Etiquette of Eid

What are the Sunnahs and etiquettes that we should act in
accordancewith on the day of Eid?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The Sunnahs that the Muslim should observe on the day of Eid are as follows:
1 – Doing ghusl before going out to the prayer.
It was narrated in a saheeh hadeeth in al-Muwatta' and elsewhere that
'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Umar used to do ghusl on the day of al-Fitr before
going out to the prayer-place in the morning. Al-Muwatta' 428.
Al- Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said that the Muslims were
unanimously agreed that it is mustahabb to do ghusl for Eid prayer.
The reason why it is mustahabb is the same reason as that for doing
ghusl before Jumu'ah and other public gatherings. Rather on Eid the
reason is even stronger.
2 – Eating before going out to pray on Eid al-Fitr and after the
prayer on Eid al-Adha:
Part of the etiquette is not to go out to pray on Eid al-Fitr until
one has eaten some dates, because of the hadeeth narrated by
al-Bukhaari from Anas ibn Maalik, who said that the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used not to go out
on the morning of Eid al-Fitruntil he had eaten some dates… of which
he would eat an odd number. Al-Bukhaari, 953.
It is mustahabb to eat before going out to emphasize the fact that it
is forbidden to fast on that day and to demonstrate that the fast has
ended.
Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) suggested that the reason for
that was so asto ward off the possibility of adding to the fast, and
to hasten toobey the command of Allaah. Al-Fath, 2/446
Whoever does not have any dates may break his fast with anything that
ispermissible.
But on Eid al-Adha it is mustahabb not to eat anything until one comes
back from the prayer, so he should eat from the udhiyah if he has
offered a sacrifice. If he is not going to offer asacrifice there is
nothingwrong with eating before the prayer.
3 – Takbeer on the day of Eid
This is one of the greatest Sunnahs on the day of Eid because
Allaahsays (interpretation of the meaning):
"(He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that
you must magnify Allaah [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allaahu Akbar: Allaah is
the Most Great)]for having guided you so that you may be grateful to
Him"
[al-Baqarah 2:185]
It was narrated that al-Waleed ibn Muslim said: I asked al-Awzaa'i and
Maalik ibn Anas about saying Takbeer out loud on the two Eids.They
said, Yes, 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Umar used to say it out loud on the day of
al-Fitr untilthe imam came out (to lead the prayers).
It was narrated in a saheeh report that 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sulami
said, "They emphasized it more on the day of al-Fitr than the day of
al-Adha.". Wakee' said, this refers to the takbeer. See Irwa'
al-Ghaleel, 3/122/
Al-Daaraqutni and othersnarrated that on the morning of Eid al-Fitr
and Eid al-Adha, Ibn 'Umar would strive hard in reciting takbeer until
he came to the prayer place, then he would recite takbeer until the
imam came out.
Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated with a saheeh isnaad that al-Zuhri said:The
people used to recite Takbeer on Eid when they came out of their
houses until they came to the prayer place, and until the imam came
out. When the imam came out they fell silent, and when he said takbeer
they said takbeer. See Irwa' al-Ghaleel, 1/121
Saying takbeer when coming out of one's house to the prayer place and
until the imamcame out was somethingthat was well known among the
salaf (early generations). This has been narrated by a number of
scholars such as Ibn Abi Shaybah, 'Abd a l-Razzaaq and al-Firyaabi in
Ahkaam al-Eidayn from a group of the salaf. For example,Naafi' ibn
Jubayr used torecite takbeer and was astonished that the people did
not do so, and he said, "Why do you not recite takbeer?"
Ibn Shihaab al-Zuhri (may Allaah have mercy on him) used to say, "The
people used to recite takbeer from the time they came out of their
houses until the imam came in."
The time for takbeer on Eid al-Fitr starts from the night before Eid
until the imam enters to lead the Eid prayer.
In the case of Eid al-Adha, the takbeer begins on the first day
ofDhu'l-Hijjah and lasts until sunset on the last of the days of
tashreeq.
Description of the takbeer:
It was narrated in the Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah with a saheeh
isnaad from Ibn Mas'ood(may Allaah be pleased with him) that he used
to recite takbeer during the days of tashreeq:
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, wa Allaahu akbar,
Allaah akbar, wa Lillaah il-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is most
Great, there is no god but Allaah, Allaah is Most great, Allaah is
most great, and to Allaahbe praise).
It was also narrated elsewhere by Ibn Abi Shaybah with the same
isnaad, but with the phrase "Allaahu akbar" repeated three times.
Al-Mahaamili narrated with a saheeh isnaad also from Ibn Mas'ood:
"Allaahu akbaru kabeera, Allaahu akbaru kabeera, Allaahu akbar wa
ajallu, Allaahu akbar wa Lillaah il-hamd (Allaah is Most Great indeed,
Allaah is Most Great indeed, Allaah is most Great and Glorified,Allaah
is Most Great and to Allaah be praise)." Seeal-Irwa', 3/126.
4 – Offering congratulations
The etiquette of Eid also includes the congratulations and good wishes
exchanged by people, no matter what the wording, such as saying to one
anotherTaqabbala Allaah minna wa minkum (May Allaah accept (good
deeds) from us and from you" or "Eid mubaarak" and other permissible
expressions of congratulations.
It was narrated that Jubayr ibn Nufayr said: When the companions ofthe
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) met one another on
the day of Eid, they would say to one another, "May Allaahaccept (good
deeds) from us and from you." Ibn Hajar said, its isnaad is hasan.
Al-Fath, 2/446.
Offering congratulationswas something that was well known among the
Sahaabah, and scholars such as Imam Ahmad and others allowed it. There
is evidence which suggests that it is prescribed to offer
congratulations and good wishes on special occasions, and that the
Sahaabah congratulatedone another when good things happened, such as
when Allaah accepted the repentance of a man, they went and
congratulated him for that, and so on.
Undoubtedly these congratulations are among the noble characteristics
among the Muslims.
The least that may be said concerning the subject of congratulations
is that you should return the greetings of those who congratulate you
on Eid, and keep quiet if others keep quiet, as Imam Ahmad (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said: If anyone congratulates you, then respond,
otherwise do not initiateit.
5 – Adorning oneself on the occasion of Eid.
It was narrated that 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said that 'Umar took a brocade cloak that was for sale inthe
market and brought it to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him), and said, "O Messenger of Allaah, buythis and
adorn yourself with it for Eid and for receiving the delegations." The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saidto
him, "Rather this is the dress of one who hasno share (of piety or of
reward in the Hereafter)…" Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 948.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) agreed with
'Umar on the idea of adorning oneself for Eid,but he denounced him for
choosing this cloak because it was made of silk.
It was narrated that Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had a cloak which
he would wear onthe two Eids and on Fridays. Saheeh Ibn Khuzaymah,
1756,
Al-Bayhaqi narrated with a saheeh isnaad that Ibn 'Umar used to wear
his best clothes on Eid.
So a man should wear the best clothes that he has when going out for Eid.
With regard to women, they should avoid adorning themselves when they
go out for Eid, because they are forbidden to show off their
adornments to non-mahram men. It is also haraam for a woman who wants
to goout to put on perfume orto expose men to temptation, because they
are only going out for the purpose of worship.
6 – Going to the prayer by one route and returning by another.
It was narrated that Jaabir ibn 'Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: On the day of Eid, the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) used to vary his route. Narrated by
al-Bukhaari,986.
It was said that the reason for that was so that the two routes would
testify for him on the Day of Resurrection, for the earth will speak
on the Day of Resurrection and say what was done on it, both good and
bad.
And it was said that it was in order to manifest the symbols of Islam
on both routes, or to manifest the remembrance of Allaah (dhikr), or
to annoy the hypocrites and Jews, andto scare them with the large
number of people who were with him. Andit was said that it was in
order to attend to the people's needs, to answer their questions,
teach them, set an example and give charity to the needy, or to visit
his relatives and uphold the ties of kinship.
And Allaah knows best.