Eid Salaah: How to Pray the Eid Prayer for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha

Eid salaah (صلاة العيد, Salat al-Eid) is a prayer of two rak'ahs offered in congregation on the morning of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, a short while after sunrise. It has extra takbeers that ordinary prayers do not, it has no adhan or iqamah, and the sermon comes after the prayer instead of before it.

The prayer is performed the same way on both Eids. It goes by different names in different languages: salah or salat in Arabic, namaz in Urdu, Persian and Turkish. This guide covers what it is, when it is prayed, how to pray it according to the main schools, and whether it is obligatory.

What is the Eid prayer?

The Eid prayer is the first act of the day on both Eids. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported, in Sahih al-Bukhari, that the Prophet would go out to the prayer ground on the day of al-Fitr and al-Adha, and the first thing he began with was the prayer; then he would stand facing the people and address them.

It is traditionally held in a large open space (a musalla) so that the whole community can gather, though mosques, halls and parks are all used today. A hadith from Umm Atiyyah in Bukhari and Muslim records that women, including young and unmarried women, were told to come out for it as well.

When is Salat al-Eid?

The time for Salat al-Eid begins once the sun has fully risen and climbed about a spear's length above the horizon, the same time the mid-morning Duha prayer becomes due. In practice that means a short while after sunrise, not at sunrise itself. The window closes when the sun reaches its zenith, shortly before the midday Zuhr prayer.

Mosques announce a fixed time, usually between early and mid-morning, and large mosques often run several sittings.

There is no call to prayer. Ibn Abbas and Jabir ibn Abdullah both reported that no adhan was given on the day of al-Fitr or al-Adha.

How to pray Eid salaah, step by step

The Prophet prayed two rak'ahs on Eid and nothing before or after them. The method below is the one followed by the Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali schools, with seven extra takbeers in the first rak'ah and five in the second, as reported in Sunan Abi Dawud. The schools count those takbeers slightly differently, so simply follow your imam.

• Make the intention to pray the Eid prayer behind the imam.
• The imam says the opening takbeer, Allahu akbar, and you raise your hands and follow.
• The imam then says Allahu akbar seven more times. Say each one after him.
• The imam recites al-Fatihah and another surah aloud. Listen, then complete the rak'ah with bowing and two prostrations as in any prayer.
• Standing for the second rak'ah, the imam says Allahu akbar five times before reciting. Follow each one.
• After the second recitation, complete the rak'ah as normal, sit for the tashahhud and end with salam.
• Stay seated for the khutbah, the sermon that follows the prayer.

The Hanafi method of Eid namaz

In the Hanafi school, followed by most Muslims from South Asia, Turkey and Central Asia, the Eid namaz has six extra takbeers rather than twelve: three in each rak'ah.

In the first rak'ah the three extra takbeers come after the opening takbeer and before the recitation. In the second rak'ah the imam recites first, and the three extra takbeers come after the recitation, just before bowing. The hands are raised for each. The rest of the prayer is the same.

If you find yourself behind an imam of a different school, Hanafi guidance is to follow the imam in front of you, since the difference between the schools is about what is best, not what is valid.

What is recited, and the sermon

After al-Fatihah the imam may recite any surah. Sahih Muslim reports that the Prophet used to recite Surah al-A'la (87) and Surah al-Ghashiyah (88) in the two Eid prayers; another report mentions Surah Qaf (50) and Surah al-Qamar (54).

The khutbah comes after the prayer, the reverse of Friday. At Eid al-Fitr it often covers Zakat al-Fitr and holding on to the habits of Ramadan; at Eid al-Adha, the story of Ibrahim and the rules of the sacrifice.

Is Eid prayer obligatory?

Scholars agree the Eid prayer is strongly emphasized but differ on its exact ruling. There are three well-known positions.

This is a description of the schools, not a ruling from us. For what applies to you, including what to do if you miss the congregation or cannot attend, ask your own scholar or mosque.

• Hanafi: the Eid prayer is wajib (necessary) on men, and missing it without an excuse is sinful. This is the school people have in mind when they say Eid prayer is wajib.
• Maliki and Shafi'i: it is sunnah mu'akkadah, a confirmed sunnah that should not be neglected.
• Hanbali: it is fard kifayah, a communal obligation. If enough people in a community pray it, the duty is lifted from the rest.

How long is Eid prayer?

The prayer itself is short. Two rak'ahs with the extra takbeers usually take around ten minutes. The sermon that follows varies from mosque to mosque, so the whole gathering commonly runs somewhere between half an hour and an hour. Plan extra time for parking and crowds, and check your mosque's announced times.

Eid prayer for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha: what differs

The Eid ul-Fitr prayer and the Eid ul-Adha prayer are identical in form. The differences are around them.

• Before the Eid al-Fitr prayer, eat something, traditionally an odd number of dates, and make sure Zakat al-Fitr has been paid.
• Before the Eid al-Adha prayer, it is customary not to eat until you return from the prayer.
• On both days, wash, wear your best clothes, recite the Eid takbeer on the way, and go by one route and return by another.
• After both, greet the people around you. See Eid greetings.

Eid prayer in Gaza

The Eid prayer needs no building. That has mattered in Gaza, where in March 2026 worshippers were reported praying Eid al-Fitr among the rubble of destroyed mosques, and where the UN reported in May 2026 that nearly the entire population was still displaced as Eid al-Adha began.

Fight for Palestine funds food parcels and hot meals, clean water, medical aid and shelter items in Gaza through local partner teams. If you are giving this Eid, you can pay through our Zakat page, support the emergency Gaza appeal or donate directly. For the meaning of each festival, see Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.