The differences between Wajib and Sunnah prayers, and which prayers fall under which category, can be quite confusing. This is understandable as the two categories of prayer are quite similar to each other, with only a slight difference in the degree of “obligation”.
One such prayer which is often miscategorized is the Eid Prayer. In this article, we will clear your doubts as to whether the Eid Prayer is Wajib or Sunnah.
Significance of Eid Prayer
Eid prayers, also known as Salat al-Eid, hold profound significance in Islam. They are performed on the days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, marking the culmination of Ramadan and the conclusion of the Hajj pilgrimage, respectively. The tradition of Eid prayer traces back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who established it as a communal act of worship.
The reason why Eid Prayer is considered so important is because of the events (End of Ramadan/Hajj) that it represents, and the strong bond of Muslim brotherhood and communal bonds that it empowers as Muslims gather together in congregation to pray.
The Eid Prayer itself is quite simple, consisting of two simple and short Ra’akats.
Scholarly Perspectives on “Eid Prayer is Wajib or Sunnah?”
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is not so straightforward.
Different Schools of Thought have significantly different opinions. On one end, some schools of thought claim that it is Sunnah (Muakkaddah), and on the other end, some schools of thought claim that it is Fard. There is also the middle ground who claim that it is Wajib.
- Opinion of Hanafi School: According to the Hanafi school of thought, the Eid prayer is Wajib, which is synonymous with Fard prayer.
- Opinion of Maliki and Shafi’i Schools: The Malik and Shafi’i schools consider Eid prayer as Sunnat-al-Muakkaddah, which means a Sunnat that has always been performed by the Prophet and never neglected. Such Sunnat are regarded as obligatory, and there is sin for not performing them (without a valid reason).
- Opinion of Hanbali School: According to this school, the Eid Prayer is Fard and is obligatory for every adult (and sane) Muslim male.
- Shai Jurisprudence: According to the Shia belief, the Eid Prayer is Wajib.
The answer to the question of whether Eid Prayer is Wajib or Sunnah, will depend on the school of thought that you follow.
The following hadith is the most popularly quoted hadith to show the importance and obligation of Eid Prayer on all Muslims (Sunnah for Females).
Narrated by Aiyub that Hafsa narrated that Um` Atiya said the following:
I have heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, ‘The unmarried young virgins and the mature girl who stay often screened or the young unmarried virgins who often stay screened and the menstruating women should come out and participate in the good deeds as well as the religious gathering of the faithful believers but the menstruating women should keep away from the Musalla (praying place).’ ”
~ Sahih al-Bukhari 324
Conclusion
Either way, there are several things unanimous about the Eid Prayer which we can observe. Firstly, it is considered an obligation on every adult Muslim male. Only the degree of obligation varies between the various School of Thoughts.
Secondly, there will be sin upon you if you do not perform this prayer.
With these two things in mind, it does not matter which school of thought you follow, or whether Eid Prayer is Wajib or Sunnah. Focus on observing the Eid Prayer, and understanding its importance.