Question # 94: Can ladies pray Eid namaz at home as they have small kids or old relatives to take care off. Also, there is no proper/separate arrangement for women, they have to pray along with men. So, is praying Eid namaz at home by such ladies is bida
bismi-llahi r-raḥmani r-raḥīm,
Assalamu ‘laikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,
All praise and thanks are due to Allah (سبحانه و تعالى), and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم).
Dear questioner,
First of all, we implore Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) to help us serve His cause and render our work for His sake.
Shorter Answer: It is not obligatory for women, but Sunnah for women to offer Salatul Eid. There is no report from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) or from his Companions that the women offered the Eid prayer in their houses. While women are instructed to go out to the Eid prayer’s place and offer the prayer with the men, they should be behind them and avoid mixing with them.
Long Answer: “In spite of the fact that women are not originally asked to attend the Eid Prayer with the same confirmation with which men are asked to attend it; the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) allowed them to attend this prayer so that they can witness the great assembly of Muslims on such a special day of Islamic celebration… For these reasons, men, women, children, and even menstruating women are encouraged to attend these Islamic gatherings which inspire to their souls the glory and unity of Islam and Muslims…” (‘Al-Fiqhul-Muyassaru minal-Qur’ani was-Sunnah’ by Muhammad M. ‘Abdul-Fattah)
[Therefore,] it is not obligatory for women, but it is Sunnah. Women should offer this prayer in the prayer-place with the Muslims, because the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) enjoined them to do that.
In al-Saheehayn and elsewhere it is narrated that Umm ‘Atiyah (رضي الله عنه) said: “We were commanded (and in one report it says, he commanded us – meaning the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) to bring out to the Eid prayers the adolescent girls and the women in seclusion, and he commanded the menstruating women to avoid the prayer-place of the Muslims.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim) In another report from Al-Bukhari “We used to be ordered to come out on the Day of EId and even bring out the virgin girls from their houses and menstruating women so that they might stand behind the men and say Takbir along with them and invoke Allah along with them and hope for the blessings of that day and for purification from sins.”
According to a report narrated by al-Tirmidhi: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) used to bring out the virgins, adolescent girls, women in seclusion and menstruating women on the two Eids, but the menstruating women were to keep away from the prayer place and witness the gathering of the Muslims. One of them said, “O Messenger of Allah, what if she does not have a jilbaab[1]?” He said, “Then let her sister lend her one of her jilbaabs.” (Agreed upon)
OPINIONS OF THE SCHOLARS
Al-Haafiz said: “This shows that it is mustahabb (recommended) for women to come out and attend the Eid prayers, whether they are young or not.”
Al-Shawkani said: “This and similar ahadith indicate that it is prescribed in shari’ah for women to come out to the prayer-place, with no differentiation between virgins and non-virgins, young or old, menstruating or otherwise, so long as they are not going through ‘iddah or their coming out will be a cause of fitnah or they have an excuse.”
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: “…women are commanded to go out to the Eid prayer and join the men in this prayer, because of the goodness, dhikr and du’aa’ they may experience there.” (Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen) He also said: “…Eid prayer can only be offered in congregation with the men. Women are instructed to go out to the Eid prayer’s place and offer the prayer with the men; they should be behind them and avoid mixing with them. With regard to doing the Eid prayer in her house, this is a grave mistake. There is no report from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) or from his Companions that the women offered the Eid prayer in their houses. (Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb)
The Standing Committee said: “It is not obligatory for women, rather it is Sunnah for them, and they should offer this prayer in the prayer place with the Muslims, because the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) instructed them to do that.” (Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah)
(The opinions of the scholars are based on various answers provided by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid on the topic)
Allahu A’lam (Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) knows best) and all Perfections belong to Allah, and all mistakes belong to me alone. May Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) forgive me, Ameen.
Wassalaam
[1] The Jilbab is a sheet or something resembling an ‘Aba’ah (A cloak worn by women that covers the head and the rest of the body)
