Saudi Grand Mufti, Abdul Aziz Al Sheikh, has issued a decree saying that Eid prayers can be offered at home in certain conditions.
The directive came at a time when large religious gatherings, congregational prayers including Eid namaz, and tawaf in Haram Sharif is prohibited as a measure to control the spread of the coronavirus.
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Apart from Saudi Arabia, other Arab countries like Qatar and Syria have also banned the Eid ul Fitr prayer in congregation.
While speaking to Okaz, a Saudi Gazette, he said that Zakat Al-Fitr could be distributed through charitable societies, but it should be distributed before Eid.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Abdul Salam Abdullah Al-Sulaiman has also said that Eid prayer could be performed individually or in the congregation. He is a member of the Council of Senior Scholars and the Standing Committee of Fatwa.
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Discussing the method of individual Eid prayers, he said that in the first raka’at, worshiper says six takbirs before reciting Surah Fateha followed by Surrah Al-Qahf.
In the second Raka’at, there will be five takbirs at the start of the raka’at before starting to recite Surah Fatiha and then Surah Al-Qamar that is ideal according to traditions.
Member of the council cited the example of Anas Bin Malik when he was at his home in Zawiya, a place near Basra, there was no congregation Eid prayer in that area and he had offered the prayer along with his family members.
It is permissible to offer Eid prayer after the sun rises, not when the sun is rising, he added. The Fatwa is very important as it helps Muslim communities around the world facing constraints on religious gatherings due to the coronavirus lockdown.
