Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother, Assalam Alaikum

Please answer me the following:

Is it necessary to pray Eid prayer in Open place (maidan) instead of Mosque?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Eid prayers at eid gaah

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (saws) would offer his Eid prayers in an open area (in congregation with the believers) in Madinah.

Related by Ahmad and Abu Dawud.

It is indeed a preferred Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) for the believers to assemble and offer the prayers of the two Eids in an open area or ground, but there is absolutely no prohibition or restriction in Shariah if the believers wish to offer the prayers of the two Eids in their mosques.

Thus the difference between offering one’s Eid prayers in an open area or mosque is not between right and wrong, or permissible and impermissible in Shariah….but rather it is between ‘good’ and ‘best’. To offer one’s Eid prayers in one of the dedicated mosques is ‘good’, but to offer them in an open area is ‘best’ and closest to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan