What is the ruling on the sermon of the Eid prayer, and is it obligatory to listen to it?

Question : What is the ruling on the sermon, the sermon of the Eid prayer? Is it obligatory to listen to it? And is it permissible to settle for just one sermon?

Answer : The Eid has two sermons, and it has been said that it has one sermon. The matter in this is broad, and praise be to Allah. It is a recommended practice (sunnah), meaning if the people left it off, they would not be sinful, but they would have missed the recommended practice. It is not befitting for a person to leave it off as long as the people of the town are practicing it, because such apparent acts of worship are not something a person should deviate from what the people are accustomed to, unless it is forbidden. Because if he deviates from it, and it is one of the well-known practices among the people, their trust in their Shari'ah will be shaken, and they will say, what is this? What is this? Therefore, I ask my brothers not to leave off the Eid sermon, even if we say it is a recommended practice (sunnah).