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 in Islam Burhan,

As salaam Wa alaikum,

Please let me know if eid namaz (2 rakat Nifl )  is prohibited for women. Is it true that women are supposed to take care of their homes  while their men are away to offer Eid namaz, is there any such restriction for women in Islam? Kindly explain.

waiting eagerly for your advise in reply.

(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:

Should women offer eid prayers

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.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.147

The prayers of the two Eids was prescribed in the first year after the migration. The Messenger of Allah (saws) ordered the (believing) men and women to go out to attend them.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.148a

The Messenger of Allah (saws) guided women and children to go out and attend the two Eid prayers. This includes married, single, young, old, or menstruating women.

Umm 'Atiyah reports: "We were ordered to go out with the single and menstruating women to the two Eids in order to witness the good and the supplications of the Muslims. The menstruating women would be separate from the others."

Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Ibn Abbas says that the Prophet (saws) would take his wives and daughters to the two 'ids.

Related by Ibn-Majah and al-Baihaqi.

Ibn 'Abbas reports: "I went out with the Prophet (saws) on the day of breaking the fast (Eidul-Fitr) or of the sacrifice (Eidul-Adha), and he (saws) prayed and gave a sermon, and then he (saws) went to the women and admonished them, reminded them of Allah, and ordered them to give charity."

Related by al-Bukhari.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) guided and commanded the believing men, women and children to attend the Eid congregation, including women who were married, single, young, or old, menstruating or non-menstruating. The non- menstruating women should offer the Eid prayers in congregation and listen to the sermon proceeding it, while the menstruating women should abstain from offering the Eid prayer and then listen to the Eid sermon.

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