said: ‘The prophet ( - ) performed on Eid Fitr Day two Rak‘ah Sal?t and nothing before or after’. (1)
Al-H?fith Ibn Hajar affirmed the same thing and refuted the view of those who consider Eid Sal?t similar to the Friday Sal?t. (2) Im?m Ahmad also affirmed the same point [in his Mas?’il] (3) and continued ‘ ... some people in Basrah perform the [Eid] Sunnah-Sal?t before the Eid Sal?t and in K?fah people perform it after the Eid Sal?t’. (4)
In his “Z?dul Ma‘?d”, (5) Ibnul Qayyim affirmed that neither the prophet ( - ) nor his Sah?bah ever did such Eid Sunnah Sal?t.
Upon reaching the Musall?, the prophet ( - ) used to do Eid Sal?t without preceding it with ’Ath?n, Iq?mah or pronouncing “As-Sal?tu J?mi‘ah”. And this is indeed the Sunnah. (6)
The well-versed scholars considered doing such things before the Eid Sal?t as Bid‘ah. (7)
* Performing acts of worship on the nights preceding the Eid Days:
[8/ 64] Many Khutabah and callers unto All?h ( - عز وجل -) recommend people and urge them to seek All?h’s ( - عز وجل -) closeness through spending the night preceding the two Eids doing acts of worship. They, however, depend on no authentic proof. These so called “Shaikhs” even ascribe this recommendation to the prophet ( - ) to have said: ‘Whoever spends the night preceding the two
(1) Narrated by: Al-Bukh?r? in “As-Sah?h” (no. 945), (989) and (1364), Muslim in “As-Sah?h” (no. 884), Ab? D?w?d in “As-Sunnan” (no. 1159), At-Tirmith? in “Al-J?m?‘” (no. 537), An-Nas?’? in “Al-Mujtab?” (vol. 3 / p. 193), Ibn M?jah in “As-Sunnan” (no. 1291), Abdur Razz?q in “Al-Musannaf” (vol. 3 / p. 275), Ahmad in “Al-Musnad” (vol. 1 / p. 355) and Ibn Ab? Shaibah in “Al-Musannaf” (vol. 2 / p. 177).
(2) “Fathul B?r?” (vol. 2 / p. 476).
(3) “Mas?’ilul Im?m Ahmad” (no. 469) - narrated by his son Abdull?h.
(4) “Mas?’ilul Im?m Ahmad” (no. 479) - narrated by Ish?q Ibn Ibr?h?m Ibn H?ni‘.
(5) (vol. 1 / p. 443).
(6) The previous reference (vol. 1 / p. 442). See also: “At-Tamhid” (vol. 10 / p. 243).
(7) See: “Subul Sal?m” (vol. 2 / p. 67).