14th May 2020
Question: As there is the likely chance that the Masajid will remain closed after Ramadhān, is it permissible to perform Eid Salāh at home?
الجواب حامداً و مصلياً
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
In reference to your query, Eid Salāh is wajib that must be performed with specific conditions in order for it to be valid. Amongst those conditions is that it must be performed in a communal place, like the case with Jumu’ah Salāh. Performing it in one’s private residence where there is restricted access for people violates the condition. Albeit some scholars are in favour of its permissibility [which we respect], it is necessary that principles are followed correctly for our worship to be accepted. If someone gives open access to the local community to perform the Eid Salāh at their home or in their garden [or a group of people pray it on a plain field] then it would be valid because the condition of idhnal-Am [which is amongst the fundamental conditions] is now fulfilled. [1] This, however, is not recommended for two reasons; firstly that this practice infringes the government guidelines of social distancing increasing the chances of transmitting COVID-19 between people. Secondly, in allowing it may potentially normalise the practice amongst the laypeople to read it at home with family members undermining the importance of performing it at the Masjid or Eidgah. So long as the Masajid are closed and the social distancing laws are in place, it can be treated as if the Eid Salāh is missed. It is therefore recommended according to the Hanafi tradition, to perform four rak’ats [or two] optional prayer individually at home instead of the Eid prayer itself.[2] Eid Salāh according to the Hanafi school has no Qadha substitute. They adduce the narration of Sayyidunā Abdullah Ibn Masūd radhiyallahu anhu transmitted with an authentic chain which states, “Whosoever has missed the Eid Salāh should read four rakats; reading surah A’la in the first rakat, surah Shams in the second rakat, surah Layl in the third rakat and surah Duha in the fourth rakat.[3] Imām Kasāni rahimahullah explains the legal rationale behind this that, Eid Salāh is to be performed with specific conditions as illustrated by the Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam. When those conditions are not met, then unlike with Jumu’ah Salāh, Eid Salāh cannot be substituted with Qadha. Hence, according to the narration of Ibn Masūd radhiyallahu anhu, it is recommended otherwise not necessary to perform four rakats.[4] Other Tabi’īn scholars who also maintained that four rakats should be performed are Imām Sha’bī rahimahullah, Imām Masrūq rahimahullah and Imām Dhahāk rahimahullah.[5] Contrarily, other legal jurists such as Imām Shāfi’ī rahimahullah permit making up for the Eid Salāh individually as Qadha whether in its time or outside of its time. He adduces the report in Bukhari that Sayyidunā Anas Ibn Mālik radhiyallahu anhu gathered his family members at home and performed the two rakats of Eid Salāh after missing it in the Masjid.[6] Ibn Hajar al-Asqalāni rahimahullah comments that this narration illustrates the permissibility of making up for it as Qadha [whether individually or congregation with the extra Takbirs].[7] It can, however, be argued that this was Sayyiduna Anas’ radhiyallahu anhu personal Ijtihad on the issue otherwise other learned companions such as Abdullah Ibn Masūd radhiyallahu anhu did not view it as such and instead recommended reading four rakats but not as Qadha. As there is no clear guidance from the Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam, it is natural for the noble companions and the legal jurists to differ.[8]
So to conclude, the Eid Salah, as a recommendation, should be substituted with the four rak’ats of prayer at home. Having said that, remember that this is a legitimate difference of opinion and there is no one conclusive answer as evident above. What is necessary is to maintain respect towards each other even towards those who choose to adopt another view. Like with every juristic difference, tolerance must be adopted always so to prevent discord amongst the community.
[Allãh Knows Best]
Written and researched by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed
Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam
JKN Fatawa Department
[1] For more details on our position on praying Jumuah Salāh at home, click the below link.
[2] Durrul Mukhtār wa hashiyah Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitābus Salāh, Bāb Eidayn, vol 5 p. 135 – al-farfoor
[بَابُ الْعِيدَيْنِ]
(قَوْلُهُ صَلَّى أَرْبَعًا كَالضُّحَى) أَيْ اسْتِحْبَابًا كَمَا فِي الْقُهُسْتَانِيِّ وَلَيْسَ هَذَا قَضَاءً لِأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ عَلَى كَيْفِيَّتِهَا ط.قُلْت: وَهِيَ صَلَاةُ الضُّحَى كَمَا فِي الْحِلْيَةِ عَنْ الْخَانِيَّةِ فَقَوْلُهُ تَبَعًا لِلْبَدَائِعِ كَالضُّحَى مَعْنَاهُ أَنَّهُ لَا يُكَبِّرُ فِيهَا لِلزَّوَائِدِ مِثْلَ الْعِيدِ تَأَمَّلْ
[3] Maraqi alal-Falah, Sharah Noorul Iydhh, Kitab Salāh, Bab al-Eidayn, vol 1, p. 203
قال عبد الله بن مسعود هو السنة ويكبر القوم معه ويصلون على النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في أنفسهم امتثالا للأمر وسنة الإنصات “ومن فاتته الصلاة” فلم يدركها “مع الإمام لا يقضيها” لأنها لم تعرف قربة إلا بشرائط لا تتم بدون الإمام أي السلطان أو مأموره فإن شاء انصرف وإن شاء صلى نفلا والأفضل أربع فيكون له صلاة الضحى لما روي عن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه أنه قال من فاتته صلاة العيد صلى أربع ركعات يقرأ في الأولى بـ {سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى} وفي الثانية: {وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا} [الشمس: 1] وفي الثالثة: {وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى} [الليل: 1] وفي الرابعة: {وَالضُّحَى} وروي في ذلك عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وعدا جميلا وثوابا جزيلا انتهى
[4] Kasān, Badā’i Sanāi, Kitāb Salah, Bab Edayn, vol 1 p. 279
وَأَمَّا بَيَانُ مَا يُفْسِدُهَا، وَبَيَانُ حُكْمِهَا إذَا فَسَدَتْ، أَوْ فَاتَتْ عَنْ وَقْتِهَا، فَكُلُّ مَا يُفْسِدُ سَائِرَ الصَّلَوَاتِ وَمَا يُفْسِدُ الْجُمُعَةَ يُفْسِدُ صَلَاةَ الْعِيدَيْنِ مِنْ خُرُوجِ الْوَقْتِ فِي خِلَالِ الصَّلَاةِ، أَوْ بَعْدَمَا قَعَدَ قَدْرَ التَّشَهُّدِ، وَفَوْتِ الْجَمَاعَةِ عَلَى التَّفْصِيلِ وَالِاخْتِلَافِ الَّذِي ذَكَرْنَا فِي الْجُمُعَةِ، غَيْرَ أَنَّهَا إنْ فَسَدَتْ بِمَا يَفْسُدُ بِهِ سَائِرُ الصَّلَوَاتِ مِنْ الْحَدَثِ الْعَمْدِ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ يَسْتَقْبِلُ الصَّلَاةَ عَلَى شَرَائِطِهَا، وَإِنْ فَسَدَتْ بِخُرُوجِ الْوَقْتِ أَوْ فَاتَتْ عَنْ وَقْتِهَا مَعَ الْإِمَامِ سَقَطَتْ، وَلَا يَقْضِيهَا عِنْدَنَا، وَقَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ يُصَلِّيهَا وَحْدَهُ كَمَا يُصَلِّي الْإِمَامُ يُكَبِّرُ فِيهَا تَكْبِيرَاتِ الْعِيدِ، وَالصَّحِيحُ قَوْلُنَا؛ لِأَنَّ الصَّلَاةَ بِهَذِهِ الصِّفَةِ مَا عُرِفَتْ قُرْبَةً إلَّا بِفِعْلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – كَالْجُمُعَةِ، وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – مَا فَعَلَهَا إلَّا بِالْجَمَاعَةِ كَالْجُمُعَةِ، فَلَا يَجُوزُ أَدَاؤُهَا إلَّا بِتِلْكَ الصِّفَةِ؛ وَلِأَنَّهَا مُخْتَصَّةٌ بِشَرَائِطَ يَتَعَذَّرُ تَحْصِيلُهَا فِي الْقَضَاءِ، فَلَا تُقْضَى كَالْجُمُعَةِ وَلَكِنَّهُ يُصَلِّي أَرْبَعًا مِثْلَ صَلَاةِ الضُّحَى إنْ شَاءَ؛ لِأَنَّهَا إذَا فَاتَتْ لَا يُمْكِنُ تَدَارُكُهَا بِالْقَضَاءِ لِفَقْدِ الشَّرَائِطِ، فَلَوْ صَلَّى مِثْلَ صَلَاةِ الضُّحَى لِيَنَالَ الثَّوَابَ كَانَ حَسَنًا لَكِنْ لَا يَجِبُ لِعَدَمِ دَلِيلِ الْوُجُوبِ، وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ مَنْ فَاتَتْهُ صَلَاةُ الْعِيدِ صَلَّى أَرْبَعًا.
[5] Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah vol 2, p.4
الرَّجُلُ تَفُوتُهُ الصَّلَاةُ فِي الْعِيدِ، كَمْ يُصَلِّي؟
5799 – حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ مُطَرِّفٍ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: «يُصَلِّي أَرْبَعًا»
5800 – حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، وَحَفْصٌ، عَنْ حَجَّاجٌ، عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ: «مَنْ فَاتَهُ الْعِيدُ فَلْيُصَلِّ أَرْبَعًا»
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ هَاشِمٍ، عَنْ جُوَيْبِرٍ، عَنِ الضَّحَّاكِ، قَالَ: «مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ عُذْرٌ يُعْذَرُ بِهِ فِي يَوْمِ فِطْرٍ أَوْ جُمُعَةٍ أَوْ أَضْحَى، فَصَلَاتُهُ أَرْبَعُ رَكَعَاتٍ»
[6] In the Shafi’ee school, Salatul Eid is an optional prayer contrary to the Hanafies who view it as Wajib prayer. Both the Hanafies and Maliki school view that there is no Qadha. In the Hanbali school, one is permitted to make Qadha if they so wish, of four rakats with one salam or two salams. Mawsoo’atul Kuwaitiyyah, vol 27, p. 244
حُكْمُهَا بَعْدَ خُرُوجِ وَقْتِهَا:
لِفَوَاتِ صَلاَةِ الْعِيدِ عَنْ وَقْتِهَا ثَلاَثُ صُوَرٍ: – الصُّورَةُ الأْولَى: أَنْ تُؤَدَّى صَلاَةُ الْعِيدِ جَمَاعَةً فِي وَقْتِهَا مِنَ الْيَوْمِ الأْوَّل وَلَكِنَّهَا فَاتَتْ بَعْضَ الأْفْرَادِ، وَحُكْمُهَا فِي هَذِهِ الصُّورَةِ أَنَّهَا فَاتَتْ إِلَى غَيْرِ قَضَاءٍ، فَلاَ تُقْضَى مَهْمَا كَانَ الْعُذْرُ؛ لأِنَّهَا صَلاَةٌ خَاصَّةٌ لَمْ تُشْرَعْ إِلاَّ فِي وَقْتٍ مُعَيَّنٍ وَبِقُيُودٍ خَاصَّةٍ، فَلاَ بُدَّ مِنْ تَكَامُلِهَا جَمِيعًا، وَمِنْهَا الْوَقْتُ. وَهَذَا عِنْدَ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ وَالْمَالِكِيَّةِ.وَأَمَّا الشَّافِعِيَّةُ: فَقَدْ أَطْلَقُوا الْقَوْل بِمَشْرُوعِيَّةِ قَضَائِهَا – عَلَى الْقَوْل الصَّحِيحِ فِي الْمَذْهَبِ – فِي أَيِّ وَقْتٍ شَاءَ وَكَيْفَمَا كَانَ: مُنْفَرِدًا أَوْ جَمَاعَةً، وَذَلِكَ بِنَاءً عَلَى أَصْلِهِمُ الْمُعْتَمَدِ، وَهُوَ أَنَّ نَوَافِل الصَّلاَةِ كُلَّهَا يُشْرَعُ قَضَاؤُهَا . وَأَمَّا الْحَنَابِلَةُ: فَقَالُوا: لاَ تُقْضَى صَلاَةُ الْعِيدِ، فَإِنْ أَحَبَّ قَضَاءَهَا فَهُوَ مُخَيَّرٌ إِنْ شَاءَ صَلاَّهَا أَرْبَعًا، إِمَّا بِسَلاَمٍ وَاحِدٍ، وَإِمَّا بِسَلاَمَيْنِ .
[7] Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Fathul Bari vol 2, p. 475
أَيْ مَعَ الْإِمَامِ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ فِي هَذِهِ التَّرْجَمَةِ حُكْمَانِ مَشْرُوعِيَّةُ اسْتِدْرَاكِ صَلَاةِ الْعِيد إِذا فَاتَت مَعَ الْجَمَاعَة سَوَاء كَانَت بِالِاضْطِرَارِ أَوْ بِالِاخْتِيَارِ وَكَوْنِهَا تُقْضَى رَكْعَتَيْنِ كَأَصْلِهَا وَخَالَفَ فِي الْأَوَّلِ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْهُمُ الْمُزَنِيُّ فَقَالَ لَا تقضى وفىالثانى الثَّوْرِيُّ وَأَحْمَدُ قَالَا إِنْ صَلَّاهَا وَحْدَهُ صَلَّى أَرْبعا وَلَهُمَا فِي ذَلِك سلف قَالَ بن مَسْعُودٍ مَنْ فَاتَهُ الْعِيدُ مَعَ الْإِمَامِ فَلْيُصَلِّ أَرْبَعًا أَخْرَجَهُ سَعِيدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ بِإِسْنَادٍ صَحِيحٍ وَقَالَ إِسْحَاق إِن صلاهَا فىالجماعة فَرَكْعَتَيْنِ وَإِلَّا فَأَرْبَعًا قَالَ الزَّيْنُ بْنُ الْمُنِيرِ كَأَنَّهُمْ قَاسُوهَا عَلَى الْجُمُعَةِ لَكِنَّ الْفَرْقَ ظَاهِرٌ لِأَنَّ مَنْ فَاتَتْهُ الْجُمُعَةُ يَعُودُ لِفَرْضِهِ مِنَ الظُّهْرِ بِخِلَافِ الْعِيدِ انْتَهَى
[8] The above discussion was in reference to performing the Eid Salāh individually after missing it with the Imām. In the Hanafi tradition, if some people after missing it with the Imām decided to congregate behind someone to lead them at a communal place then in principle this is permissible provided if the remaining conditions are also fulfilled. Durrul Mukhtār wa hashiyah Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitābus Salāh, Bāb Eidayn, vol 5 p. 135 – al-farfoor
(وَلَا يُصَلِّيهَا وَحْدَهُ إنْ فَاتَتْ مَعَ الْإِمَامِ)
(قَوْلُهُ مَعَ الْإِمَامِ) وَلَوْ بِالْإِفْسَادِ اتِّفَاقًا فِي الْأَصَحِّ كَمَا فِي تَيَمُّمِ الْبَحْرِ
مُتَعَلِّقٌ بِمَحْذُوفٍ حَالٌ مِنْ ضَمِيرِ فَاتَتْ لَا بِ فَاتَتْ لِأَنَّ الْمَعْنَى أَنَّ الْإِمَامَ أَدَّاهَا وَفَاتَتْ الْمُقْتَدِيَ لِأَنَّهَا لَوْ فَاتَتْ الْإِمَامَ وَالْمُقْتَدِيَ تُقْضَى كَمَا يَأْتِي أَفَادَهُ فِي مِعْرَاجِ الدِّرَايَةِ