Short answer
The Eid prayer is not wajib on women in the Hanafi school. The Prophet ﷺ told women to come out to the Eid prayer, even those on their period, who stayed away from the prayer place itself. Later Hanafi jurists disliked women attending because of fitnah, but many Hanafi scholars in the West now allow or encourage it where there is a proper women's area.
The Eid prayer is wajib only on those who must attend Jumuah, so it is not wajib on women. The later Hanafi fatwa texts say women attending congregations, including Eid, is disliked in their time because of fitnah. Where women can attend in full hijab, without perfume and in a separate area, many contemporary Hanafi scholars permit it.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Attending is recommended for women who are not young and striking, dressed plainly and without perfume.
- Hanbali
- Attending is permitted, acting on the hadith of Umm Atiyyah, with modest dress.
Explanation
Umm Atiyyah reported that the Prophet ﷺ told them to bring out young women, secluded women and women on their period on the two Eids, to witness the good and the dua of the Muslims, while those on their period kept away from the prayer place. When a woman said she had no jilbab, he said her sister should lend her one.
This hadith shows both the welcome and the conditions: full covering, and women on their period not joining the prayer. Within a generation Aishah said that if the Prophet ﷺ had seen what women had started to do, he would have stopped them from the masjid. The later Hanafi jurists built on this and disliked women going out to any congregation, Eid included, in their time. See are women allowed in the mosque.
Times differ. In the US, UK and Canada Muslim women are already out daily for work and study, and Eid is often the one day a family sees its whole community. So many Hanafi scholars in the West say women may attend the Eid prayer where these conditions are kept:
- Full, loose hijab, and no perfume.
- A separate women's area or rows behind the men.
- No mixing at the entrances, the car park or afterwards.
- Women on their period stay outside the prayer area and still join the takbir, dua and khutbah.
If a woman does not attend, she has nothing to make up, since the prayer was never wajib on her. She can say the takbirat, wear her best clothes and celebrate at home. See is Eid prayer wajib and how to pray Eid salah.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:185
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًۭى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَٰتٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍۢ فَعِدَّةٌۭ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٨٥﴾
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.
Eid is a time of glorifying Allah, open to everyone.
Sahih al-Bukhari 324
Sahih... وليشهدن الخير ودعوة المؤمنين ويعتزل الحيض المصلى ...
"Let them witness the good and the dua of the believers, and let those menstruating keep away from the prayer place."
Women were brought out for Eid, with those on their period kept from the prayer place.
Sahih al-Bukhari 351
Sahih... لتلبسها صاحبتها من جلبابها ...
"Let her companion lend her one of her outer garments."
Full covering was a condition of going out.
Sahih al-Bukhari 869
Sahih... لو أدرك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ما أحدث النساء لمنعهن ...
"Aishah said: had the Messenger of Allah seen what women have introduced, he would have prevented them."
The basis of the later Hanafi caution.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Kitab al-Salah, chapter on imamah. Women attending congregation, even Jumuah and Eid, is disliked on the relied view because of the corruption of the time.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Salah, chapter on the two Eids. The Eid prayer is wajib on those who must pray Jumuah.
- al-Majmu' (Nawawi), Kitab Salat al-Idayn. Recommends attendance for women who are not young and striking.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.