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تقبل الله منا ومنكم

Taqabbal Allahu minna wa minkum

Eid greeting: May Allah accept (the worship) from us and from you

The day of Eid al-Adha depends on the sighting of the new moon for the month of Dhu al-Hijjah. The day of Hajj is the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah and the day of Eid al-Adha is the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah. Muslims across the globe looked for the new moon of Dhu al-Hijjah on Sunday 18th June 2023 around Maghrib time.

Due to cloud coverage making local visibility difficult, many Muslim communities follow sightings from further East to the UK. The Coordination Committee of Major Islamic Centres and Mosques of London typically follow Saudi Arabia, and many Reading masajid do the same. Some masajid will follow local sightings or sightings from other countries further East, and sometimes declare the start of the new month for the following day.

Saudi Arabia declared positive sighting of the moon on Sunday 18th June 2023, so Eid al-Adha will be celebrated by most Muslim communities on Wednesday 28th June 2023. Some masajid are following local sightings, and will celebrate Eid al-Adha on Thursday 29th June 2023.

Masajid celebrating Eid al-Adha on Wednesday 28th June 2023

• Abu Bakr Masjid, Oxford Road (website)
  • Brothers & sisters for all 3 Jama’at
  • 1st Eid Jama’ah: 7:30am
  • 2nd Eid Jama’ah: 8:30am
  • 3rd Eid Jama’ah: 9:30am
• Aisha Masjid & Islamic Centre, London Road (website)
  • Parking: free minibus shuttle service from TVP Park & Ride Car Park for 3rd and 4th Eid prayers
  • Brothers & sisters for all 4 Jama’at
  • Please come with wudhu and your own prayer mat
  • 1st Eid Jama’ah: 7am – Qari Huzaifa
  • 2nd Eid Jama’ah: 8am – Qari Yasir Zia
  • 3rd Eid Jama’ah: 9:30am – Imam Yahia
  • 4th Eid Jama’ah: 11am – Imam Javed
• Central Jamme Masjid, Reading, Waylen Street (website)
  • Brothers & sisters for all 3 Jama’at
  • 1st Eid Jama’ah: 7:30am – Mufti Abdul Aziz
  • 2nd Eid Jama’ah: 8:30am – Mawlana Mahbub Ahmed
  • 3rd Eid Jama’ah: 9:30am – Imam Abdul Hannan
• Cumberland Road Masjid (website)
  • Eid Jama’ah in Palmer Park (brothers & sisters)
  • Eid Jama’ah: 9:00 – Sheikh Waseem Khan
  • Please come with wudhu and your own prayer mat
  • Parking: if you’re unable to walk, park at Thames Valley Park & Ride. Allow 20 minutes to walk (no bus service running).
• Jamme Masjid Reading, Alexandra Road (website)
  • Eid Jama’ah: 9am – Qari M. Ayub
• Reading (University) Islamic Society, Queen’s Drive (website)
  • Eid Jama’at: 7:30am
  • Brothers outside the Muslim Centre
  • Sisters inside the Muslim Centre
  • Please come with wudhu and your own prayer mat
• Shah Jalal Masjid, Stanley Street (website)
  • Brothers only
  • 1st Eid Jama’ah: 8:30am
  • 2nd Eid Jama’ah: 9:30am
• Whitley Muslim Education Trust, Basingstoke Road
  • Eid Jama’ah: 9:30am

Masajid celebrating Eid al-Adha on Thursday 29th June 2023

• Al-Majid Centre, Northumberland Avenue
  • 1st Eid Jama’ah: 9am
  • 2nd Eid Jama’ah: 10am
• Reading Islamic Centre, Amity Road (website)
  • Unfortunately there are no facilities for sisters in either of the 2 Jama’at
  • 1st Eid Jama’ah: 9am – Ustadh Yasir Kiani (English)
  • 2nd Eid Jama’ah: 10am – Imam Abdul Rahman (Urdu)
• Reading Islamic Centre, South Street (website)
  • Unfortunately there are no facilities for sisters in any of the 3 Jama’at
  • 1st Eid Jama’ah: 8:30am – Shaykh Rizwan Afzal (English)
  • 2nd Eid Jama’ah: 9:30am – Shaykh Khalid Jamal (English)
  • 3rd Eid Jama’ah: 10:30am – Imam Muhammad Asif (Urdu)

Day/details of Eid unconfirmed with Reading Muslim

• Jamia Khulafa-e-Rashidin & Haq Char-yar Islamic Centre, Valencia Road
• Markaz Salafi, Lydford Road (website)
• Southcote Community Hub, Coronation Square

If you have updates or corrections, please let us know by emailing [email protected]. Jazak Allah khair.

Qurbani

Qurbani is an annual sacrifice of an animal offered to Allah during the days of Eid al-Adha, marking the completion of Hajj.

This sacrifice commemorates the actions of the Prophet Ibrahim (AS), when he was prepared to sacrifice his beloved son Ismail (AS) after seeing in a dream that Allah wanted him to do so. However, the dream was a test from Allah, and He sent down a ram from heaven to be sacrificed in Ismail’s place.

By sacrificing an animal each year, we are confirming that we are willing to sacrifice whatever Allah asks of us and to submit to Him completely. 

According to the Hanafi School of Thought, Qurbani is Wajib (required) and is considered compulsory. The difference between Fard and Wajib is that Fard actions are compulsory based on definitive evidence, while there is some uncertainty regarding whether or not Wajib actions are definitely compulsory. However, Wajib actions are still highly recommended and, in the Hanafi School of Thought, they are considered obligations upon Muslims i.e. one should not deliberately miss them.

According to the Shafi’i School of Thought, Qurbani is Sunnah mu’akadah. This means that it is highly recommended as a confirmed Sunnah, but it is not compulsory.

The most well-known Maliki and Hanbali opinion is that Qurbani is a Sunnah mu’akadah; however, in some views they have said it is compulsory.

No matter which School you follow, performing the Qurbani carries a great reward as this is something the Prophet (SAW) did personally and encouraged his followers to do too.

Sunnah acts on the day of Eid al-Fitr

1. Make du’a (supplication) the night before Eid
2. Wake up early in the morning
3. Clean one’s teeth with a miswak or brush
4. Make Ghusl (take a bath/shower)
5. Put on one’s best available clothes
6. Put on Attar (perfume)
7. Not eat before the Eid prayer (differs from Eid al-Fitr, when it is Sunnah to eat an odd number of dates before the Eid prayer)
8. Recite Takbir al-Tashreeq in a soft voice while going to the Eid prayer
9. Congratulating each other
   • On Eid day, we often congratulate each other with greetings such as ‘Eid Mubarak’. However, a better way to greet each other is with: ‘Taqabbal Allahu minna wa minka’, which means ‘May Allah accept (the fast and worship) from us and from you’.
10. Take different routes to/from Eid salah
11. Perform Eid salah
12. There are no Nafl (voluntary) prayers offered before or after the Eid prayer

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَّهُ وَاَللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْد

Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar. La ilaha illallahu wallahu akbar. Allahu akbar wa lillahil hamd

Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest. There is no god besides Allah and Allah is the greatest. Allah is the greatest and to Allah belongs all praise.Takbir al-Tashreeq (Arabic: تكبير التشريق)

The Eid Prayer

The Eid prayer has two Rak’at (plural of Rak’ah: a single iteration of prayer movements) performed in the normal way, with the addition of 6 extra Takbirs (magnification of God) according to the Hanafi School of Thought, or 12 extra Takbirs for other Schools of Thought. In the Hanafi School, 3 are in the beginning of the first Rak’ah, and 3 just before Ruku’ (belt-low bowing) in the second Rak’ah. In the Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali Schools, 7 are in the first Rak’ah, and 5 in the second. You should follow what the Imam does regardless of your School of Thought. The detailed way of performing the Eid prayer is as follows:

The Imam will begin the prayer without Adhan or Iqamah. He will begin the prayer by reciting Takbir al-Tahrimah (Allahu Akbar). You should raise your hands up to the ears, and after reciting the Takbir, you should set your hands according to your School of Thought. The Imam and you should recite Thana’ (Subhanak Allah humma…). After the completion of Thana’, the Imam will recite Takbir 3 (or 7) times. At the first calls of Takbir you should raise your hands up to the ears, and after reciting Takbir in a low voice, should let your hands drop. After the 3rd (or 7th) Takbir, you should set them according to your School of Thought. After these three Takbirs, the Imam will complete the first Rak’ah in the normal way like for Jumu’ah prayer, starting with Surah Fatihah.

After rising for the second Rak’ah, the Imam will begin the recitations of Surah Fatihah and another Surah as normal. When the Imam finishes his recitation, he will recite 3 (or 5) Takbirs just before bowing down for Ruku’. At each Takbir you should again raise your hands up to the ears, and after saying Takbir, let them drop. After these 3 (or 5) Takbirs have been called and completed, the Imam will say another Takbir for bowing down into the Ruku’ position. The Imam will complete the rest of the prayer in the normal way like for Jumu’ah prayer.

Immediately after the prayer, the Imam will deliver the Khutbah. It is Wajib (required) to listen to the Khutbah of Eid prayer and must be listened to in perfect peace and silence.

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