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Ramadan is the month we receive blessings and send our deeds to Allah for greater rewards in both worlds. It is a month of servitude to Allah and absolute submission to Him. Although we use the same words, servitude and submission to Allah are different from servitude and submission to human beings. In fact, when we serve and submit to Allah, we feel honored instead of humiliated. Allah raises the status of those who are better servants. When Ramadan ends, we have an Eid day known as Eid al-Fitr, or the “Opening Feast.” In this article on Islam4u, we will uncover the significance of the Eid al-Fitr prayer.
The Eid Prayer Is an Act of Gratitude
Allah has wanted something from us that is for our own benefit. Fasting is very significant and has countless benefits, some of which we know and others we don’t. The most significant purpose and benefit of fasting during Ramadan 2025 is that it strengthens our willpower and helps us become more Godwary. The Quran has explicitly stated this:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٨٣﴾
O you who have faith! Prescribed for you is fasting as it was prescribed for those who were before you, so that you may be Godwary. (183)
In the following verse, Allah states that fasting and observing the rulings related to it, such as making up for it in the other months and paying the expiation for those who cannot fast, are legislated by Allah so that we become thankful:
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٨٥﴾
The month of Ramadan is one in which the Quran was sent down as guidance to humankind, with manifest proofs of guidance and the Criterion. So let those of you who witness it fast [in] it, and as for someone who is sick or on a journey, let it be a [similar] number of other days. Allah desires ease for you, and He does not desire hardship for you, and so that you may complete the number and magnify Allah for guiding you, and that you may give thanks. (185)
Eid al-Fitr: One of the Greatest Islamic Celebrations
Eid al-Fitr is genuinely an auspicious day for Muslims. Ramadan was a blessed month and was a celebration itself, and its joy is like none other; its spiritual atmosphere and aura are so great that one can deeply feel it. After thirty days of fasting successfully and serving Allah in the best way possible, Allah has determined the first day of the month after Ramadan as a feast day. Allah has made fasting on Eid al-Fitr haram (prohibited). Consequently, everyone must celebrate Eid al-Fitr and thank Allah for blessing them in Ramadan. Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr by holding feasts and distributing candy and sweets. Additionally, in most Muslim countries, Eid al-Fitr day and several days after are holidays.
Zakat al-Fitrah: The Charity of Eid
Zakat al-Fitrah is an Islamic charity that its giving is obligatory for all Muslims. It is an amount of money equivalent to three kilograms of Muslims’ staple diet, which is usually rice or wheat. Muslims must give Zakat al-Fitrah before noon on Eid al-Fitr, the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal. Zakat al-Fitrah is of immense significance because failing to pay it renders one’s fasts void. The reason for giving Zakat al-Fitrah is to show our care for those in need. Similarly, fasting was a way of appreciating the conditions of those in need. We already explained in the article “Money Management and Halal Earnings During Ramadan 2025” the importance of dedicating a portion of our money to helping those in need. If every Muslim donates a good portion of their income to charity, either voluntarily or based on Islamic law, probably no poor Muslim would remain.
The Eid al-Fitr Prayer
The Eid al-Fitr prayer is the ultimate way of thanking Allah for all His blessings in Ramadan. Muslims conduct the Eid al-Fitr prayer in the morning, a few hours before the noon prayer. Before the prayer, Muslims chant specific “magnifications of Allah” known as Takbīrāt al-‘Eid. They say:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ،
وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ.
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ عَلَى مَا هَدَانَا،
وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى مَا أَوْلَانَا
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is no deity except Allah.
And Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. All praise belongs to Allah.
Allah is the Greatest for guiding us,
and praise be to Allah for granting us His blessings.
Muslims chant these takbirat while people slowly join the prayer ranks. The prayer can begin when all the worshippers have gathered, and all the lines have formed.
How to Perform Eid al-Fitr Prayer
The prayer consists of two units or rak‘ahs, just like the dawn prayer. Moreover, Allah has recommended that the prayer leader recites Surah A‘la after Surah Fatiha in the first unit. After the imam recites the surah, he and the ones praying behind him must say six takbīrs (excluding takbīrat al-iḥrām). Subsequently, they recite one qunūt after each of the first five takbīrs. Qunūt of prayer is an act where the worshipper supplicates Allah and asks whatever they want. As stated in the article “Duas in the Month of Ramadan 2025,” we recite certain duas on specific occasions. The dua recited in the qunūts of the Eid al-Fitr Prayer are unique. These are the duas we make in each qunūt:
اللَّهُمَّ أَهْلَ الْكِبْرِيَاءِ وَالْعَظَمَةِ،
وَأَهْلَ الْجُودِ وَالْجَبَرُوتِ،
وَأَهْلَ الْعَفْوِ وَالرَّحْمَةِ،
وَأَهْلَ التَّقْوَى وَالْمَغْفِرَةِ.
أَسْأَلُكَ بِحَقِّ هَذَا الْيَوْمِ،
الَّذِي جَعَلْتَهُ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ عِيدًا،
وَلِمُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ ذُخْرًا وَشَرَفًا وَكَرَامَةً وَمَزِيدًا،
أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ،
وَأَنْ تُدْخِلَنِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ أَدْخَلْتَ فِيهِ مُحَمَّدًا وَآلَ مُحَمَّدٍ،
وَأَنْ تُخْرِجَنِي مِنْ كُلِّ سُوءٍ أَخْرَجْتَ مِنْهُ مُحَمَّدًا وَآلَ مُحَمَّدٍ.
صَلَوَاتُكَ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَيْهِمْ.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَ مَا سَأَلَكَ بِهِ عِبَادُكَ الصَّالِحُونَ،
وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِمَّا اسْتَعَاذَ بِهِ عِبَادُكَ الْمُخْلِصُونَ.
English Translation of the Dua of Qunūt
O Allah, the Possessor of majesty and greatness,
the generous and omnipotent,
the forgiving and merciful,
the pious and forgiver.
I ask You by the right of this day,
which You have made a celebration for the Muslims,
and an honor, dignity, and excellence for Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family),
to send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad,
and to include me in every goodness that You have included Muhammad and the family of Muhammad in,
and to keep me away from every evil that You have kept Muhammad and the family of Muhammad away from.
May Your blessings be upon him and upon them.
O Allah, I ask You for the best of what Your righteous servants have asked of You,
and I seek refuge in You from what Your sincere servants have sought refuge in You from.
Subsequently, the imam and the congregants say the sixth takbir and go to rukū‘.
In the second unit, after Surah Fatiha, Islam recommends that the imam recites Surah Shams. We perform the second unit similar to the first unit. However, it has one less takbir and one less qunūt, meaning five takbīrs and four qunūts. We recitethe same dua as the first unit after each qunūt of the second unit.
The Eid prayer’s other actions are the same as other obligatory prayers, meaning two sujūds when sitting, followed by tashahhud and salām in the second unit.
After the prayer, the imam delivers two sermons. The sermons mainly discuss the significance of Eid and highlight the importance of thanking Allah, helping those in need, observing the Islamic laws, and other similar concepts. It is not wajib to deliver these sermons, but Islam has highly recommended them.
Eid Prayer in the Quran
No verses in the Quran directly discuss Eid prayer and Eid al-Fitr. However, several verses address some of the main themes of Eid al-Fitr, such as gratitude, prayer, purification, and acknowledgment of blessings.
Here are a few of them:
Surah Ibrahim (14:7)
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِى لَشَدِيدٌۭ
And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.’
Eid al-Fitr is a Thanksgiving Day. Thus, by performing the Eid prayer, we show our utmost gratitude to Allah for allowing us to fast for an entire month and remain healthy.
Surah An-Nahl (16:18)
وَإِن تَعُدُّوا۟ نِعْمَةَ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَآۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ
And if you should count the favors of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
Allah’s blessings and favors are abundant in Ramadan. As such, the best way to thank Allah for them is to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, especially by performing the Eid prayer.
Surah Al-Baqarah (2:152)
فَٱذْكُرُونِىٓ أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لِى وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ
So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me.
Remembrance of Allah or dhikr is something we must always do with both our hearts and tongues. Therefore, the Eid prayer is a manifestation of remembering Allah and being grateful to Him.
Conclusion
Although not obligatory, the Eid al-Fitr prayer brings immense rewards and is an act of gratitude toward Allah for His blessings in Ramadan. Muslims perform the prayer before the noon prayer and in the morning. Furthermore, they chant the special takbīrat of Eid as they jnoon oin the prayer ranks. The prayer consists of two units. The first unit has five qunūts with a special supplication, and the second has four qunūts with the same supplication. The remaining parts of the prayer are like the other obligatory prayers, meaning one rukū‘, two sujūds, tashahhud, and salām. The participants of the Eid al-Fitr prayer will receive great blessings and rewards from Allah, and Allah will forgive their sins.
