Chapter: The Prayer of the Two Eids

His statement, “the prayer of the two Eids”: this is an attribution of a thing to its time and its cause. The cause of this prayer is the two Eids, and it is also performed only on the two Eids.

His statement, “the two Eids,” is the dual form of Eid. They are Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr, and each occurs on a legislatively prescribed occasion.

As for Eid al-Fitr, it marks the Muslims’ completion of the fast of Ramadan.

As for Eid al-Adha, its occasion is the conclusion of the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah, concerning which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” They said, “Not even jihad in the way of Allah?” He said, “Not even jihad in the way of Allah, except in the case of a man who goes forth with his life and his wealth and returns with nothing of either” (1).

Thus, the occasions of these two Eids are legislatively prescribed. There is a third Eid as well: the conclusion of the week, namely Friday, which recurs once every week. In Islam, there are no Eids besides these three: Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, and Friday. Thus, there is no Eid commemorating the anniversary of the Battle of Badr, the Conquest, the Battle of Hunayn, or any other of the great battles in which the Muslims achieved a brilliant victory—let alone the celebrations held