those who, by unanimous agreement, are not legally bound to pray—such as menstruating women. The intent of the command, he adds, was only to train the youngsters in prayer, let them witness the Muslims’ supplication, give them a share of the reward, and display the perfection of the religion. End quote.
10 – The report also shows that everyone may attend gatherings of remembrance and goodness—even a menstruating woman, someone in a state of major ritual impurity, or anyone in a similar condition—so long as they stay outside the mosque.
Disagreement among the scholars:
The scholars are unanimous that the two Eid prayers are legislated. They differ, however, over whether they are a sunna or an obligation, and if an obligation, whether it is communal or individual. There are three positions:
- The Malikis and Shafiʿis hold that it is a confirmed sunna. They cite the Prophet’s ﷺ answer to the Bedouin who asked what prayers were obligatory: “Five prayers Allah has prescribed for His servants.” The man asked, “Am I obliged to do anything else?” He replied, “No.” [al-Bukhari 46; Muslim 11]. Its status as a confirmed sunna is evidenced by the Prophet’s ﷺ unfailing observance of it.
- The Hanbalis maintain that it is a communal obligation (farḍ kifāya); if enough people perform it, the duty lifts from the rest. Their proof is the verse, “So pray to your Lord and sacrifice” (al-Kawthar 2), together with the Prophet’s ﷺ constant observance of it and the fact that it is one of the manifest symbols of the religion. They do not deem it individually obligatory because of the Bedouin ḥadīth, which negates any obligatory prayer beyond the five daily ones.
- The Hanafis consider it wājib—a binding duty—upon all who are obliged to attend Friday prayer, except that the two sermons are, in their view, merely sunna.
A second report from Imām Aḥmad states that it is an individual obligation, based on the same verse and on the Prophet’s ﷺ command that even women attend it. This is also the view preferred by Shaykh Taqī al-Dīn.
This last opinion is the soundest; for the proofs advanced to show it is only a communal obligation are in reality proofs of individual obligation,