![Eidgah_mosque](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Eidgah_mosque.jpg)
Eidgah or Idgah, also Eid Gah or Id Gah ( fa, "site of Eid
bservances; bn, ঈদগাহ; pnb, ; ur, ; hi, ईदगाह) is a term used in
South Asian Islamic culture for the open-air enclosure usually outside the city (or at the outskirts) reserved for
Eid prayers
Eid prayers, also referred to as Salat al-Eid ( ar, صلاة العيد), are holy holiday prayers in the Islamic tradition. The literal translation of the word "Eid" in Arabic is "festival" or "feast" and is a time when Muslims congregate with ...
offered in the morning of
Eid al-Fitr
, nickname = Festival of Breaking the Fast, Lesser Eid, Sweet Eid, Sugar Feast
, observedby = Muslims
, type = Islamic
, longtype = Islamic
, significance = Commemoration to mark the end of fasting in Ramadan
, dat ...
and
Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha () is the second and the larger of the two main holidays celebrated in Islam (the other being Eid al-Fitr). It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismail (Ishmael) as an act of obedience to Allah's co ...
. It is usually a public place that is not used for prayers at other times of the year. On the day of Eid, the first thing Muslims do in the morning is gather usually at a large open ground and offer special prayers, in accordance with the
Sunnah
In Islam, , also spelled ( ar, سنة), are the traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad that constitute a model for Muslims to follow. The sunnah is what all the Muslims of Muhammad's time evidently saw and followed and passed ...
(traditions of
Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 Common Era, CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Muhammad in Islam, Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet Divine inspiration, di ...
). Although the usage of the term ''Eidgah'' is of
Indian
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Peoples South Asia
* Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor
** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country
* South Asia ...
origin, it may be used for the ''
musalla
A musalla ( ar-at, مصلى, muṣallá) is a space apart from a mosque, mainly used for prayer in Islam.''The Encyclopaedia of Islam''. New Edition. Brill, Leiden. Vol. 7, pg. 658; ''al-mausūʿa al-fiqhiyya.'' Kuwait 1998. Vol. 38, pg 29 Th ...
'', the open space outside a mosque, or other open grounds where Eid prayers are performed, due to the lack of a specific Islamic term for a site of Eid observance. The Eidgah is mentioned in the famous
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
poem by
Kazi Nazrul Islam
Kazi Nazrul Islam ( bn, কাজী নজরুল ইসলাম, ; 24 May 1899 – 29 August 1976) was a Bengali poet, Bengali literature, writer, Bangladeshi music, musician, and is the national poet of Bangladesh. Nazrul is regarded as one ...
,
O Mon Romzaner Oi Rozar Sheshe
O Môn Rômzaner Oi Rozar Sheshe Elo Khushir Eid ( bn, ও মন রমজানের ঐ রোজার শেষে এলো খুশির ঈদ) is the most notable Bengali Eid-ul-Fitr song, written by Kazi Nazrul Islam, the national po ...
.
Prescriptions in the Sharia
The very first "Eidgah" was located at the outskirts of
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...
nearly 1,000 footsteps from
Masjid al Nabawi
Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (), known in English as the Prophet's Mosque, is a mosque built by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the city of Medina in the Al Madinah Province of Saudi Arabia. It was the second mosque built by Muhammad in Medina, after Qu ...
.
, There are several
scholarly opinions regarding praying at Eidgahs, prescribing it in the
Sharia
Sharia (; ar, شريعة, sharīʿa ) is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the religious precepts of Islam and is based on the sacred scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran and the H ...
(Islamic law):
*Complying with the Sunnah, performing of the Eid Salah at the outskirts of the town is better and more virtuous, than performing it in the town (i.e. in a mosque).
*The Eid Salah performed in the
mosque
A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
is complete, but performing it in the Eidgah is Sunnah. To not perform Eid Salah in the Eidgah without a valid excuse, is contrary to the Sunnah.
*The Eid Salah should be
erformed ina huge ''Jam'ah'' (congregation) on the outskirts of the town. In this way the brotherhood in
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
(i.e. among Muslims) is manifested. In the big cities it is difficult to have Eidgahs on the outskirts of the city, therefore a large open plain ground should be chosen for the Eidgah. Or if needed, the prayer can be performed in the mosque, which will be correct. But
eople should try praying in an Eidgahas far as possible,
ince Ince may refer to:
*Ince, Cheshire, a village in Cheshire, UK
*Ince-in-Makerfield in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, UK
*Ince (UK Parliament constituency), a former constituency covering Ince-in-Makerfield
*Ince (ward), an electoral ward covering ...
one huge ''Jam'ah'' is superior to many small Eid
'Jam'ahs''
*Performing of the Eid Salah in the Eidgah is
lassified as''Sunnah al-Muakkadah'' (emphasized or substantiated Sunnah). Without any valid excuse, the one who does not perform his Eid Salah in the Eidgah is worthy of being reprimanded and taken to task and this kind of a person is a sinner. If the Eidgah is a distance away and it is inconvenient for the old and sick, then the
Fuqaha (Islamic jurists) have given permission for them to perform Eid Salah in the mosque.
List of Eidgahs
![Idgah Padmani Enclave](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Idgah_Padmani_Enclave.JPG)
Notable Eidgahs around the world include
*
Purani Idgah
Purani Idgah is an ancient Idgah and mosque located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is on the city's heritage list. The most attractive aspect of Idgah is its two astounding pillars having resemblance to the Charminar
The Charminar () is ...
*
Id Gah Mosque
Eid Gah Mosque or Id Gah Mosque ( prs, مسجد عیدگاه), is the second largest mosque in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. It is considered the cardinal religious mosque in the country, where a million people offer Eid prayers twice a ...
*
Id Kah Mosque
The Id Kah Mosque ( ug, ھېيتگاھ مەسچىتى, translit=Hëytgah Meschiti, ; zh, s=艾提尕尔清真寺, t=艾提尕爾清真寺, p=Àitígǎěr Qīngzhēnsì; from Persian: عیدگاه, Eidgāh, meaning "Place of Festivities") is a ...
,
Kashgar, Xinjiang
Kashgar ( ug, قەشقەر, Qeshqer) or Kashi ( zh, c=喀什) is an oasis city in the Tarim Basin region of Southern Xinjiang. It is one of the westernmost cities of China, near the border with Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan. ...
, China
*
Dhanmondi Shahi Eidgah
The Dhanmondi Shahi Eidgah ( bn, ধানমণ্ডী শাহী ঈদগাহ), also known as Mughal Eidgah ( bn, মোগল ঈদগাহ), is located in Saat Masjid road, in Dhanmondi residential area of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Eid ...
*
Sylhet Shahi Eidgah
Sylhet Shahi Eidgah ( bn, সিলেট শাহী ঈদগাহ), or simply Shahi Eidgah, is an open prayer hall situated in Sylhet, north-east Bangladesh, three kilometers to the north-east of the circuit house, meant for the Eid prayers. ...
*
Kheri Eidgah
*
Sholakiya Eidgah Maidan, Kishoreganj
*
Gor-E-Shahid Eidgah, Dinajpur
Shahi Eidgah
Shahi Eidgah, Quresh nagar (Delhi)
India / Delhi / Delhi /
When the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgeer ascended the throne in the year 1658, he decided to build a big Eidgah, on the outskirts of then Shahjahanabad now known as the walled city.
Shahi Eidgah was built on an area of of land, surrounded by thousands of square yards of open maidan ( grounds ), which were also for the namazi.
The Shahi Eidgah complex has , which at any time can be used by 50,000 namazi. The main gate at the front side has also two small gates besides it for the entrance and exit of the devotees. The same pattern is followed on the north and south sides of the Shahi Eidgah.
Moradabad Eidgah
The Moradabad Eidgah, Located near by
Moradabad railway station
Moradabad railway station is located in Moradabad district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and serves Moradabad which is namesake for its brassware industries. Moradabad is major railway station of Western Uttar Pradesh and located just fr ...
. The prayer ground is very large, with a seating capacity of 20,000 attendees. It is a historical religious place for Muslims, thus local Moradabad Muslims perform Eid Namaz every year in this Eidgah.
Gor-E-Shahid Eidgah Maidan
![Dinajpur Eidgah](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Dinajpur_Eidgah_.jpg)
Gor-E-Shahid Eidgah Maidan ( bn, গোর-এ-শহীদ ঈদগাহ ময়দান) is located in
Dinajpur
Dinajpur ( bn, দিনাজপুর ) is a city and the District headquarters of Dinajpur district situated in Rangpur Division, Bangladesh. It was founded in 1786. It is located 413 km north-west of Dhaka in Bangladesh. It is bounde ...
.
Sholakia
Sholakia ( bn, শোলাকিয়া) is a locality near Kishoreganj town in Bangladesh. It is famous for its Eidgah where the largest congregation of Eid prayer in Bangladesh is held on the occasion of ''Eid ul-Fitr'', the day of celebrati ...
is declared as the largest Eidgah in
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
. But in
Eid ul Adha
Eid al-Adha () is the second and the larger of the two main holidays celebrated in Islam (the other being Eid al-Fitr). It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismail (Ishmael) as an act of obedience to Allah's comm ...
of 2017 this Eidgah hosted the largest
jamaat of Bangladesh.
The number of devotees increased this year following the construction of a 516-foot wide minaret with 52 domes. Eidgah Minar's main dome (Mehrab) is about high and wide. It has been built in 32 arches. Electric lamps have been connected to each dome of the Eidgah Minar. Eidgah Minar's beauty can be seen from many distances. The largest Eidgah Minar was constructed entirely with ceramic. The road is made for the devotees on both sides of the field. There will be adjacent arrangements. The Eidgah Minar is full of beauty when looked at from a distance. According to the district administration, the Eidgah has an area of about . On the other hand, Sholakia's field is known to be 7 acres of land.
In 2019, the 5thEid-ul-Fitr congregation was at Gor-e-Shahid Baro Maidan at 8:45am with the participation of 600,000 devotees. Apart from members of other law enforcement agencies, over 500 policemen were deployed in and around the Eidgah to ensure security. The 6th Eid-ul-Azha largest Eid congregation was at Gor-e-Shahid Baro Maidan, Dinajpur at 8:30am with the participation of around 4 lakh devotees
Eidgah Sharif
Eidgah Sharif is a
Sunni
Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...
Sufi
Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...
shrine located in
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi ( or ; Urdu, ) is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad, and third largest in Punjab after Lahore and Faisalabad. Rawalpindi is next to Pakistan's ...
,
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
.
The shrine was founded over a century ago. It welcomes visitors from all over the world and frequently hosts ceremonies known as ''Milaad Paaks'' which are mainly series of sermons from scholars and religious materials presented in solo a capella by people called "reciters". At the largest of these gatherings (such as the ''Urs Paak''), more than a million visitors crowd the main grounds and the surrounding streets. About four million followers from all over the country and about 500,000 more from the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
are regular visitors to the shrine.
The custodian of Eidgah Sharif,
Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Naqib-Ur Rehman, known to his followers as "Pir Sa’ab", advances the mission and teachings of Eidgah Shareef with the assistance of his son Sahibzada Muhammad Hassan Haseeb Ur Rehman, known to the devotees as "Sa’ab Ji". Pir Sa’ab's ancestors, the previous custodians of the shrine, were all said to be Sufi masters directly from the lineage of
Mughal Emperor
The Mughal emperors ( fa, , Pādishāhān) were the supreme heads of state of the Mughal Empire on the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the modern countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Mughal rulers styled t ...
Babur
Babur ( fa, , lit= tiger, translit= Bābur; ; 14 February 148326 December 1530), born Mīrzā Zahīr ud-Dīn Muhammad, was the founder of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent. He was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan through his ...
. In 1960 the family gifted the government with a large proportion of the land used to build Pakistan's capital city of
Islamabad
Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital T ...
, not far from Rawalpindi.
[
* ]Eid al-Fitr
, nickname = Festival of Breaking the Fast, Lesser Eid, Sweet Eid, Sugar Feast
, observedby = Muslims
, type = Islamic
, longtype = Islamic
, significance = Commemoration to mark the end of fasting in Ramadan
, dat ...
* Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha () is the second and the larger of the two main holidays celebrated in Islam (the other being Eid al-Fitr). It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismail (Ishmael) as an act of obedience to Allah's co ...
References
{{Authority control
Eid (Islam)
Islamic architectural elements
Mosques
Salah