Ruling on Listening to the Eid Khutbah

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his book al-Kaafi (p. 234):

"When the imaam has said the salaam (at the end of the prayer), he should give a khutbah in two parts, like the two Friday khutbahs, because the Prophet (Peace be upon him) did this. (The Eid khutbah) differs from the Friday khutbahs in four ways . . . the fourth of which is: that it is sunnah and it is not obligatory to listen to it, because it was reported that 'Abd-Allah ibn al-Saa'ib said: "I attended Eid with the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him), and when he had finished the prayer, he said:

"We are going to give a khutbah, so whoever wishes to sit (and listen) to the khutbah, let him sit down, and whoever wants to leave, let him go."

Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his book al-Majmoo' Sharh al-Muhadhdhab, p. 23:

"It is mustahabb for people to listen to the khutbah, although the khutbah and listening to it are not essential conditions of the Eid prayer. But al-Shaafa'i said: 'If someone does not listen to the khutbah of Eid, at the time of an eclipse, when prayers for rain are offered, or during Hajj, or he speaks during one of these khutbahs, or leaves, I would not like this, but he does not have to repeat the prayer."

In al-Sharh al-Mumti' 'ala Zaad al-Mustanfi' by Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 5/192, it says:

"[Ibn Qudaamah's] words, 'like the two Friday khutbahs' means that he should give two khutbahs, even though there is a dispute in this matter, as we have referred to above. The Eid khutbah is subject to the same rulings as the Friday khutbah, even to the point that speaking during it is haraam, but it is not obligatory to attend, whereas attendance at the Friday khutbah is obligatory, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"O you who believe! When the call for prayer on the day of Jumu'ah (Friday) is given, come to the remembrance of Allah [Jumu'ah khutbah and prayer], and leave off business ..." [Surah al- Jumu'ah 62:9]

Attendance at the Eid khutbahs is not obligatory, and a person is allowed to leave, but if he stays he must not talk to anyone. This is what the author is referring to when he says 'like the two Friday khutbahs'."

One of the scholars said: "It is not obligatory to listen to the Eid khutbahs, because if it was obligatory to attend and listen to them it would be haraam to leave. But as it is permissible to leave, it is not obligatory to listen."

Nevertheless, if talking disturbs those who are listening, it is haraam to talk because of this disturbance, not because of not listening. On this basis, if a person has a book with him during the imam's Eid khutbah, it is permissible for him to read it, because this does not disturb anyone. But according to the madhhab followed by this author, it is obligatory to listen to the khutbah if one is present.