One imam leading the Eid prayer in two places

Question

There are two places with a distance of four miles between them, and there is one imam. He leads the prayer in the other place and appoints his deputy or the like in this place. But the situation is this: the people of one settlement, on hearing the news of the moon, perform the prayer, while the people of the other place do not, and the same imam leads the prayer in both places, even though the imam is fasting. Is the prayer of those in the first congregation valid, and is this imam’s prayer valid or not?

Answer

When the imam has once performed the Eid prayer in one place (after the moon was established), then on the next day he no longer has the right to lead the Eid prayer in the other settlement, and the prayer of those who pray it behind him on the next day will not be valid.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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