How to pray Eid salah, takbir by takbir.
The Eid prayer is two rakahs with extra takbirs. Follow it one step at a time, so you know exactly when to raise your hands, with the Eid takbeer to say on the way.
Make ghusl, wear your best clothes and use perfume. On Eid al-Fitr, eat an odd number of dates before you go (Sahih al-Bukhari 953) and pay zakat al-fitr before the prayer. On Eid al-Adha, eat after the prayer. Say the Eid takbir on the way.
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ، وَاللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلِلّٰهِ الْحَمْدُ
Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, lā ilāha illallāh, wallāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, wa lillāhil-ḥamd
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is no god but Allah. Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, and to Allah belongs all praise.
The wording narrated from Ibn Masud (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah), used in the Hanafi school.
Intend to pray the two wajib rakahs of the Eid prayer with six extra takbirs, behind the imam. Say Allahu akbar, raising your hands so the thumbs are near the earlobes (women: to the shoulders), then fold them: men below the navel, women on the chest.
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allāhu akbar
Allah is the Greatest.
Say the thana quietly while the imam does the same.
سُبْحَانَكَ اللّٰهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالٰى جَدُّكَ وَلَا إِلٰهَ غَيْرُكَ
Subḥānakallāhumma wa biḥamdika wa tabārakasmuka wa taʿālā jadduka wa lā ilāha ghayruk
Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise. Blessed is Your name, exalted is Your majesty, and there is no god but You.
Sunan Abi Dawud and Jami at-Tirmidhi, from Aishah and Abu Said al-Khudri.
With the imam, say Allahu akbar three times, raising your hands to the ears each time. After the first and second, let the hands hang at your sides. After the third, fold them. The imam pauses between each, about as long as saying Subhanallah three times.
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allāhu akbar
Allah is the Greatest.
Intend the two rakahs of the Eid prayer behind the imam and say the opening takbir with raised hands. Then say the opening dua.
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allāhu akbar
Allah is the Greatest.
Before the recitation, say Allahu akbar seven times, raising the hands each time. Between each two takbirs you may say quietly:
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Subḥānallāhi wal-ḥamdu lillāhi wa lā ilāha illallāhu wallāhu akbar
Glory be to Allah, all praise is for Allah, there is no god but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest.
Sunan Abi Dawud 1297; Sunan Ibn Majah 1387; Jami at-Tirmidhi 482.
The imam recites Al-Fatiha and a surah aloud. Listen in silence. The Prophet ﷺ recited Al-A'la in the first rakah and Al-Ghashiyah in the second (Sahih Muslim 878).
Follow the imam into ruku and the two sajdahs, then stand up for the second rakah.
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيْمِ
Subḥāna rabbiyal-ʿaẓīm (3 times)
Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent.
Sahih Muslim 772, from Hudhayfah.
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلٰى
Subḥāna rabbiyal-aʿlā (3 times)
Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.
Sahih Muslim 772, from Hudhayfah.
The imam recites Al-Fatiha and a surah. In the Hanafi school the extra takbirs of the second rakah come after the recitation.
Say Allahu akbar three times with the imam, raising your hands and letting them hang each time. Then he says a fourth takbir without raising the hands, and you go straight into ruku with him.
After standing up, say Allahu akbar five times with raised hands, before the recitation. Then listen to the imam recite and follow him into ruku.
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Subḥānallāhi wal-ḥamdu lillāhi wa lā ilāha illallāhu wallāhu akbar
Glory be to Allah, all praise is for Allah, there is no god but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest.
Sunan Abi Dawud 1297; Sunan Ibn Majah 1387; Jami at-Tirmidhi 482.
Make the two sajdahs, sit for the tashahhud, salawat and dua, and give salam with the imam.
اَلتَّحِيَّاتُ لِلّٰهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ، اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلٰى عِبَادِ اللّٰهِ الصّٰلِحِيْنَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَّا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ
At-taḥiyyātu lillāhi waṣ-ṣalawātu waṭ-ṭayyibāt. As-salāmu ʿalayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh. As-salāmu ʿalaynā wa ʿalā ʿibādillāhiṣ-ṣāliḥīn. Ashhadu al lā ilāha illallāhu wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhū wa rasūluh
All greetings, prayers and good things are for Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
The tashahhud of Ibn Masud: Sahih al-Bukhari 831; Sahih Muslim 402.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ
As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāh
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.
Sunan Abi Dawud and Jami at-Tirmidhi, from Ibn Masud.
The Eid khutbah comes after the prayer (Sahih al-Bukhari 956). Listen to it. Then greet people: the Companions said Taqabbal Allahu minna wa minkum, "May Allah accept from us and from you." Go home by a different route (Sahih al-Bukhari 986).
- Ruling
- Wajib on those who must attend Jumuah (Hanafi)
- Time
- From about 20 minutes after sunrise until just before Dhuhr
- Extra takbirs
- Hanafi 3 + 3; Shafi'i 7 + 5
- Dates 2027
- Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha 2027
The method shown first is the Hanafi one. Where the other madhhabs differ, the guide below explains how. Use the arrow keys to move between steps.
Guide
The Eid prayer, and the Eid takbeer.
The Eid prayer is two rakahs led by an imam, with six extra takbirs in the Hanafi school: three in the first rakah after the thana and before Al-Fatiha, and three in the second rakah after the recitation and before ruku. Raise your hands for each extra takbir. There is no adhan or iqamah, and the khutbah comes after the prayer.
How many takbirs in Eid salah?
| Madhhab | First rakah | Second rakah | Ruling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanafi | 3, after the thana, before Al-Fatiha | 3, after the recitation, before ruku | Wajib |
| Shafi'i | 7, before the recitation | 5, before the recitation | Confirmed sunnah |
| Maliki | 6, after the opening takbir | 5, before the recitation | Confirmed sunnah |
| Hanbali | 6, after the opening takbir | 5, before the recitation | Communal obligation |
The Eid prayer is wajib on every man who must attend Jumuah. It needs a congregation, so it is not prayed alone, and a missed Eid prayer is not made up. If you join late and the imam has finished the extra takbirs of the first rakah, say them yourself after the opening takbir. If you join in ruku and can say them before the imam rises, say them standing; otherwise say them in ruku without raising the hands.1 The Hanafi number follows Ibn Masud, who taught nine takbirs in all.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- A confirmed sunnah. It may be prayed alone, for example by someone who missed it, and women may pray it at home.
- Maliki
- A confirmed sunnah for those who must attend Jumuah.
- Hanbali
- A communal obligation (fard kifayah). Someone who misses it may make it up, as four rakahs in one view.
The Eid takbeer
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ، وَاللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلِلّٰهِ الْحَمْدُ
Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, lā ilāha illallāh, wallāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, wa lillāhil-ḥamd
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is no god but Allah. Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, and to Allah belongs all praise.
The wording narrated from Ibn Masud (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah), used in the Hanafi school.
On Eid al-Fitr say it on the way to the prayer: quietly according to Abu Hanifa, and aloud according to Abu Yusuf and Muhammad. On Eid al-Adha say it aloud on the way. Allah says of Ramadan: "and to glorify Allah for that to which He has guided you."2
Takbir al-Tashriq around Eid al-Adha
In the Hanafi school, saying this takbir once, aloud, after every fard prayer is wajib from Fajr on the Day of Arafah (9 Dhul Hijjah) to Asr on 13 Dhul Hijjah, 23 prayers in all. Women say it quietly. The Eid 2027 page gives the dates.
When is the Eid prayer?
Its time begins when the sun has risen about a spear's length, roughly 15 to 20 minutes after sunrise, and ends just before the sun reaches its height before Dhuhr. It is sunnah to pray Eid al-Adha early, so people can sacrifice, and Eid al-Fitr a little later. Check sunrise in today's prayer times.
- Al-Marghinani, al-Hidayah, Bab Salat al-Idayn; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar.
- Quran 2:185, translation by Sahih International. The other madhhabs' positions are summarised from their standard manuals.
The rulings on this page are pending review by the scholars on our team.
Questions
Good to know.
How many takbirs are in Eid salah?
Six extra takbirs in the Hanafi school, three in each rakah. The Shafi'i school has seven in the first and five in the second, and the Maliki and Hanbali schools six and five.
What is the Eid takbeer?
Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, la ilaha illallah, wallahu akbar, Allahu akbar, wa lillahil-hamd. It is said on the way to the Eid prayer and, around Eid al-Adha, after every fard prayer.
Is Eid salah wajib?
In the Hanafi school it is wajib on men who must attend Jumuah. The Shafi'i and Maliki schools hold it is a confirmed sunnah, and the Hanbali school a communal obligation.
What if I miss the Eid prayer?
In the Hanafi school it is not made up alone. Try to find a later congregation in another masjid. The Shafi'i and Hanbali schools allow it to be made up.
Can women pray Eid salah?
Yes. The Prophet ﷺ told women to come out to the Eid prayer, even those on their period, who stay back from the prayer place and join the dua. Many Hanafi scholars today advise women to pray at home or attend where it is safe and modest.
Is there a sunnah prayer before Eid salah?
No. There is no sunnah or nafl prayer before the Eid prayer at the prayer place, and the Hanafi school dislikes praying nafl there before it.