Jeddah: In a fatwa issued regarding offering of Eid-ul-Fitr prayer at home, Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti and head of the Council of Senior Scholars and the Department of Scientific Research and Ifta Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Asheikh ruled that it is permissible to perform Eid Al-Fitr prayer at home under exceptional circumstances similar to the current pandemic situation.
Eid prayer could be performed individually or in congregation, according to Sheikh Abdul Salam Abdullah Al-Sulaiman, member of the Council of Senior Scholars and the Standing Committee of Fatwa.
Payment of Zakat Al-Fitr
According to Saudi Gazette, he said that Zakat Al-Fitr should be distributed before the day of Eid.
How to perform Eid prayer?
Explaining the method of offering Eid prayer which consists of two rakats Sheikh Abdul Salam Abdullah Al-Sulaiman said that the worshiper will recite takbeer to start salat and then follow it with six more takbeer in the first rakat before reciting Fatiha loudly and then it is ideal to recite Surah Al-Qaf.
He added, In the second rakat, there will be five takbeer after the takbeer at the start of the rakat before starting to recite Surah Fatiha and then Surah Al-Qamar, following the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him). It is also ideal to recite Surah Al-A’la and Al-Ghashiya instead of Al-Qaf and Al-Qamar in each rakat respectively.
Example of Anas Bin Malik
To support his fatwa, Sheikh Al-Sulaiman cited the example of Anas Bin Malik, a prominent companion of the Prophet (pbuh). He stated, “When Anas (May Allah be pleased with him), was at his home in Zawiya, a place near Basra, he did not find any Eid congregation prayer and therefore he performed prayer along with his family members and his aide Abdullah Bin Abi Otba.”
Timings of Eid prayer
With regard to the time of Eid prayer, the scholar said that the time for Eid prayer begins after sunrise and the best time is after the sun rises by the height of one or two spears as prayer at sunrise is not permissible. This means 15 or 30 minutes after sunrise and its time continues until the end of the time of the Duha prayer; that is before the Zuhr prayer begins.
Recitation of takbeer
Sheikh Al-Suleiman said the recitation of takbeer on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr should begin during the night of the Eid and continue until the beginning of the Eid prayer.