Explaining the recommended practice of performing the festival prayer in the open desert.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : It is recommended (sunnah) that the festival prayer be performed in the open desert outside the town, and it is not to be performed in the congregational mosques. What some people in some countries have become accustomed to, which is performing it in the congregational mosques, is contrary to the Sunnah. Where did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) perform the festival prayer in Madinah? Did he pray in his mosque, or did he pray outside the town?
The student: Outside the town.
The Shaykh : He prayed outside the town. Even in Madinah, he prayed outside the town, even though he said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 325Sahih (Darussalam) But it is recommended (sunnah) that the festival prayer be performed outside. Why?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : The rites of worship.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Exactly, to display the rites of worship, because this is a great rite. When the people leave the town, men and women, young and old, they present a spectacle, and this revives this great rite which the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) made obligatory upon his community. Good.
The student: There is a specific instruction for the imam, which is to delay the 'Id al-Fitr prayer until the people go out... [to give] zakat al-fitr, and to advance the 'Id al-Adha prayer so that the sacrificial animals are slaughtered and eaten from them.
The student: Outside the town.
The Shaykh : He prayed outside the town. Even in Madinah, he prayed outside the town, even though he said:
Salat is this Masjid of mine is better than a thousand Salat in another, except for Masjid Al-Haram.
صلاة في مسجدي هذا خير من ألف صلاة فيما سواه إلا المسجد الحرامThe student: ...
The Shaykh : The rites of worship.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Exactly, to display the rites of worship, because this is a great rite. When the people leave the town, men and women, young and old, they present a spectacle, and this revives this great rite which the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) made obligatory upon his community. Good.
The student: There is a specific instruction for the imam, which is to delay the 'Id al-Fitr prayer until the people go out... [to give] zakat al-fitr, and to advance the 'Id al-Adha prayer so that the sacrificial animals are slaughtered and eaten from them.