Eid Mubaarak?

Question: On Eid day, may people greet and embrace each other with ‘Eid Mubaarak’, especially after the Eid Salaah. Please comment.

Answer: Eid is not a new Ibaadat in Deen. Eid is as old as Deen is. Eid existed in the best of eras – the era of Nabi (Sallallahua alaihi wasallam) and the Sahaabah (Radhiyallahu anhum). Their manner of celebrating Eid is supposed to be an example for us. Nowhere is it mentioned in any reliable and authentic Haidth or Fiqh Kitaab that Nabi (Sallallahua alihi wasallam), any of the Sahaabah even after the demise of Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam), Taabi’, Tab-e-Taabi’, Faqeeh, Imaam, Muhaddith, Mufassir etc. ever initiated a special hand-shake and hug for immediately after the Eid Salaah. This does not appear anywhere among the Sunnats of Eid day.

Thus, to do so is an act which is alien to Deen. It is a Bid’ah. Yes, even Ulama are participants in this Bid’ah, and it is incumbent upon them to stop practising this Bid’ah, as well as propagate to the congregation on Eid day to avoid this Bid’ah. 

Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (Rahmatullahi alaih) mentioned this point beautifully in ‘Ahkaam-e-Eidayn’. He said, “The condition of the people is this that before the Eid Salaah they were talking (to each other – from Fajr time to the Eidgah – COH), then when the Eid Salaah terminated, they begin to shake hands and embrace one another.”

Besides Moulana Thanwi (Rahmatullahi alaih), several great, senior and prominent Ulama and Muftis of our Deen and of our Akaabireen and are also authors of authentic Kitaabs, have stated that shaking hands and embracing each other after Eid Salaah Is Makrooh, Bid’ah and among the salient features of the Shias!

1. Faqeehun-Naas, Hazrat Moulana Rashid Ahmad Ganghoi (Rahmatullahi alaih)-Author of Fataawa Rasheediyah
2. Mufti-e-A’zam of India, Mufti Kifayatullah (Rahmatullahi alaih)-Author of Kifaayatul-Mufti
3. Mufti-e-A’zam of Pakistan, Mufti Shafee’ (Rahmatullahi alaih) (Has stated in Imdaadul-Muftiyeen)
4. The head Mufti of Darul-Uloom Deoband, Mufti Azeezur Rahmaan (Rahmatullahi alaih) (States in Azeezul Fataawa)
5. Faqeehul-Ummat, Mufti Mahmood Hasan Ganghoi (Rahmatullahi alaih) (States in Fataawa Mahmoodiyah)
6. Mufti Sa’eed Abdur-Raheem Laajbori (Rahmatullahi alaih) (States in Fataawa Raheemiyah)
7. Moulana Abdul Hay of Lukhnow (States in his Fataawa)
8. Mufti Nizaamud-Deen (Satates in Nizaamul-Fataawa)
9. Hakeemul-Ummat Ml Ashraf Ali Thanwi (Imdaadul-Fataawa)

Hence, it is incumbent upon one and all to stop this act which is among the salient features of the Shi’ahs!