Ahkam al-Eidayn
- Author died
- 1442 AH
- Editions
- al-Maktabah al-Islāmiyyah - Dār Ibn Ḥazm
Ahkam al-Eidayn fi al-Sunnah al-Mutahharah (Legal Rulings of the Two Eids in the Purified Sunnah) is a specialized legal treatise on the prophetic rulings and traditions of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, authored by the Jordanian scholar Ali bin Hasan al-Halabi (1380–1442 AH / 1960–2020 CE) .
Purpose and Scope
The author composed the treatise to clarify the legal rulings and prophetic etiquette associated with the two Islamic festivals, highlighting the role of congregational Islamic practices in fostering unity among Muslims . In his preface, he noted that he sought conciseness and clarity to make the book accessible and swift to read, intentionally avoiding protracted juridical disputes (al-khilaf al-madhhabi) while focusing on establishing the preponderant legal positions (al-qawl al-rajih) directly through their supporting evidence .
In placing his treatise within the broader tradition of Islamic literature on the subject, the author noted earlier specialized monographs dedicated to the rulings and hadiths of the two Eids, citing historical works by Ibn Abi al-Dunya, Ahmad ibn Abi Zahir, Abu Bakr al-Firyabi, al-Husayn ibn Isma'il al-Mahamili, Zahir ibn Tahir al-Shahhami, Abd al-Karim al-Sam'ani, Abu al-Yumn Ibn Asakir, Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Tabari, Muhammad ibn Fahd al-Makki, and Muhammad ibn Ja'far al-Kattani .
Content and Method
The book gathers authenticated hadiths, statements of the Companions, and classical scholarly commentaries, systematically addressing the acts prescribed for the festive days:
- Linguistic definition and legitimacy of the Eids: Explaining the derivation of the term 'eid and addressing the hadith regarding how God replaced the pre-Islamic celebrations of Medina—namely the festivals of Nowruz and Mihrajan—with Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha .
- Manifesting joy and lawful recreation: Citing traditions regarding the permission for young girls to play the tambourine (daff) during Eid, and noting the observations of scholars such as al-Baghawi and Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani that displaying happiness on these days constitutes one of the distinctive emblems of Islam .
- Adornment and garments: Documenting the practice of wearing fine clothing and applying perfume on Eid, drawing upon narrations concerning Abdullah ibn Umar and discussions by jurists such as Ibn Qudamah, Malik ibn Anas, and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah .
- The prayer ground (al-musalla): Establishing that the Sunnah is to perform the Eid prayer in an open outdoor prayer area rather than inside the mosque, while cautioning against the unnecessary multiplication of separate prayer grounds that fragment the Muslim congregation .
- Etiquette of going to the prayer: Reviewing the traditions regarding walking to the prayer ground, departing early, and taking different routes when going to and returning from the prayer ground .
- The takbir: Outlining the timing, formulas, and legal rulings of reciting the takbir during both festivals, affirming the practice of raising one's voice with takbir individually on the way to the prayer ground while rejecting collective recitation in unison (al-takbir al-jama'i) .
Throughout the work, the author frequently relies on hadith evaluations and legal conclusions from his teacher Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani, alongside legal assessments by Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Sindi, and others .
Publication History
The first edition of the book was published in 1405 AH (1984/1985 CE) by al-Maktabah al-Islamiyyah in Amman, Jordan . A second, expanded edition was published in one volume in 1414 AH (1993 CE) jointly by al-Maktabah al-Islamiyyah in Amman and Dar Ibn Hazm in Beirut, incorporating several additions and supplementary discussions by the author .
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