Home
Discover Islam
Quran Recitations
Lectures
Fatwa
Articles
Fiqh
E-Books
Women
Boys & Girls 
Enter Question
View By Subject
Fatwa Of The Week
Selected Fatwa
Fatwa CenterWearing nice clothes in 'Eed
Question
Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu, Shaykhs. If I keep a separate dress for eid and go to the masjid in it but without it being displayed, wearing an abaya and being properly covered, for the eid prayer, will I have the reward of following the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam? I read the following: "It was narrated that Jaabir, may Allah be pleased with him, said, 'The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, had a cloak which he would wear on the two eids and on Fridays.'" [Saheeh Ibn Khuzaymah, 1756]
And can I change it, or must it remain one dress only in order to be from the Sunnah? Could you please respond before the coming eid? May Allah reward you.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
The hadeeth which you cited was classified as weak/inauthentic by some Hadeeth scholars, including Shaykh Al-Albaani 
. Adorning oneself for the two 'Eed prayers has been reported in other authentic ahaadeeth.
Al-Bukhaari allocated a chapter in his book Saheeh Al-Bukhaari entitled "The two 'Eeds and adorning oneself on them" in which he cited the following hadeeth: ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar 
narrated that ‘Umar 
bought a cloak made of silk brocade from the market and took it to the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and said, "O Messenger of Allah, take it and adorn yourself with it during the 'Eed and when the delegations visit you." The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, replied, "This dress is for those who have no share in the Hereafter." [Al-Bukhaari]
Al-Haafith Ibn Hajar underlined in his book Fat-h Al-Baari that the tacit approval of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, of adorning oneself for the 'Eed in principle is deduced from the hadeeth. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, rebuked ‘Umar regarding this cloak only because it was made of silk.
Such adornment for the 'Eed is prescribed for both men and women; however, the woman adorns herself with new clothes only in the presence of other women, thereby celebrating the enjoined joy of the 'Eed and showing the blessings bestowed by Allah upon her. If she goes out, she must conceal her adornment with common clothes.
The Maaliki scholar An-Nafraawi wrote, "Wearing nice clothes for the 'Eed means wearing new garments, even if black, except for women; if they wish to go out for prayer, they must not wear perfume or any adornment even if they are old. If they are inside their houses, there is no harm..." [Al-Fawaakih Ad-Dawaani]
Finally, it is not obligatory to wear new clothes for the 'Eed; rather, what is meant is to wear nice clothes for the one who is allowed to reveal his adornment outdoors.
Allah knows best.
Search Fatwa
Fatwa Subject
