Is There Adhan for `Eid Prayer?

Is There Adhan for `Eid Prayer in Islam?

Muslim (885) narrated that Jabir ibn `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I attended the prayer on the day of `Eid with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He started with the prayer before the khutbah, with no Adhan or Iqamah.

Al-Bukhari (960) and Muslim (886) narrated that Ibn `Abbas and Jabir ibn `Abdullah Al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with them) said: No Adhan was given on the day of Al-Fitr or the day of Al-Adha (i.e., for the `Eid prayer).

Jabir ibn `Abdullah Al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) said: There is no Adhan for the prayer on the day of Al-Fitr when the Imam comes out, or after he comes out; no Iqamah, no call, nothing. There is no call on that day and no Iqamah.

This Hadith indicates that there is no Adhan or Iqamah for the `Eid prayer and that no call is given for it.

Scholarly Opinions on the Adhan for `Eid Prayer

Some of the scholars are of the view that a call should be given for it by saying “As-Salatu Jami`ah (prayer is about to begin)” by analogy with the eclipse prayer.

This is an analogy which contradicts the Hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) quoted above, so no attention should be paid to it.

Ibn Qudamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Some of our companions said that a call should be given for it, i.e., “As-Salatu Jami`ah (prayer is about to begin)”. This is the view of Ash-Shafi`i. But the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is more deserving of being followed.

Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

There is no call for the `Eid prayer or prayers for rain (Al-Istisqa’). This is the view of a number of our companions. (End quote from Al-Insaf, 1/428)

Understanding the Sunnah for `Eid Prayer Assembly

Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Zad Al-Ma`ad:

When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) reached the prayer-place he would commence the prayer – i.e., the `Eid prayer – with no Adhan or Iqamah, and he did not say “As-Salatu Jami`ah (prayer is about to begin)”. The Sunnah is not to do any of those things.

As-San`ani (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Subul As-Salam, concerning the view that it is recommended to call people to the `Eid prayer by saying “As-Salatu Jami`ah (prayer is about to begin)”:

This view is not correct, because there is no evidence that it is recommended. If it were recommended the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would not have failed to do it, and neither would the Rightly-Guided Caliphs who came after him. That is proven with regard to the eclipse prayer, not for any other, and it is not correct to draw an analogy between them, because if there was a reason for doing something during his lifetime but he did not do it, doing it after he is gone is a Bid`ah (innovation), so it cannot be proven by analogy or otherwise.

Analogies and Innovations in `Eid Prayer

Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: Is there any Adhan or Iqamah for the `Eid prayer?

He replied:

There is no Adhan or Iqamah for the `Eid prayer, as was proven in the Sunnah, but some scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) said that a call may be given for it by saying “As-Salatu Jami`ah (prayer is about to begin)”. But there is no evidence for this view, so it is not correct.

It is not correct to draw an analogy with the eclipse prayer, because an eclipse may come without people realizing it, unlike the `Eid prayer. So the Sunnah is not to give any Adhan or Iqamah to call people by saying “As-Salatu Jami`ah (prayer is about to begin)”. Rather the people should come out, and when the Imam arrives, they should pray without any Adhan or Iqamah, then after that comes the Khutbah. (End quote from Majmu` Fatawa Ibn `Uthaymin, 16/237)

For more details, please see the following answers:

Takbir in Unison Before the ‘Eid Prayer

Sunnah Acts During `Eid

What Are the Etiquettes of `Eid?

What Happens If You Miss `Eid Prayer?

And Allah knows best.