1. To cleanse the mouth using the miswaak.

2. To have a bath (ghusal). Hadhrat ibn Abbaas رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ reports that Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم would have a bath on the day of Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha. (Ibn Majah no. 1315)

3. To dress in one’s best clothes (i.e. the best clothes in one’s possession, not necessarily new clothes.
Hadhrat Jaabir رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ reports that Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم had a jubbah (a robe or long garment) that he would wear specially on the days of Eid and the day of Jumuah. (Ibn Khuzaimah no. 1766)

4. To apply itr.

5. To perform Eid salaah at the Musallah (i.e. open field outside the town). Hadhrat Abu Saeed Khudri رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ reports that on the day of Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha, Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم would go to the Musallah (an open field on the outskirts of Madinah Munawwarah) to perform the Eid salaah. The first action that he carried out was performing the salaah. (I.e. he performed the salaah before the khutbah) (Bukhari no. 956)

6. One should avoid eating anything before Eid salaah on the day of Eid ul Adha (instead the first thing one should consume should be the meat of the sacrificed animal). However on the day of Eid ul Fitr one should eat an odd number of dates or anything sweet before leaving for the Eid salaah. Hadhrat Anas رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ reports that Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم would always eat some dates before leaving for the Eid salaah on the day of Eid ul Fitr. (Ibn Majah no. 1754) Hadhrat Buraidah رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ reports that Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم would always eat something before leaving for the Eid salaah. However, on the occasion of Eid ul Adha he would not eat until he returned from the Eid salaah (and partook of the sacrificed animal). (Ibn Majah no. 1756)

7. To go to the Eidgah early.

8. To walk to the place of Eid salaah. Hadhrat Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ reports that Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم would proceed towards the Eid salaah walking, and would return walking. (Ibn Majah no. 1294)

9. To recite the takbeer audibly when going to the Eidgah on the day of Eid ul Adha, and to recite it silently when going for the Eid salaah on the day of Eid ul Fitr.

10. To use different routes to and from the place of Eid salaah. Hadhrat Jaabir رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ reports that Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم would use different routes on the day of Eid (when proceeding and returning from the Eid salaah) (Bukhari no. 976)

11. To read two rakaat waajib salaah of Eid with six extra takbeers without any azaan or iqaamat. Hadhrat ibn Abbaas رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ reports that Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم would perform the (Eid) salaah on the day of Eid without any azaan or iqaamat. (Ibn Majah no. 1274)

12. To recite Surah A’ala in the first rakaat, and Surah Ghaashiya in the second rakaat of the Eid salaah.
Hadhrat Nu’maan ibn Basheer رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ relates that Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم would recite Surah A’ala and Surah Ghaashiya in both the Eid salaah as well as the Jumuah salaah. (Muslim no. 878)

13. One should remain seated after the Eid salaah and listen to the khutbah. Remaining for the khutbah is an emphasised sunnah.

14. During the khutbah it is waajib for one to remain silent and listen attentively to the khutbah.

15. It is forbidden to perform any nafl salaah in the Eidgah either before or after the Eid salaah.
Hadhrat ibn Abbaas رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ reports that Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم would come to the Eidgah and perform the Eid salaah. He would not perform any nafl salaah before the Eid salaah nor after the Eid salaah (i.e. at the Eidgah). (Ibn Majah no. 1291)

16. By staying awake and making ibaadat on the night of Eid, one will be rewarded in this manner that when all the hearts die, his heart will remain alive. Hadhrat Abu Umaamah رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ reports that Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم said: “The one who stands up in salaah on the two nights of Eid with the hope of receiving reward from Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى , his heart will remain alive on the day when all the hearts will die.” (Ibn Majah no. 1782)

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