"The travelers' prayer is two Rak`aat; the Adha prayer is two Rak`aat; the Fitr prayer is two Rak`aat; and the Jumu`ah prayer is two Rak`aat; this is their full length as came upon the tongue of Muhammad ."¹

1. Like any other deed in Islaam, the prayer must be preceded with the true intention. The intention should be present in the heart before starting the prayer.
    
   
2. Like any other prayer, the first rak`ah (one prayer unit) must be started with Takbeer ul-ihraam²; this is followed by the opening supplication.
    
   

1. The opening supplication is followed by seven Takbeers in the first rak`ah. Likewise, the Takbeer when rising to the second rak`ah is followed by five more Takbeers. `Aa'ishah () said:

   "Allaah's Messenger would say Takbeer in both Fitr and Adha: seven in the first, and five in the second - other than the two Takbeers of rukuu` (bowing)."³

   
    
        Imaam al-Baghawee commented:

   "This is the opinion of most of the people of knowledge among the Companions and those after them: to say, before reciting Qur'aan, in the first rak`ah of the `Eed prayer, seven Takbeers other than the opening Takbeer, and in the second, five Takbeers other than the Takbeer of rising. This has been reported from Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Alee , and others." ⁴

   
    
   
2. The Sunnah is to say the Takbeers before the recitation, as in the hadeeth of `Amr Bin Shu`ayb, from his father, from his grandfather (Ibn `Umar ), who said:

   "In the `Eed prayer, Allaah's Messenger said seven Takbeers in the first rak`ah, recited (Qur'aan), said the Takbeer and bowed, prostrated himself; then he stood, said five Takbeers, recited, said Takbeer, bowed, and prostrated."⁵

   
    
        Ibn ul-Qayyim commented that anything contrary to this is not true.⁶
    
   
3. There are no authentic reports describing whether or not the Prophet raised his hands with these additional Takbeers. For this reason, al-Albaanee states:

   "The reports from `Umar and his son do not make this a sunnah. Especially when we know that these reports are not authentic. As for the one from `Umar, it is recorded by al-Bayhaqee with a weak chain. As for his son's, I have not been able to locate it now."⁷

   
    
        However, based on various general hadeeths that report the raising of the hands with Takbeer in the regular prayers, some scholars⁸ allow raising the hands with these additional Takbeers. In this regard, Ibn ul-Qayyim said:

   "Ibn `Umar, who is known to adhere closely to the Sunnah, used to raise his hands with every one of the Takbeers."⁹

   
    
        And al-Albaanee commented on a similar issue:

   "One may raise his hands if he believes that Ibn `Umar would not do this without an approval from the Prophet ."¹⁰

   
    
   
4. There are no authentic reports indicating that the people would raise their voice with Takbeer when praying behind the imaam. The Sunnah is to say all thikr secretly, except in specific cases where the contrary was confirmed. This is enforced further in situations where raising the voice would disturb other people's prayer. Therefore, it is not permissible for anyone other than the imaam to raise the voice with Takbeer in the prayer.
    
   
5. There is no thikr (mention of Allaah (SWT)) confirmed from the Prophet between the `Eed Takbeers. But it is reported that Ibn Mas`ood (^u) said:

   "Between every two Takbeers is a praise of Allaah and a salaah upon the Prophet ."¹¹

        Ibn ul-Qayyim (r) said:

   "The Prophet used to remain silent between every two Takbeers, and nothing is reported from him regarding thikr between them."¹²

   
    
   
6. The Takbeer is a sunnah (recommended act). Leaving it, whether intentionally or forgetfully, does not invalidate the prayer. There is no difference of opinion on this among the scholars¹³. However, there is no doubt that anyone who neglects it intentionally would be violating the sunnah of the Prophet .
    
   

1. After the Takbeers, one should utter ta`awwuth¹⁴ and basmalah¹⁵.
    
   
2. This is followed by reciting al-Faatihah, which is a required pillar in every rak`ah of every prayer.
    
   
3. This is followed by reciting Soorat Qaaf (50) in the first rak`at, and Soorat ul-Qamar (54) in the second.<sup>16</sup>
   Alternatively, one may recite: Surat ul-A`laa (87) in the first, and Soorat ul-Ghaasheeyah (88) in the second.¹⁷
   Ibn ul-Qayyim (r) said:

   "Both of these have been authentically reported from the action of the Prophet . Nothing else is authentic."¹⁸

   There is surely wisdom in reciting these particular soorahs in Eed. Some of this has been discussed by scholars like an-Nawawee¹⁹ and ash-Shawkaanee²⁰.