All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
Friday prayer is a duty on all male Muslims. Those who are free, sane, attained puberty, not travelling, have no excuse to miss it. Thus, if E`id Al-Adha coincides with Friday, the Friday prayer has to be attended because the E`id prayer is a confirmed Sunna while the Friday prayer is an obligation, and the Sunna neither invalidates the obligation nor suffices for it. This is indicated by the following verse, it states (What means): "O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday (the Day of Assembly), hasten earnestly to the Remembrance of God, and leave off business (and traffic): That is best for you if ye but knew!"[Al-Jum`ah/9].
At the time of the Prophet (PBUH), E`id occurred on a Friday, so he performed the E`id prayer as well as the Friday prayer and delivered both sermons, and this is very famous in the books of Sunna and the traditions. In addition, this is the opinion of the majority of the Muslim scholars: The Hanafites, The Malikites, The Shafites and one narration of the Hanbalites.
He (PBUH) permitted the people from the outskirts not to attend the Friday prayer that day (E`id day) and to offer the Duhr prayer in their neighborhoods. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Two festivals ('Id and Friday) have synchronized on this day. If anyone does not want to offer the Friday prayer, the 'Id prayer is sufficient for him. But we shall offer the Friday prayer." [Abo Dawood]
The majority of the Hanafite, Malikite and Shafite jurists said that the aforementioned Hadith applies to those who came from the outskirts of Medina to offer the E`id prayer in the Prophet`s Mosque, and who aren`t, in principle, obliged to offer the Friday prayer, because they live far from populated areas. If they waited to offer the Friday prayer after having performed the E`id prayer, they will face hardship. They will also face the same hardship if they went home and returned to offer the Friday prayer, and this is why the Prophet (PBUH) exempted them from attending the Friday prayer. In this regard, Al-Imam Shirbini says: "Whoever lived far from the place where the Friday prayer is held is allowed to quit the Friday prayer if he had performed the E`ed prayer, which coincided with Friday." [Moghni Al-Mohtajj/V.1/P.539]. Moreover, it is stated: "If the E`id of Fitir or Adha coincides with Friday, then it isn`t permissible to quit Friday prayer for the sake of E`id prayer and vice versa, because the Friday prayer is an obligation while the E`id prayer is a Sunna." [Al-Binayah Shareh Al-Hidayah, V.3/P.97]. Some Hanbali scholars are of the view that whoever offered E`ed prayer isn`t required to offer Friday prayer at all; rather, he offers Duhr (Four Rak`at). As for the Imam (Prayer’s leader), he has to be present for Friday prayer and lead those Muslims who attend it.
It is stated a Hanbali book: "If E`id coincides with Friday, then E`id prayer suffices and Duhr is offered instead, because the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Whoever wants to offer Friday prayer may do so." [Al-Mobde`/V.2/P.180].
Therefore, it is more prudent to observe both prayers on that day. As regards the opinion of some Hanbalite jurists who said that whoever prays the E`id prayer isn`t obliged to pray the Friday prayer and should pray Duhr prayer instead, it contradicts the considerable Madhabs of Ahl Al-Sunna Wal Jama`a.
As regards the opinion which states that praying the E`id prayer invalidates the Duhr prayer, this has never been stated by any of the four schools of jurisprudence and contradicts the provisions of Sharia which regard offering five prayers for each day and night an obligation. Therefore, it is impermissible to apply this opinion, imitate it, or issue rulings based on it. Moreover, some narrations related to some companions state that the E`id prayer renders the Friday prayer not obligatory if they performed on the same day shouldn`t be taken into consideration.
Finally, there is no room for dispute and argument since Muslims are about to receive the Feast of Al-Fitr; rather, a Muslim should adhere to matters whose meanings are established, leave matters whose meanings are allegorical and follow the established opinions of the four juristic schools. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
