forms of `Id-greeting: Companions' way
1. The Qur'an
2. Hadith
3. Athar
4. Fiqh
5. `Id-greeting: Companions' way
6. Other `Id-greetings
7. References
8. Notes
=== T h e Q u r ' a n ===
Not mentioned in The Qur'an.
=== H a d i t h ===
There are some hadith-s ascribed via isnad-s to the Prophet, may Allah
bless him and his House and give them peace, regarding `Id-greeting.
However, they were judged by Hadith scholars as not authentic.
Therefore, it is unlawful to positively ascribe them to the Prophet, may
Allah bless him and his House and give them peace, and it is invalid
to accept/use them as authoritative evidences.
== 1. hadith transmitted via isnad to Wathilah ibn al-Asqa`, may Allah be
pleased with him:
. . . from Wathilah ibn al-Asqa`, he said, "I met the Prophet, may
Allah bless him [and his House] and give them peace, on a day
of `Id, so I said: O Messenger of Allah, taqabbala Allahu minna
wa mink (may Allah accept from us, and from you). He said,
<> <>"
1.1. It was recorded by Ibn `Adi, in *al-Kamil fi du`afa' al-rijal* (6:271:
under #1755--Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Shami).
1.2. It was recorded by al-Bayhaqi, in *al-Sunan al-kubra* (3:319).
1.3. It was quoted by Ibn Hajar, in *Fath al-Bari* (2:446:under #952),
from Ibn `Adi.
Ibn `Adi, al-Bayhaqi, and Ibn Hajar showed that it is inauthentic, because
its isnad-s include Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Shami who was judged
as not trustworthy.
== 2. hadith transmitted via isnad to `Ubadah ibn al-Samit, may Allah be
pleased with him:
. . . from `Ubadah ibn al-Samit, may Allah be pleased with him,
he said, "I asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him
[and his House] and give them peace, about the saying of people
in the two `Id-s: taqabbala Allahu minna wa minkum (may Allah
accept from us, and from you? He said, <> <>, and he disliked it (karahah)."
2.1. It was recorded by al-Bayhaqi in *al-Sunan al-kubra* (3:319-320).
2.2. It was recorded by Ibn `Asakir in *Tarikh Dimashq* ( ? )--as quoted
by al-Suyuti (see 2.4).
2.3. It was quoted by Ibn Hajar, in *Fath al-Bari* (2:446:under #952),
from al-Bayhaqi.
2.4. It was quoted by al-Suyuti, in *Wusul al-amani bi-usul al-tahani*
(printed in *al-Hawi li-l-fatawa, 1:127), from Ibn `Asakir. He showed
that there is an untrustworthy transmitter in its isnad.
al-Bayhaqi, Ibn Hajar, and al-Suyuti showed that it is inauthentic,
because its isnad include `Abd al-Khaliq ibn Zayd who was judeged
as not trustworthy.
=== A t h a r ===
There are many athar-s from some Companions and Successors.
I will mention some of them which were judged as authentic, and that
should suffice, Allah willing.
== 1. athar transmitted via isand to Jubayr ibn Nufayr, may Allah have
mercy on him, regarding the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them:
1.1. Ibn Hajar, in *Fath al-Bari* (2:446:under #952), said,
It has been transmitted to us (ruwwyina, not rawayna) in
*al-Muhamiliyat*, via isnad-hasan, from Jubayr ibn Nufayr, he
said, "The Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah
bless him [and his House] and give them peace, used to say to
each other when they meet on the day of `Id: Taqabbala Allahu
minna wa mink (May Allah accept from us, and from you)."
1.2. al-Suyuti, in *Wusul al-amani bi-usul al-tahani* (printed in *al-Hawi
li-l-fatawa, 1:126), said,
Zahir ibn Tahir recorded in *Kitab tuhfat `Id al-Fitr*, and Abu
Ahmad al-Faradi in his *Mashyakhah*; via isnad-hasan from
Jubayr ibn Nufayr . . . [same as above, #1.1]
1.3. al-Albani, in *Tamam al-minnah fi al-ta`liq `ala Fiqh al-Sunnah*
(355), said,
. . . And al-Muhamili recorded it in *Kitab salat al-`idayn*
(2/129/2), via isnad whose men are all thiqah-s, of the men of
*al-Tahdhib*, except his shaykh al-Muhanna ibn Yahya, and he
is a noble thiqah as al-Daraqutni said, and his biography is in
*Tarikh Baghdad* (13/266-268); so the isnad is sahih. . .
Note: No one of the above scholars did quote the isnad-s. The books that
they quoted from are not printed yet, as far as I know.
== 2. athar transmitted via isand to Muhammad ibn Ziyad al-Alhani, may
Allah have mercy on him, regarding Abu Umamah al-Bahili, may Allah
be pleased with him:
2.1. al-Suyuti, in *Wusul al-amani bi-usul al-tahani* (printed in *al-Hawi
li-l-fatawa, 1:127), said,
Also, Zahir recorded, via isnad-hasan, from Muhammad ibn Ziyad
al-Alhani, he said, "I saw Abu Umamah al-Bahili, saying to his
companions on the [day of] `Id: Taqabbala Allahu minna wa
minkum (May Allah accept from us, and from you)."
2.2. Ibn Qudamah, in *al-Mughni* (3:294-295:under #313), said,
Ibn `Aqil mentioned hadith-s regarding `Id-greeting. Among them,
that Muhammad ibn Ziyad, said, "I was with Abu Umamah
al-Bahili, and others of the Companions of the Prophet, may
Allah bless him [and his House] and give them peace. They
used--when they return from the `Id--to say to each other:
Taqabbala Allahu minna wa minkum (May Allah accept
from us, and from you)."
And Ahmad said, "The isnad of the hadith of Abu Umamah is
isnad-jayyid."
2.3. Ibn al-Turkumani, in *al-Jawhar al-naqi* (printed with al-Bayhaqi's
*al-Sunan al-kubra*, 3:319-320), said,
There is a hadith-jayyid in this topic which al-Bayhaqi neglected.
It is the hadith of Muhammad ibn Ziyad, he said, "I was with Abu
Umamah al-Bahili, and others of the Companions of the Prophet,
may Allah bless him [and his House] and give them peace; they
used--when they return--to say . . . [same as above, #2.2]"
Ahmad ibn Hanbal said, "Its isnad is isnad-jayyid."
Note: Ibn al-Turkumani did not mention his source(s)!
=== F i q h ===
It should be emphasized that the Sunnah (the Prophet's Way) is to be
established by The Qur'an or the authentic Hadith (hadith-s) only.
Since it has not been established by The Qur'an or authentic hadith-s that
the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his House and give them peace,
himself used or approved of an `Id-greeting, then it is not established as
a sunnah (a Prophet's practice). Therefore it is not a specifically
prescribed or specifically recommended religious practice.
As for the Companions, their practice can not establish an authoritative
sunnah. However, we should follow their example in good-doing.
Allah Most High says in The Qur'an (Surat al-Nisa' 4:115):
{And whoever makes a breach (contends) with the Messenger
after the guidance has become clear to him,
and follows other than_the believers' way_,
We shall appoint for him that which he has turned to,
and We shall roast him in Gehenna--a hapless journey's end.}
And, Allah Most High says in The Qur'an (Surat al-Tawbah 9:100):
{And the first to lead the way,
of the Emigrants (Muhajirin) and the Helpers (Ansar),
and those who_followed them in good-doing (ihsan)_
--Allah is well-pleased with them,
and they are well-pleased with Him.
And He has prepared for them gardens underneath which rivers flow,
to dwell therein forever and ever. That is the mighty triumph.}
=== `Id-greeting: Companions' way ===
Then, according to the authenticated athar-s, the Companions' way of
`Id-greeting is:
transliteration: taqabbal Allah minna wa minkum.
pronunciation: taqabbala Llaahu minnaa wa minkum.
translation: may Allah accept from us, and from you.
meaning: may Allah accept the good deeds from us, and from you.
Note: In Arabic "minka" (from you) is used for one male, "minki" for
one female, "minkuma" for two regardless of gender, "minkum" for more
than two including at least one male, and "minkunna" for more than two
females not including any male. Here, for simplicity, "minkum" could be
used for all.
=== Other `Id-greetings ===
Other `Id-greetings which many Muslims use in our times:
transliteration
pronunciation
translation
`Id mubarak.
`Iidun mubaarak.
blessed festival.
`Id sa`id.
`Iidun sa`iid.
happy festival.
taqabbal Allah ta`atakum.
taqabbala Llaahu taa`aatakum.
may Allah accept your obedient-deeds.
kul `am wa antum bi-khayr.
kulu `aamin wa antumu bi-khayr.
may every year [to come, come] and you are in good [conditions].
kul sanah wa antum tayyibin.
kulu sanatin wa antumu tayyibiin.
may every year [to come, come] and you are good.
kul sanah wa antum salimin.
kul sanatin wa antumu saalimiin.
may every year [to come, come] and you are well.
=== R e f e r e n c e s ===
1. al-Tabarani, *Kitab al-du`a'* (2:1233-1234:#928-930).
2. al-Bayhaqi, *al-Sunan al-kubra* (3:319-320).
3. Ibn Qudamah, *al-Mughni* (ed. al-Turki & al-Huluw, 3:294-295:under
#313).
4. al-Haythami, *Majma` al-zawa'id* (2:206).
4. Ibn Hajar, *Fath al-Bari* (2:446:under #952).
5. al-Suyuti, *Wusul al-amani bi-usul al-tahani*, (printed in *al-Hawi
li-l-fatawa, ed. M. M. `Abd al-Hamid, 1:126-127).
6. al-Albani, *Tamam al-minnah fi al-ta`liq `ala Fiqh al-Sunnah* (354-356).
7. `Ali al-Halabi, *Ahkam al-`idayn fi al-Sunnah al-mutahharah* (60-62).
=== N o t e s ===
isnad: chain of transmission.
isnad-sahih: sound-isnad, meaning the isnad's authenticity is judged as sound.
isnad-jayyid: good-isnad, meaning the isnad's authenticity is judged as good.
isnad-hasan: fair-isnad, meaning the isnad's authenticity is judged as fair.
thiqah: trustworthy, meaning a transmitter is judged to have both integrity
of character and reliability of transmission.
And Allah knows best, and success is truly from Allah Most High.
--- A k r a m Y. S a f a d i
--- e-mail . Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
___________________________
a-safadi@nwu.edu