reading time ~6 mins

Things to do on Eid al-Fitr

1. Pay Zakat al Fitr (Bukhari 1503) (Bukhari 1504)
2. Attend Eid prayer in congregation (Bukhari 324) (Muslim 890c)
3. Eat odd number of dates before going for prayer (Bukhari 953)
4. Recite Takbir when Shawal begins and recite on the way to the prayer (Quran 2:185)
   • اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَّهُ. وَاَللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ
   • Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allah, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, wa Lillaahi’l-hamd 
   • Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, there is no god except Allah, Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, and all praise be to Allah
5. Take Shower before Eid Prayer (al-Muwaṭṭa’ 609)
6. Wear best clothes (don’t necessarily have to be new) (Bukhari 948) (al-Sunan al-Kubrá lil-Bayhaqī 6143)
7. Be groomed and men should wear perfume 
8. Use different route when returning home from the place of prayer (Bukhari 986)

Bonus

1. Fast 6 days in Shawwal to get reward for entire year of fasting (Muslim 1164a)

Quran

1. So that you may complete the prescribed period and proclaim the greatness of Allah [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allahu Akbar: Allah is the Most Great)] for guiding you, and perhaps you will be grateful. (Quran 2:185)

Sunnah

1. Narrated Ibn `Umar: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) made it incumbent on all the slave or free Muslims, male or female, to pay one Sa’ of dates or barley as Zakat-ul-Fitr. (Bukhari 1504)
2. Narrated Anas bin Malik: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) never proceeded (for the prayer) on the Day of `Id-ul-Fitr unless he had eaten some dates. Anas also narrated: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to eat odd number of dates. (Bukhari 953)
3. Abu Ayyub reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan and then follows it with six days of fasting in the month of Shawwal, it will be as if he has fasted for the entire year.” (Muslim 1164a)
4. Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah: On the Day of `Id the Prophet (ﷺ) used to return (after offering the `Id prayer) through a way different from that by which he went. (Bukhari 986)
5. Nafi’ reported: Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, used to perform a ritual bath on the day of Eid before he would depart for prayer. (al-Muwaṭṭa’ 609 Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Nawawi)
6. Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prescribed the sadaqah (alms) relating to the breaking of the fast as a purification of the fasting from empty and obscene talk and as food for the poor. If anyone pays it before the prayer (of ‘Id), it will be accepted as zakat. If anyone pays it after the prayer, that will be a sadaqah like other sadaqahs (alms). (Abi Dawud 1609) (ibn Majah1827) (Bulugh al-Maram Book 4, Hadith 32)
7. Al-Daraqutni and others narrated that on the morning of ‘Eid al-Fitr and ‘Eid al-Adha, Ibn ‘Umar would strive hard in reciting takbir until he came to the prayer place, then he would recite takbir until the imam came out.
   1. also see Sunan al-Kubra Bayhaqi and Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah for more details

Additional Reading

1. What Are the Etiquettes of Eid?
2. Rulings pertaining to Zakat al-Fitr
3. Is ‘Eid Prayer Obligatory?
4. When should the takbeer for Eid al-Fitr begin?
5. Is Ghusl Compulsory on ‘Eid?
6. Is the fasting of Ramadaan only taken up by zakaat al-fitr?