The Albaani Site

Questioner: In his Saheeh, Al-Bukhaari reported in ta’leeq form from ’Ataa that he stated that whoever misses the Eed prayer makes up for it by praying two rak’ahs, but in Al-Fath al-Baari, al-Haafidh Ibn Hajar mentioned with an authentic chain of narration that Ibn Mas’ood stated that whoever misses it makes up for it by praying four rak’ahs, what is the stronger opinion in your view?

Al-Albaani: The correct opinion is that he makes up for it in the same manner that it was missed, this is a fiqh principle taken from some wordings reported in the Prophetic Sunnah, the prayer is made up in the same manner that it was missed. The Eed prayer is two rak’ahs, so whoever misses it with a legislated excuse prays it as two rak’ahs just as the Imaam did. Praying it as four rak’ahs is an addition [of two extra rak’ahs] and I do not find anything to support that in the Sunnah.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 376.