'Eeds or Festivals are moments of celebration common to all nations. The festivals of non-believing nations are associated with worldly matters such as the birth of a nation or its decline, the appointment or crowning of a ruler, his marriage, or the beginning of a season like spring, and so on. As to Muslims, their festivals ('Eeds) are associated with their religious rituals. They have only two festivals or 'Eeds: 'Eed Al-Fitr (Celebration of the end of Ramadan) and 'Eed Al-Adha (festival of sacrifice).

When the Prophet came to Madeenah and found the people celebrating two days he,allallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: “What are these occasions”? They said: “We used to celebrate them in Jaahiliyya (before the coming of Islam)”. He then said : “Allah has replaced them for you with the two better days (i.e. 'Eed Al Fitr and 'Eed Al-Adha)”. These two festivals which Allah prescribed to the Muslims are part of the rituals of Islam which should be commemorated and the purposes of which should be understood.

1. It is forbidden to fast on the day of both 'Eeds, as it is understood from the hadeeth narrated by Abee Sa’eed that the Prophet forbade the fasting of the two 'Eeds.

5. It is recommended that the Imaam recites in the first Raka’at Soorah Al-A'alaa (chapter 87) and Soorah Al-'Ghaashiah (chapter 88) in the second. Other reports also show that the Prophet used to recite Soorah Qaaf (chapter 50) and Soorah Al-Qamar (chapter 54) as is confirmed in Saheeh Muslim.

6. There is no Sunnah prayer either before or after 'Eed prayer as Ibn Abbas, may Allah, be pleased with him, narrated that whenever the Prophet went for 'Eed prayer, he used to pray two Raka’at (of 'Eed) but nothing before or after them.