Chapter on the Prayer of the Two Eids

Muhammad ibn al-Hasan said: “We will explain the meaning of this report later, as Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, wills.”

So what this report contains that the takbirs in the first rak’ah precede the recitation and what is narrated:

For these reports are to be interpreted as being based on taqiyya (precautionary dissimulation), because they have been transmitted in agreement with the doctrine of some of the Amma (non-Shia). For we have already presented reports that contain and indicate that the takbir in both rak’ahs is after the recitation. And contradiction between reports is not permissible, so it is necessary to interpret these ones as a form of taqiyya (precautionary dissimulation). What further supports what we have presented, with clarity, is what was narrated:

The continuation is as follows, just as was said: at the beginning of each takbir, this statement is to be said with every takbirah until five takbirs are completed. And this narration, also follows the pattern of the previous one, in that it includes placing the takbir before the recitation and that it was issued in the context of taqiyya (precautionary dissimulation). Were it not for this, the reports would contradict one another, as we have explained before and that is not permissible. And whoever falls short in performing the seven takbirs is not sinful, but is rather one who has abandoned a sunnah and neglected a virtue. This is indicated by what was narrated:

Do you not see that Imam عليه السلام permitted limiting it to three takbirs and to five takbirs? And this indicates that omitting them does not invalidate the prayer. And we have already clarified earlier that the prayer of the two Eids is an obligation (faridah) when performed with the Imam, and this is not contradicted by what was narrated:

Because what is meant by this report is that this prayer is among those whose obligation has been established through the Sunnah, just as many obligations have been known through the Sunnah. For this reason, it has been attributed to the Sunnah, not that it is a sunnah in the sense of being like the rest of the supererogatory and recommended prayers. And whoever misses the prayer on the day of Eid is not obligated to make it up, but it is permissible for him to pray, if he wishes, two rak’ahs or four, without intending it as qadah (make-up prayer). And we have said this based on what we previously presented that there is no obligation of qadah upon the one who misses the Eid prayer. What indicates that it is permissible for him to pray individually is what was narrated:

Muhammad ibn al-Hasan said: “What we have said regarding the permissibility of performing the prayer individually is not contradicted by what was narrated”

For what is meant by this, is that there is no obligatory prayer except with the Imam. It was not meant that there is no prayer under any circumstance, as is indicated by what we have previously presented. And further clarification is added by what was narrated:

Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Yahya said: “I took this hadith from the book of Muhammad ibn Hamzah ibn al-Yasa. He narrated it from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl, but I did not hear it directly from him myself.”

Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, the compiler of this book, said: “And you supplicate after the Id prayer with this supplication, saying: “O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, indeed I have turned to You عز وجل with (Prophet) Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم before me, and Imam Ali عليه السلام behind me, and my Imams عليه السلام to my right and to my left. I seek protection through them from Your punishment, and I seek nearness to You عز وجل through them, a nearness through which I find no one closer to You عز وجل than them. So they are my Imams عليه السلام, through them, secure me from fear of Your punishment and Your wrath. And ‘Admit me, by Your mercy, into Paradise among Your righteous servants.’ (Surah Yusuf 12:101) I have entered this morning with faith in Allah سبحانه وتعالى, with certainty, sincerity, upon the religion of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and his Sunnah, and upon the religion of Imam Ali عليه السلام and his Sunnah, and upon the religion of the trustees (al-Awsiya’) and their traditions. I believe in their secret and their open teachings, and I incline to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, in that which they inclined toward, and I seek refuge in Allah سبحانه وتعالى from the evil of that from which they sought refuge. And there is no power, no strength, and no protection except with Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Most High, the Most Great. ‘I have placed my trust in Allah سبحانه وتعالى… Allah سبحانه وتعالى is sufficient for me…” (Surah At-Tawbah 9:129), And ‘whoever relies upon Allah سبحانه وتعالى, He عز وجل is sufficient for him.’ (Surah At-Talaq 65:3) O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, indeed I seek You عز وجل, so seek me out, and I desire that which is with You عز وجل, so make it easy for me. O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, indeed You عز وجل have said in the decisive part of Your revealed Book and Your word is truth, and Your promise is true, ‘The Month of Ramadan is that in which the Qur’an was sent down, a guidance for mankind.’ (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:185) So You عز وجل have magnified the Month of Ramadan by what You عز وجل sent down in it of the Noble Qur’an, and You عز وجل have distinguished it by placing within it the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr). O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, now its days and its nights, and I have exited from it, O’ my God عز وجل, into that which You عز وجل know better than I about myself. So I ask You عز وجل, O’ my God, by what Your nearest angels have asked You عز وجل, and Your sent prophets, and Your righteous servants, that You عز وجل send blessings upon (Prophet) Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and the family of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, And that You عز وجل accept from me everything by which I sought nearness to You عز وجل during it, And that You عز وجل bestow upon me the favor of multiplying my deeds, accepting my acts of nearness and devotions, and answering my supplication. And grant me “mercy from Yourself” (Surah Al-Kahf 18:10) and free my neck from the Fire, and grant me safety on the Day of Fear, from every terror and from every horror that You عز وجل have prepared for the Day of Resurrection. I seek refuge by the sanctity of Your Noble Face, and by the sanctity of Your Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and by the sanctity of the Trustees (al-Awsiya’), that this day should not come to an end while there remains upon me any due that You عز وجل intend to take me to account for, or any sin that You عز وجل intend to exact from me and have not forgiven me. I ask You عز وجل by the sanctity of Your Noble Face, O’ there is no God but You عز وجل, by there is no God but You عز وجل, that You عز وجل be pleased with me. And if You عز وجل have already been pleased with me, then increase Your pleasure with me in what remains of my life. And if You عز وجل have not yet been pleased with me, then from this very moment, be pleased with me, O’ my Master and my Lord عز وجل! This moment! This moment! This moment! And place me in this moment and on this day, and in this gathering, among those whom You عز وجل have freed from the Fire, a freeing after which there is no bondage. O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I ask You عز وجل by the sanctity of Your Noble Face, to make this day of mine, the best day in which I have worshipped You عز وجل since You عز وجل placed me upon the earth the greatest in reward, the most encompassing in blessings and well-being, the most expansive in provision, the most complete in deliverance from the Fire, the most guaranteed in forgiveness, the most perfected in Your pleasure, and the closest to what You عز وجل love and are pleased with. O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, do not make it the last Ramadan that I fast for You عز وجل, and provide me the return to it, and then the return to it again, until You عز وجل are pleased with me, and that You عز وجل also please everyone who has any claim upon me. And do not take me out of this world except while You عز وجل are pleased with me. O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, make me among the pilgrims of Your Sacred House in this year, those whose hajj is accepted, whose striving is thanked, whose sins are forgiven, whose supplications are answered, those who are protected in themselves, their religion, their offspring, their wealth, and in all that You عز وجل have bestowed upon them. O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, return me from this gathering of mine, and on this day of mine, and at this very hour, as one who is successful, prosperous, whose supplication is answered, whose voice is shown mercy, whose sin is forgiven. O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, and place in whatever You عز وجل will, and desire, and decree, and determine, and execute that You عز وجل prolong my life, strengthen my weakness, mend my poverty, honor my humiliation, comfort my loneliness, increase my scarcity, and cause my sustenance to flow abundantly with well-being, ease, and a life of comfort. And that You عز وجل suffice me in all that concerns me of the affairs of my Hereafter. Do not entrust me to myself, lest I become powerless over it; nor to the people, lest they reject me. Grant me well-being in my body, my family, my children, those whom I love, my neighbors, my brothers, and my descendants. And bestow upon me perpetual safety as long as You عز وجل keep me alive. I have turned to You عز وجل through (Prophet) Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and the family of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family, and I have placed them before You عز وجل before myself, before my need, before my request, before my supplication, and before my plea. So make me, through them, honored in this world and the Hereafter, for indeed You عز وجل have favored me with knowledge of them. So seal for me with that knowledge, a final end of felicity. Indeed, You عز وجل have power over all things. For surely You عز وجل are my Guardian, my Master, my Lord عز وجل, my Sustainer, my God عز وجل, my Trust, my Hope, the source of all I ask, the place of my complaint, and the ultimate point of my yearning. So let not my supplication to You عز وجل be disappointed, O’ my Master عز وجل and my Lord عز وجل. And do not nullify my hope and expectation in You عز وجل, for I have turned to You عز وجل through (Prophet) Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and the family of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family, and I have placed them before You عز وجل before myself, before my need, my request, my supplication, and my plea and through them, make me honored in Your presence ‘in this world and the Hereafter, and among those brought near.’ (Surah Al Imran 3:45) Indeed, You عز وجل have favored me with knowledge of them, so seal for me with that knowledge a final end of happiness. ‘Indeed, You have power over all things.’ (Surah Al Imran 3:26) O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, do not nullify my deed, nor my hope, nor my expectation, O’ my God, nor my plea. And seal for me a final end of happiness, safety, Islam, security, faith, forgiveness, pleasure, martyrdom, and divine protection. O’ You عز وجل to Whom every need is presented, O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى (three times), You عز وجل are the Guardian over every need, so take charge of its outcome. And do not subject us to any of Your creation in anything for which we have no strength, from the matters of this world. And free us for the matter of the Hereafter, O’ Possessor of Majesty and Honor. Send blessings upon (Prophet) Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and the family of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and bless (Prophet) Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and the family of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and send peace upon (Prophet) Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and the family of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and show mercy to (Prophet) Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and the family of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, with the best of what You عز وجل have ever sent blessings, bestowed blessings, shown mercy, sent peace, shown kindness, and granted favor upon Ibrahim عليه السلام and the family of Ibrahim عليه السلام. Indeed, You عز وجل are Praiseworthy, Glorious.”

And you supplicate while facing toward the place of prayer with what has been narrated.