Offering Eid prayer alone at home

The Eid prayer is an
individual obligation (fard ‘ayn) for every man who is able to do it,
according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions, as we have
stated in the answer to question number
48983. 

If you cannot go to the
prayer because of your health, then you do not have to do anything. But is
it prescribed to do it at home? There is a difference of opinion among the
fuqaha’ concerning that, but the majority are of the view that that is
prescribed, unlike the Hanafis. 

Al-Muzni narrated from
al-Shaafa’i (may Allah have mercy on him) in Mukhtasar al-Umm (8/125): He
may offer the Eid prayer on his own in his house, as may the traveller, the
slave and the woman. End quote. 

Al-Kharashi (Maaliki) said:
It is mustahabb for the one who has missed the Eid prayer with the imam to
offer this prayer, but should he do it in congregation or separately? There
are two opinions. End quote from Sharh al-Kharashi (2/104). 

Al-Mardaawi said in
al-Insaaf (Hanbali): If he has missed the prayer (meaning the Eid
prayer), it is mustahabb to him to make it up in the same manner (i.e., as
the imam prayed it). End quote. 

Ibn Qudaamah said in
al-Mughni (Hanbali): He has the choice: if he wishes he may pray it on
his own, and if he wishes he may pray it in congregation. End quote. 

In al-Durr al-Mukhtaar
ma’a Haashiyat Ibn ‘Aabideen (2/175 – Hanafi) it says: He should not
pray it on his own if he has missed it with the imam. End quote. 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyah favoured the Hanafi view, and it was also regarded as more correct
by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him), as it says in
al-Sharh al-Mumti’ (5/156). 

In Fataawa al-Lajnah
al-Daa’imah li’l-Iftaa (8/306) it says: Eid prayer is a communal
obligation (fard kifaayah): if it is undertaken by enough people, the sin of
not doing it is waived from the rest. 

If a person misses it and
wants to make it up, it is mustahabb for him to do that, so he should pray
it in the proper manner but without a khutbah following it. This is the view
of Imam Maalik, al-Shaafa’i, Ahmad, al-Nakha’i and other scholars. The basic
principle concerning that is the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him): “If you come to the prayer then come walking, calmly
and with dignity. Whatever you catch up with, pray, and whatever you miss,
make it up.” And it was narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him)
that if he missed the Eid prayer with the imam, he would gather together his
family and freed slaves, then his freed slave ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Abi ‘Utbah
would stand up and lead them in praying two rak’ahs, saying the takbeers in
them. If a person arrives on the day of Eid when the imam is delivering the
khutbah, he should listen to the khutbah, then make up the prayer after
that, so that he may combine both benefits. And Allah is the source of
strength. May Allah send blessings and peace upon Prophet Muhammad and his
family and Companions. End quote. 

Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas 

And Allah knows best.