^Eid prayer can be performed in congregation or individually any time between sunrise and the setting time of the Noon Prayer. The best time for performing the ^Id prayer is after the sun has reaches the height of a spear (approximately 20 minutes after sunrise). However if one missed the ^Id Prayer one can make it up.

The ^Eid prayer is not preceded by adhan (the call to announce the prayer time) or iqamah (the call to start the prayer).

The one who performs the ^Id prayer, must satisfy the conditions and avoid the invalidators of prayer. The ^Id prayer is two rak^ahs. It is initiated with the opening takbir, with the intention to perform the ^Id prayer.

This is followed by seven takbirs. After each takbir (except for the seventh takbirs) one recites the following: (subhanallah, walhamdulillah, wala ilaha illallah, wallahu akbar). Then one recites al-Isti^adhah , Suratul-Fatihah and Surat Qaf or Surat al-A^la.

In the second rak^ah one says five takbirs before reciting the Fatihah followed by Surat al-Qamar or Surat al-Ghashiyah. If one starts with the Fatihah leaving out any or the entire takbirs, one’s prayer is still valid, however one would miss out on the reward of the takbirs.

In this case, one should continue with one’s prayer order. After the prayer, it is recommended that the imam delivers two speeches starting with nine takbirs in the first khutbah and seven in the second. The imam may teach the people significant matters pertaining to Zakatul-Fitr.

Recommended Acts on the Day of ^Eid

It is Sunnah on the day of ^Id to do the following:

• To have the purificatory bath before going to the prayer;
• To wear perfume;
• To clip one’s fingernails;
• To wear the best of one’s clothes;
• To return home via a different route from that which one took to go to the place of prayer;
• To go early to the mosque except for the imam;
• To eat something such as dates or the like before going to the prayer;
• To walk to the place of prayer;
• To recite the takbirs of ^Id repeatedly. This is highly recommended and its time starts after the sunset of the last day of Ramadan and ends when the imam says the opening takbir of the ^Id prayer.This can be attained by one saying in one’s home, market places, mosques, and while walking the streets.

Congratulating one another on the day of ^Eid for performing the acts of worship during Ramadan and asking Allah to accept their good deeds is also rewardable, as stated by Ibn Hajar and Al-Bayhaqiyy .
It is Sunnah to spend the night preceding the day of ^Eid in acts of worship such as praying.

It is Sunnah mu’akkadah to pray the ^Eid prayer as Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, used to pray every ^Eid Prayer.