The Condition of a Sultan for the Two Eid Prayers

Question

The Eid prayer, once a year, is a message of joy. In such a situation, imposing conditions like those of Jumu‘a (that is, the presence of a sultan — and in this country the sultan is not a Muslim, so then there should be no Eid prayer at all) involves hardship (haraj).

Answer

Eid (the message of joy) was prescribed by the Lawgiver ﷺ, so adherence to his guidance in it is necessary. You did not invent it yourselves so that you may do it however you please. “There is no hardship in the religion” — this too is from the Lawgiver, and the conditions too are from the Lawgiver, and in the speech of the Lawgiver there can be no real contradiction.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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