Dua Before Eid Prayer
3 Sunnahs to Follow on Eid Morning
The morning of Eid is a joyful occasion, and the believer prepares for the Eid prayer by following the beautiful Sunnahs the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) practised and taught. Before heading to the prayer, the believer magnifies Allah, expressing gratitude for the favour of completing Ramadan, for Allah commanded that the believers complete the fast and magnify Him for His guidance. The dua before Eid prayer centres on this remembrance, preparing the heart for the prayer with the praise and glorification of Allah.
وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
Wa litukmilul-‘iddata wa litukabbirul-lāha ‘alā mā hadākum wa la‘allakum tashkurūn.
“And to complete the number and to magnify Allah for that to which He has guided you, and perhaps you will be grateful.”
The Sunnahs of Eid morning, from the takbir to the eating of dates and the route taken to the prayer, fill the day with the remembrance of Allah and the joy of His worship. This guide explains the dua before Eid prayer and three Sunnahs to follow on Eid morning, so that the believer may prepare for the Eid prayer in the way the Prophet (pbuh) loved, magnifying Allah for His guidance and approaching the prayer of Eid with a grateful and joyful heart.
Magnifying Allah for His Guidance
In Surah Al-Baqarah, after the verses on fasting, Allah commands the believers to complete the number of the days of fasting and to magnify Him for guiding them, so that they might be grateful. This verse is the foundation of the takbir of Eid, in which the believer praises Allah for the favour of completing Ramadan and for the guidance He bestowed throughout the blessed month. Before the Eid prayer, the believer fills the morning with this magnification of Allah.
The command to magnify Allah teaches the believer that Eid is, at its heart, a day of gratitude. The joy of Eid is not merely in food and celebration, but in thankfulness to Allah for enabling the believer to fast and worship. By reciting the takbir before the Eid prayer, the believer connects the celebration to its true purpose, the praise of Allah. The dua before Eid prayer thus prepares the heart for the prayer with the remembrance and gratitude that Allah commanded.
وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ
Wa litukabbirullaha ‘ala ma hadakum
And magnify Allah for guiding you to the truth
Three Sunnahs to Follow on Eid Morning
The morning of Eid has beautiful Sunnahs that fill it with blessing. These three Sunnahs help the believer prepare for the Eid prayer.
- Eat an odd number of dates before the prayer, as the Prophet (pbuh) did on the morning of Eid al-Fitr.
- Recite the takbir on the way, magnifying Allah aloud as you head to the place of the Eid prayer.
- Take one route there and another back, following the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) on the day of Eid.
Preparing for the Prayer of Eid
The dua before Eid prayer prepares the heart for the prayer with the magnification of Allah, fulfilling His command to magnify Him for guiding the believer through Ramadan. By eating an odd number of dates, reciting the takbir on the way, and taking different routes to and from the prayer, the believer follows the beautiful Sunnahs of Eid morning. The joy of Eid is rooted in gratitude to Allah, and the believer prepares for the Eid prayer with a heart full of His praise, thankful for the blessed month He allowed them to complete.
This practice pairs naturally with the dua after Eid prayer and the dua upon sighting the Eid moon. Together they help the believer fill the day of Eid with the remembrance and gratitude of Allah.
On the morning of Eid, the believer magnifies Allah for guiding them through Ramadan, fulfilling His command. Learn the duas of Eid with us on YouTube, where the takbir is recited aloud, on X for a reminder of the Sunnahs of Eid morning, and on Pinterest where readers share how they prepare for the Eid prayer.
Frequently Asked Questions
The dua before Eid prayer centres on magnifying Allah, as He commands in the Quran: wa litukmilul-iddata wa litukabbirul-laha ala ma hadakum, complete the number of the fast and magnify Allah for guiding you, that you may be grateful.
The Sunnahs include eating an odd number of dates before the Eid al-Fitr prayer, reciting the takbir on the way to the prayer, and taking one route to the prayer and another back, following the practice of the Prophet (pbuh).
The Prophet (pbuh) would not go out on the morning of Eid al-Fitr until he had eaten an odd number of dates. This Sunnah marks the end of the fast before the believer heads to the Eid prayer.
Because Allah commanded the believers to complete the fast and to magnify Him for guiding them, so that they might be grateful. The takbir before the prayer expresses gratitude to Allah for the favour of Ramadan.
The Prophet (pbuh) would take one route to the Eid prayer and return by another. The scholars mention this may have been to greet more people, spread the remembrance of Allah, or let the two paths bear witness to his worship.
Yes, it is a Sunnah to perform ghusl and wear the best clean clothes on the morning of Eid before heading to the prayer, presenting oneself well for the celebration and the worship of Allah.