Is it obligatory for the Eid prayer ground to be outside the town? And what is the ruling on performing it in football stadiums?
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The questioner : Our second question, which is not from me: Is it a condition for the Eid prayer ground to be outside the city, meaning up to the city limits, or can any open space free of buildings, such as some parks in large cities and football stadiums, be considered a prayer ground where the two Eid prayers and similar prayers performed in the prayer ground are offered?
The Shaykh : What is it that concerns football? What does it say?
The questioner : I mean, for example, there is a large stadium and a place for a football field.
The Shaykh : This is the first part of the question; it concerns the parks, and there is an issue concerning football. What is it that concerns football?
The questioner : I mean, is it permissible for us to take a football field as a prayer ground for Eid?
The Shaykh : The original ruling for the Eid prayer ground is that it should be outside the town; this is the Sunnah. If that is facilitated, that is good and excellent. If it is not facilitated, then performing the prayer in one of the open spaces such that the space accommodates all the worshippers who usually disperse in the mosques is better than their dispersing in the mosques. The answer is clear: the original ruling is that the Eid prayer is performed outside the town, outside the town limits, if that is facilitated. If it is not facilitated, they pray in one of the wide open spaces that accommodates all the worshippers whose custom is that they disperse in the congregational prayer and the Friday prayer in their mosques. So, if there is an open space after failing to find one outside the town, and an open space is found inside the town that accommodates them all, it is permissible for them to pray in this place. As for what concerns the stadiums, football stadiums, if there is no apparent evil in these stadiums, not like what we sometimes see in some of the international stadiums that are shown, where signs are placed with images and the like, if these images are not fixed and stable in the stadium and the stadium is free from any violation of the Shari'ah, it is permissible to take it as a prayer ground; otherwise, it is not.
The Shaykh : What is it that concerns football? What does it say?
The questioner : I mean, for example, there is a large stadium and a place for a football field.
The Shaykh : This is the first part of the question; it concerns the parks, and there is an issue concerning football. What is it that concerns football?
The questioner : I mean, is it permissible for us to take a football field as a prayer ground for Eid?
The Shaykh : The original ruling for the Eid prayer ground is that it should be outside the town; this is the Sunnah. If that is facilitated, that is good and excellent. If it is not facilitated, then performing the prayer in one of the open spaces such that the space accommodates all the worshippers who usually disperse in the mosques is better than their dispersing in the mosques. The answer is clear: the original ruling is that the Eid prayer is performed outside the town, outside the town limits, if that is facilitated. If it is not facilitated, they pray in one of the wide open spaces that accommodates all the worshippers whose custom is that they disperse in the congregational prayer and the Friday prayer in their mosques. So, if there is an open space after failing to find one outside the town, and an open space is found inside the town that accommodates them all, it is permissible for them to pray in this place. As for what concerns the stadiums, football stadiums, if there is no apparent evil in these stadiums, not like what we sometimes see in some of the international stadiums that are shown, where signs are placed with images and the like, if these images are not fixed and stable in the stadium and the stadium is free from any violation of the Shari'ah, it is permissible to take it as a prayer ground; otherwise, it is not.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.