The takbirs said before the Eid prayers
Question
What is the ruling for the following takbir which is recited [before] both ‘Eid prayers:
Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar. La ilaha illa Allah, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar wa lilahu al-hamd. Allahu akbar kabiran wa al-hamd lillahi kathiran wa subhan Allahu bukratan wa asilan. La ilaha illa Allah wahdu. Sadaqa wa'du wa nasara 'abdu wa `a'azza jundu wa hazama al-ahzab wahdu. La ilaha illa Allah wa la na'bud illa iya mukhlisin lahu al-din walaw kariha al-kafirun. Allahum salli 'ala sayiduna Mohammed wa 'ala al sayiduna Mohammed wa 'ala as-hab sayiduna Mohammed wa 'ala ansar sayiduna Mohammed wa 'ala azwaj sayiduna Mohammed wa 'ala dhuriyyat sayiduna Mohammed wa salam tasliman kathiran.
Some people claim that it is an innovation and prohibited.
Answer
Saying the takbir in ‘Eid is recommended. Nothing specific concerning the phrasing of takbir was mentioned in the purified Sunna. However some of the Companions – such as Salman al-Farisi – used to make the takbir saying:
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. There is no god but Allah. Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, praise be to Allah.
The order to do this is broad since the textual basis for this is unrestricted. Allah Most High says:
[He wants you to complete the prescribed period] and to glorify Him for having guided you.[Qur`an 2:185]
Unrestricted matters are left unrestricted until something in the Shari‘a comes to restrict them. Since long ago Egyptians, have used the well-known takbir phrasing of:
Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar. La ilaha illa Allah, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar wa lilahu al-hamd. Allahu akbar kabiran wa al-hamd lillahi kathiran wa subhan Allahu bukratan wa asilan. La ilaha illa Allah wahdu. Sadaqa wa'du wa nasara 'abdu wa `a'azza jundu wa hazama al-ahzab wahdu. La ilaha illa Allah wa la na'bud illa iya mukhlisin lahu al-din walaw kariha al-kafirun. Allahum salli 'ala sayiduna Mohammed wa 'ala al sayiduna Mohammed wa 'ala as-hab sayiduna Mohammed wa 'ala ansar sayiduna Mohammed wa 'ala azwaj sayiduna Mohammed wa 'ala dhuriyyat sayiduna Mohammed wa salam tasliman kathiran.
Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar. There is no god but Allah. Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, praise be to Allah. Allah is ever greatest, much praise be to Allah. Glory to Him morning and evening, there is no God but Allah. He fulfilled His promise, gave victory to His slave, strengthened His army, and He alone vanquished the confederates. There is no god but Allah, Him alone we worship, being sincere in our religion even though the unbelievers are averse. O, Allah, make Your prayers and blessings be upon our master Muhammad, upon the family of our master the Prophet , his companions, supporters, wives and upon the descendants of our master and praise him abundantly.
It is a valid legal formulation of the phrase, and al-Imam al-Shafi‘i (may Allah grant him mercy) commented upon it saying: "If one says Allahu Akbar as people do nowadays it is a good thing. If he adds more then it is also good. Any remembrance of Allah he adds I deem good.
It is permissible to add praise and blessings upon our master Muhammad and his family, companions, supporters, wives and his progeny at the end of the takbir. The best form is one that combines mention of Allah and His Prophet . Praising the Prophet opens the door of acceptance for our deeds; scholars have said that sending prayers upon the Prophet is always accepted – even from hypocrites – since it is related to his Excellency, our master the Prophet .
Based on this, whoever claims that the person using this well-known phrasing is an innovator is the one closest to innovation since he has restricted what Allah and his Prophet left unrestricted without having any evidence to do so. We embrace what our good ancestors deemed good and what the people have accepted and become accustomed to when it agrees with our noble Shari‘a. Their prohibition of such phrasings is incorrect, deserves no attention, and is undependable.
Allah the Almighty knows best.