and on another with the other. However, he should take circumstances into account. For example, if the weather is cold and keeping the people waiting would cause them hardship, it is better to recite Surah Sabbih and Surah al-Ghashiyah. The same applies if the weather is hot, and likewise on Eid al-Adha, since people wish to finish promptly in order to slaughter their sacrificial animals.

If there is no hardship, then it is better to recite one set on one occasion and the other set on another.

As for neglected sunnahs—that is, sunnahs that have been abandoned—students of knowledge should revive them. But if they fear that people will find them objectionable, they should prepare the way for them first, especially if the student of knowledge is young, whose words are not given much weight and who is criticized. In that case, he should first prepare people’s minds to accept such a matter.

For example, if one of our leading scholars, whose trustworthiness, knowledge, and religious integrity are well attested, were to practise a sunnah unknown to the people, you would find them saying: “Glory be to Allah! We did not know that this was a sunnah. May Allah reward him; he has opened for us a door of knowledge.” But if a young student of knowledge were to do or say it, they would say, “What is this new religion?” and, Allah forbid, would assail him with abuse and insults. Thus, a person should be wise.

THEN, AFTER CONCLUDING WITH THE SALUTATION, HE DELIVERS TWO SERMONS …

His statement, “Then, after concluding with the salutation, he delivers two sermons,” means that once the imam has concluded the prayer with the salutation, he delivers two sermons. If someone else delivers the sermon, there is no harm in that, just as in the Friday prayer: one person may deliver the sermon while another leads the prayer.

His statement, “two sermons”: this is the view followed by the jurists, may Allah have mercy on them—that the Eid sermon consists of two sermons—because this is reported in a hadith recorded by Ibn Majah