The Book of Prayer - Two Eids

Yahya b. Yahya, Hasan b. al-Rabi, Qutayba b. Said, and Abu Bakr b. Abi Shayba narrated to us. Yahya said: Abu al-Ahwas informed us; the others said: Abu al-Ahwas narrated to us, from Simak, from Jabir b. Samura, who said: “I prayed with the Messenger of Allah at the two Eid prayers many times, without an adhan or an iqama.”

Abu Bakr b. Abi Shayba narrated to us: Abdah b. Sulayman and Abu Usama narrated to us, from Ubayd Allah, from Nafi, from Ibn Umar, that the Prophet, Abu Bakr, and Umar used to perform the two Eid prayers before the sermon.

Yahya b. Ayyub, Qutayba, and Ibn Hujr narrated to us. They said: Ismail b. Jafar narrated to us, from Dawud b. Qays, from Iyad b. Abd Allah b. Sad, from Abu Said al-Khudri, that the Messenger of Allah used to go out on Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr and begin with the prayer. When he had prayed and given the salutation, he stood and addressed the people while they sat in their prayer place. If he had a matter concerning an expedition, he mentioned it to the people; if he had another matter, he instructed them about it. He used to say: “Give charity, give charity, give charity.” The women gave the most charity. Then he would depart. This continued until Marwan b. al-Hakam became ruler. I went out arm in arm with Marwan until we came to the prayer place, where Kathir b. al-Salt had built a pulpit of mud and bricks. Marwan pulled at my hand as if dragging me toward the pulpit, while I pulled him toward the prayer. When I saw him doing that, I said: “Where is beginning with the prayer?” He replied: “No, Abu Said; what you know has been abandoned.” I said: “Never! By Him in whose hand my soul is, you will not bring anything better than what I know.” I said this three times, then departed.