Islam has honored women and made her equal with men with regards to obligatory acts of worship. One example that manifests this equality, is that women are encouraged (as are men) to attend public gatherings on ‘Eed Al-Fitr and ‘Eed Al-Adh-ha, so that they may take part in these blessed occasions.
This is demonstrated in a number of narrations reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim in which the Prophet commanded that: "All the women should come out on these occasions, including adolescent and prepubescent girls, those who usually remained in seclusion, and virgins".
He even commanded that: "Menstruating women should come out, to take part in the joyous occasion, but they were to keep away from the prayer-place itself".
His concern that all women should attend the prayer on the two ‘Eeds was so great that he ordered: "The one who had more than one Jilbaab (outer garment) to give one to her sister who had none." In this way he encouraged both the attendance of all women at ‘Eed prayers and mutual support and help to do good and righteous deeds.
These Saheeh narrations give a clear indication of the concern of the Prophet, for the intellectual and spiritual benefit of women. He ordered all the women to go out to the ‘Eed prayer, including those who were menstruating, even though menstruating women are excused from praying and are not allowed to enter the prayer-place itself. But his call, was addressed to all women, because of his concern that they should take part in these two blessed events and attend the righteous gathering of the Muslims, joining in the Takbeerat and supplications, and being a part of the public life of Islam which is discussed in the Khutbah that is delivered after the ‘Eed prayer.
The Prophet was concerned with the teaching and guidance of women, and wanted them to play a part in building the Muslim society, so he devoted part of his Khutbah to women. He would come to the place where the women were gathered, and exhort and remind them to spend in charity. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
According to this narration, the Prophet exhorted and reminded the women, and accepted thecharity that they themselves willingly gave. Another narration, adds that the Prophet also reminded the women of their Bay`ah (oath of allegiance) and reconfirmed their adherence to it [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
There is no doubt that the Prophet addressed the women in the ‘Eed prayer-place, reminding them about their religion, and that he took charity from them, reconfirmed their adherence to their oath of allegiance, enjoined them to remember the teachings of Islam, and motivated them to do good works. All of this was achieved by calling them to attend the congregational prayer on both ‘Eeds. This is indicative of the importance of the 'Eed prayer in the life of the Muslim woman and the Islamic society.