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Embracing upon eid day,

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Tafseer Raheemi

Question: I have heard from someone that it is bidah to embrace each other after Eid Salah? Is this true?

20- Embracing (Mu’anaqah) increases love, affection and mercy between people. To do so on occasions of joy and happiness or sorrow and grief is from amongst the actions of human nature. Islam allows it and encourages building and strengthening the bonds between one another.

It was established at the time of our Prophet (saw) that when people had come from long distances or had not seen each other for long time, they would embrace upon meeting.

Nowadays people are usually so engrossed in work and studies that they rarely get to meet and greet. So on occasions like Eid, embracing people whom you haven’t met in a while is ideal .
Now the question about it being sunnah or not .We don’t find any hadeeth regarding it being done on Eid day for the occasion of Eid, but most people who tend to ‘embrace’ one another on Eid day do it merely out of happiness and joy, for after all it is our day of celebration.

Our dear Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasallam) did Mu’anaqah (embracing) when he was overcome with joy and happiness.

Hadhrat Aisha (Radhiallahu Anha) narrates that Hadhrat Zaid bin Haaritha (Radhiallahu anhu) returned to madinah munawwarah from a certain Journey or expedition. Rasulullah (Sallalahu alahi wasallam) was at my house. So when Zaid (Radhiallahu anhu) came, knocked on the door, and asked for permission to enter, He sallalahu alahi wasallam’s torso was not clothed, he grabbed the sheet and dragging it, he ran outside, Aysha radhiallahu Anha narrates that I had never seen Him ( with his torso unclothed) not before then and not after. He sallalahu alahi wasallam embraced Zaid Radiallahu anhu and kissed him. ​(Tirmidhi)

In another hadeeth, It is narrated regarding Hadhrat Ja’far (Radhiallahu anhu) that when he came to Madinatul Munawwarah, Rasulullah (Sallalahu alahi wasallam) shook his hand and then embraced him and said that, “this is better, this is better” (meaning embracing compared to shaking hands ) ​(Baihaqi, Abu Dawud)

In another narration it is also added that Rasulullah Sallalahu alaihi WaSallam said, ” We don’t know what we’re more happy about; the conquest of Khaybar or the return of ja’far.

So embracing on happy occasions is hereby established. It is not correct to bother Muslims with these issues when there are other things that need more attention. Bringing the muslims closer to Allah and generating peace and harmony between them is a must. Rasulullah Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Deliver good news and do not drive people away, Make matters easy and do not make them complicated”

As long as people don’t make it compulsory nor do they do it as an act of Sunnah, there is no harm in it. We have seen many of our mashaaikh embracing on eid day. Some would abstain for fear of it turning into a compulsory act and therefore being an addition into the deen. One shouldn’t start it, but if someone wants to embrace him, he shouldn’t reject.

This answer was collected from Tafseer-Raheemi.com the official website of Sheikh Abdul Raheem Limbada (Hafizahullah) of UK.

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