Surah Al-Fatiha followed by another surah.

6. After the surah, say the takbeer 3 times, then 1 additional takbeer to go to rukuu.

7. After rukuu, you continue with two sajdas and the final sitting as normal to conclude the prayer.
Maliki Madhab

1. Begin with takbeerat al-ihram to open the prayer, then six additional takbeer. The sunnah is to pause at this point for people behind you to repeat after you.

2. Recite Surah Al-Fatiha followed by another surah.

3. Make rukuu, sujood, and come up from the first rakah saying 1 takbeer, as normal.

4. Say 5 additional takbeerat before continuing on through your second rakah as normal.
Shafi′i Madhab

1. Begin with seven takbeerat and then Quran recitation, rukuu, and sujood, as normal.

2. When you get up from the first rakah saying 1 takbeer, then do 5 additional takbeerat.

3. Continue on through the second rakah as normal.