5] Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Azha Prayers

5]
1525. Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Azha prayers are obligatory during the
timeof Imam (A.S.), and it is necessary to offer them in congregation.
However during the present times when the Holy Imam is in Occultation,
these prayers are Mustahab, and may be offered individually as wellas
in congregation
1526. The time for Eid prayers is from sunrise till Zuhr.
1527. It is Mustahab that Eid ul Azha prayers is offered after
sunrise. As forEid ul Fitr, it is Mustahab that one should have a
breakfast after sunrise, payZakatul Fitr and then offer Eid prayers.
1528. * Eid prayers has two Rak'ats. In the first Rak'at, a person
should recite Surah al Hamd and aSurah and then they say five takbirs,
and after every takbir he should recite qunut. After the fifthqunut,
he should say another takbir and then perform Ruku and two Sajdah. He
should then stand up and say four takbirs in the second Rak'at, and
recite qunut after everyone of these takbirs. Thereafter, he should
say the fifth takbir and then perform Ruku and two Sajdah. After the
second Sajdah he should recite tashahhud, and thencomplete the prayers
with Salam.
1529. Any recital or Dua will suffice in qunut of the Eid Prayers.
However, it is better that the following Dua is recited: Allahumma
ahlal kibriya'i wal 'azamah,wa ahlal judi wal jaburat, wa ahlal 'afwi
war rahmah, wa ahlat taqwa wal maghfirah. As aluka bihaqqi hazal
yawmil lazi ja'altahu lil muslimina 'ida, wali Muhammadin sal lal lahu
'Alaihi wa Alihi, zukhran wa sharafan wa karamatan wa mazida an
tusalliya 'ala Muhammad wa Ali Muhammad wa an tudkhilani fi kulli
khayrin adkhalta fihi Muhammadan wa Ala Muhammad wa an tukhrijani min
kulli su'in akhrajta minhu Muhammadan wa Ala Muhammad salawatuka
'alahi wa 'alahim. Alla humma inni as aluka khayra ma sa alaka bihi
ibadukas salihun, wa auzubika mim masta aza minhu ibadukal mukhlasun.
1530. * During the period of 0ccultation of Imam (A.S.), it is an
obligatory precaution that two sermons (khutbas) be delivered after
Eid prayers,and it is better that on Eid ul-fitr, the sermons should
explain rules regarding Zakatul Fitr, and on Eid ul-Azha, rules
regarding sacrificing the animals be explained.
1531. No particular Surah has been specified for Eid prayers. But, it
is better that after reciting Surah al Hamd in the first Rak'at, Surah
Wash Shams be recited and in the second Rak'at Surah al Ghashiya. Or
in the first Rak'at, to recite Surah of Sabbi Hism, and in the second
Rak'at Surah Wash Shams.
1532. It is recommended that Eid prayers be performed in the open
fields. However, in Makkah,it is Mustahab that it should be offered in
Masjidul Haram.
1533. It is Mustahab to walk barefooted to attend Eid prayers, with
all the dignity, and to do Ghusl before namaz, and to placea white
turban on one's head.
1534. It is Mustahab that in Eid prayers Sajdah be performed on earth,
and hands be raised while saying takbirs. It is also Mustahab that a
person who is offering Eid prayersalone, or as an Imam of the
congregation, recites prayers loudly.
1535. It is Mustahab that the following takbirs be said on Eid ul Fitr
night (ie night preceding the Eid day), after Maghrib and Isha
prayers, and on Eid day after Fajr prayers, as well as after Eid ul
fitr prayers: "Allahu Akbar, Alllahu Akbar, la ilaha illal lah wallahu
akbar, Allahu Akbar, wa lilla hil hamd, Allahu akbar ala ma hadana""
1536. In Eid ul Azha, it is Mustahab that the above mentioned takbirs
be said after ten prayers, of which the first is the Zuhr prayersof
Eid day and the last is the Fajr of 12th Zillhajj. It is also Mustahab
that after the above mentioned takbirs, the following be recited:
"Allahu Akbar 'ala ma razaqana min bahimatil an 'am, wal hamdu lil
lahi ala ma ablana".
If, a person happens to be in Mina on the day of Eid ulAzha, it is
Mustahab that he should say these takbirsafter fifteen prayers, of
which the first is Zuhr prayers of Eid day, and the last is the Fajr
prayers of the 13th of Zillhajj.
1537. The recommended precaution is that women should avoid going to
offer Eid prayers. This precaution does not apply to elderly women.
1538. Like in all other prayers, the follower should recite everything
inthe Eid prayers, except Surah al-Hamd and the other Surah.
1539. If a follower joins the prayers at a time whenthe Imam has
already said some takbirs, he should, while the Imam performs Ruku,
say all the takbirs and qunut which he has missed, and it will be
sufficient if in each qunut he says: Subhanallah or Alhamdu lillah
only.
1540. If a person joins the Eid prayers when the Imam is in Ruku, he
can make niyyat, say the first takbir of the prayers, and then go into
Ruku. :->

Is it permissible to listen to the adhaan at times other than the times of prayer?

Can I listen to the adhaan at any time of the day other than the five
times of prayer?.
Praise be to Allaah.
There does not seem to be anything wrong with listening to the adhaan
at any time, other than the times of prayer. In the adhaan there is
remembrance of Allah, glorification of Him and other noble meanings.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Al-Qurtubi and others said: The adhaan, although its phrases are few,
includes issues of 'aqeedah (belief), because it starts with takbeer
("Allahu akbar"), which speaks of the existence and perfection of
Allah; then it praises Him and proclaims His Oneness (Tawheed) and
denies that He has any partner; then it affirms the Messengership of
Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); then it calls to
obedience following the testimony that Muhammad (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah, because how He is to
be obeyed can only be known through the Messenger; then it calls to
success, which is eternal life, which is a reference to the
resurrection; then itrepeats phrases by way ofaffirmation.
Fath al-Baari, 2/77.
Based on that, there is nothing wrong with listening to the adhaan in
programs or mobile phones or recorded tapes and so on, whilst
pondering noble meanings that this call contains.
But we should point out that when listening to theadhaan in these
ways, it isnot prescribed to repeat its phrases.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy onhim)
said: If the adhaan is recorded and is not being given at the time of
prayer, then its phrases do not have to be repeated, because this is
not a real call to prayer, i.e., it is not being given when it is
enjoined to give it; rather it is a recording of a previous call to
prayer.
Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh al-'Uthaymeen,

And Allah knows best.

1a] Will he be rewarded for listening to the Qur’aan without understanding it?

1a]
He replied:
The Holy Qur'aan is blessed, as Allah, may He be exalted, says
(interpretation of the meaning): "(This is) a Book (the Qur'aan) which
We have sent down to you, full of blessings, that they may ponder over
its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember" [Saad 38:29].
So man is enjoined to read it, whether he understands its meanings or
not. But the believer who is enjoined to act upon it should not read
Qur'aan without understanding its meanings. If a person wants to learn
medicine, for example, and studies the books of medicine, he cannot
benefit from them unless he understands their meanings and they are
explained to him; in fact he will be very keen to understand the
meanings so that he can apply them. So why do you think anyone should
read the Book of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, which is a
healingfor what is in the hearts and exhortation to people, without
pondering and without understanding its meanings? For this reasonthe
Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would not move onfrom ten
verses until they had learned them and learned the knowledge they
contained and how to act upon it. So they learned the Qur'aan and
knowledge and action all together.
A person will be rewardedfor reading the Qur'aan whether he
understands its meanings or not, but he should be very keen
tounderstand its meanings and to learn these meanings from scholars
who are trustworthy in their knowledge. If he hasno access to a
scholar who can teach him the meanings, he may refer tothe trustworthy
books of tafseer, such as Tafseer Ibn Jareer, Tafseer Ibn Katheer and
others which pay attention to the tafseer that is based on reports
narrated from the Sahaabah and the Taabi'een (may Allah be pleased
with them).
End quote from Fataawa Noor 'ala al-Darb, tape 85,side A.
And Allah knows best.

1] Will he be rewarded for listening to the Qur’aan without understanding it?

1]
Will a person (a believer) be rewarded if he listens to the Qur'aan
without understanding what he is listening to, but he knowsthat it is
Qur'aan? Or will he not be rewarded unless he understands what he is
hearing? I hope you could give someevidence from the Qur'aanand saheeh
hadeeth.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Allah, may He be exalted, has commanded the believers to listen to the
Qur'aan attentively, in a general command. He says (interpretation of
themeaning): "So, when the Qur'aan is recited, listen toit, and be
silent that you may receive mercy" [al-A'raaf 7:204].
Shaykh al-Sa'di (may Allahhave mercy on him) said:
This command is general and includes everyone who hears the Book of
Allah being recited. He is enjoined to listen to it and keep quiet.
The difference between listening and keeping quiet is that keeping
quietis done outwardly by not speaking or being distracted with
anything that would keep one fromfocusing on listening to it.
As for listening to it, this means that one hears it with an attentive
heart, pondering the meaning ofwhat one is listening to. The one who
adheres to these two commands when the Book of Allah is recited will
attain a great deal of good, beneficial knowledge, ongoing and renewed
faith, increased guidance and insight into his religion. Hence Allah
connected the attainmentof mercy to them, which indicates that the one
who does not keep quiet and listen attentively when the Book is
recited to him will be deprived ofthe share of mercy and has missed
out on a great deal of good.
The most emphatic command with regard to listening to the Qur'aan
attentively has to do withprayers in which Qur'aan is recited out loud
by the imam, in which one is enjoined to listen attentively, to such
an extent that most of the scholars say that his focusing on keeping
quietand listening attentively takes priority over his reciting
al-Faatihah etc.
End quote from Tafseer al-Sa'di, 314
The greater aim of keeping quiet and listening attentively is so that
the listener may ponder and understand the meanings, and act upon
them. Imam al-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Allah says to those who believe in Him and in His Book, for whom the
Qur'aan is guidance and mercy: "So, when the Qur'aan is recited", to
you,O believers; "listen to it", i.e. lend your ears so that you might
understand its verses and learn from its exhortation; "and be silent"
and listen to it attentively, so that you might understand and ponder,
and do not utter idle talk during it lest you do not understand; "that
you may receive mercy" i.e., that you might receive the mercy of your
Lord by heeding His exhortation and adhering to His limits and to what
He enjoins upon you in the verses.
End quote from Tafseer al-Tabari, 13/244
If a person manages to achieve that, i.e., keeping quiet, listening
attentively, pondering what is recited to him andunderstanding its
meanings, that will bring him goodness in this world and the
Hereafter.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah havemercy on him) said:
By means of this listening,Allah guides His slaves and sets straight
their affairs in this world and the Hereafter; with this the Messenger
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sent, and he enjoined
it upon the Muhaajireen and Ansaar and those who followed them in
truth. The early generations used to gather for this purpose. When the
Companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) gathered together, they would tell one of their number to
recite whilst they listened. 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be
pleased with him) would say to Abu Moosa: Remindus of our Lord, and
Abu Moosa would recite Qur'aan whilst they listened.
End quote from Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 11/626
Secondly:
As listening in the complete sense is that in which one understands
and ponders, there is no doubt that the one who does that as much is
he is able is to be commended for what he does, and he is excused for
what he is incapable of. But what one is incapable of shouldnot be an
excuse for not doing what one is able to do of goodness. What is
possible is not to be omitted because of what is difficult; in other
words,whatever a person is able to do of obligatory or mustahabb
actions is not waived because of what he is incapable of doing,
because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): "So keep your duty
to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can"
[al-Taghaabun 64:16].
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy onhim) was asked:
Will a person be rewardedif he reads the Qur'aan, even if he does not
understand its meanings?