Question:
What do the scholars of Islam say about the following: Some friends have been replying to my greetings of Eid Mubarak by saying Khair Mubarak, why do they use Khair?
Dr Naseem Ansari London
Answer
The Eid Greetings, Eid Mubarak or Kullo ‘am wa antum bekhair, are pleasant ways of praying and celebrating these blessed days. These statements are mustahab, good and earn divine rewards. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) used to pray for each other «تَقَبَّلَ اللّٰهُ مِنَّا وَ مِنْکُمْ صَالِحَ الْأَعْمَالِ “may Allah accept your and our good deeds”.
‘Allama Shami (d.1836) cited the researcher Ibn Amir Hajj that people of Syria say “Eid Mubarak” to each other. It is neither obligatory nor forbidden to offer this blessing nor is it allowed to criticize those who do not use them. (2/169فتاوى شامي،ط :دارالفکر)
So back to your question why use Khair Mubarak and not reply by saying Eid Mubarak? The Quran orders, “When anyone greets you, respond with a better greeting or return it in the same way. Allah keeps an account of everything. (Al-Nisa: 86)” So, we are supposed to be courteous, and return a greeting with something better, so by saying Khair mubarak the responder is acting on this divine order.
Khair means: munificent, generous, beneficent, gracious and kind. This is known as hyperbola in linguistic, embellishment and exaggeration.
Allah ﷻ knows best
This fatwa is written by Dr Musharraf Hussain Al-Azhari
