Congratulating on the Festival

Question : Is there a formula preserved from the Salaf for congratulating on the festival? What is established regarding the Friday sermon: sitting or not sitting?

Answer : Congratulating on the festival has occurred from some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). And even if it did not occur, it is now among the ordinary matters that people have become accustomed to, where some congratulate others on the blessings of the festival, the completion of fasting, and standing in night prayer. However, what may cause harm and has no need for it is the matter of kissing, for some people, when congratulated on the festival, kiss, and this has no basis and no need for it. The handshake is sufficient. As for his question about the festival sermon, the scholars differed on that. Some said that the festival has two sermons with sitting between them, and some said that it has only one sermon. But if the women do not hear the sermon, then a sermon is designated for them, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he addressed the people on the day of the festival, went down to the women and admonished them and reminded them. And this designation in our present time is not needed, because the women hear through the sound system, so there is no need to designate them. But it should be that the preacher directs a special word to the women, such as encouraging them, for example, to hijab and modesty, and the like of that.