Eid Speech and Khutbah
The Trustees and Staff at SIF wish the community a joyous Eid Mubarak. Although very different to previous Eid, insallah we willl continue to celebrate it in our homes. Please do remember the masjid and the £100 Eid appeal per working person. You can donate via bank transfer or PayPal from the website.
As we do not know how long the masjid will be be closed, we do need to maintain the £700-800 weekly income from Jumma so please set up a standing order for at least £20 per month so we be continue to be financially sound to meet our ongoing costs.
If you are tax payer we can claim 25% extra on your donations if we have a signed gift aid form. Please email us for the form.
Please note the following information.
Government guidelines continue the lockdown with some restrictions partially relaxed. It is imperative that people continue to comply with the lockdown measures. In light of this, the guidance for Eid Ṣalāh for Muslims in the UK is as follows:
Eid Ṣalāh in the Masjid
As the Government has confirmed that religious places are to remain closed, Eid Ṣalāh will not be organised in the Masjid for the general public.
Eid Ṣalāh at home and other settings
If four adult males are lawfully present in a home or workplace or elsewhere, they can perform Eid Ṣalāh whilst taking all the necessary precautions. In the home setting, the females and children from the same household can also participate. The Ṣalāh can also be performed in the garden. It is, however, imperative to continue to comply with the lockdown measures.
What if Eid Ṣalāh is not performed?
Although Eid Ṣalāh is wājib (necessary) under normal circumstances, individuals at home who are unable to perform Eid Ṣalāh or decide not to are excused due to the lockdown. They will, Inshāʾ Allah, be rewarded based on their intention and actions of previous years.
Individuals who do not perform Eid Ṣalāh can perform two or four rakʿat nafl Ṣalāh, as mentioned by Imam Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan al-Shaybānī (d. 189/805) in al-Aṣl (1:320). The companion ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd (d. 32/653, may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Whoever misses the Eid prayer should perform four rakʿat” (Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq, 5713; Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah, 5800; the narration is ṣaḥīḥ, Fatḥ al-Bārī, 2:475).
Performing two or four rakʿat is optional and a nafl Ṣalāh. Thus, it will be performed individually without any extra takbīrs, as it is not Eid Ṣalāh nor its Qaḍāʾ. Accordingly, there will be no Khuṭbah (sermon) thereafter.
The aforementioned ruling takes into account the challenges posed by the lockdown and restrictions on gatherings, the unique nature of Eid Ṣalāh, its significance, the absence of a replacement such as Ẓuhr for Jumuʿah Ṣalāh, along with some narrations from the pious predecessors (Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq, 5855, 5716; al-Sunan al-Kubrā, 6237; Maʿānī al-Āthār, 7289; Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah, 2:4).
Everyone is requested to maintain respect for the various positions of scholars in this regard, and supplicate to Allah Almighty to protect us all and remove this calamity, so we can perform Ṣalāh in the Masjids as soon as possible.
General advice
Ṣadaqat al-Fiṭr should be donated in advance of Eid day via a reputable charity so that it reaches the poor by Eid day. The Prophet ﷺ prescribed it as purification of the fasting from idle talk and obscenities and also as food for the poor (Sunan Abī Dāwūd, 1609).
Eid is a great blessing of Allah Almighty. It is therefore important to adopt the Sunnah practices of Eid even if one does not perform Eid Ṣalāh, expressing his gratitude to Allah Almighty and marking the occasion of happiness and joy. Some of the etiquettes of Eid that should be adopted during the lockdown include:
Performing Fajr Ṣalāh in congregation at home.
Undertaking Ghusl (bath) before Eid Ṣalāh (or the Nafl Ṣalāh) and using the Miswak.
Applying perfume.
Wearing the best clothes available, it is not necessary to go shopping to purchase new clothes.
Eating dates or something sweet before Eid Ṣalāh (or the Nafl Ṣalāh).
Reciting Takbīr in abundance.
Congratulating others in person (whilst maintaining social distance) and over the phone by saying تَقَبَّلَّ اللهُ مِنَّا وَمِنْكَ (may Allah accept [the worship] from us and you) (al-Tārīkh al-Kabīr, 1:116; al-Thiqāt, 9:90; al-Duʿāʾ, p.288; al-Sunan al-Kubrā, 3:446).
Donating charity and keeping the poor and vulnerable in mind.
