Prophet Muhammad’s Sunnah: Refraining from Eating and Drinking Before Eid al-Adha Prayer

Muslims are encouraged to follow the Sunnah demonstrated by Prophet Muhammad (SAW), including refraining from eating and drinking before Eid al-Adha prayers. According to hadiths, the Prophet’s behaviour differed between Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha: on Eid al-Fitr, he would eat before attending prayer, whereas on Eid al-Adha, he abstained until returning from the prayer. This practice is recorded in a hadith narrated by Abdullah bin Buraidah from his father: ‘The Prophet (SAW) would not leave for Eid al-Fitr until he had eaten, and he would not eat on Eid al-Adha until he returned from the prayer.’ (Reported by Tirmidzi and Ibn Majah). The recommendation to avoid eating before Eid al-Adha prayer carries profound spiritual and social significance. In addition to refraining from eating, other Sunnah practices to observe before attending the Eid al-Adha prayer include: