Is not the Eid sermon before the prayer, which was initiated by Uthman ibn Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, considered an innovation, and what was the motive behind his action, knowing that the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, and Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, used to deliver the Eid sermon after the prayer?

Scholars have differed regarding the first person to deliver the Eid sermon before the prayer. The narration in Sahih Muslim from Abu Sa'id indicates that Marwan ibn al-Hakam was the first to do so. It has also been narrated that 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) did this, but for the benefit of the people who were late for the prayer, not for his personal benefit as Marwan did.

Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar elaborated on this in Al-Fath, mentioning that Marwan was the one who changed the order, or that 'Uthman preceded him in this, seeing the benefit for the congregation in catching the prayer. Marwan, however, considered the benefit of the people in listening to the sermon, and it was said that he considered his own benefit because people used to avoid listening to his sermons.

Ibn Hajar believes that it is probable that 'Uthman did this occasionally, unlike Marwan who persisted in it. A similar act was narrated from 'Umar, but its authenticity is questionable. Al-Shafi'i narrated a tradition indicating that Mu'awiyah was the one who presented the sermon first, and Marwan followed him in that.

Finally, there is no contradiction between the narrations attributing the act to Marwan, Ziyad, and Mu'awiyah, because both Marwan and Ziyad were governors for Mu'awiyah, and it is possible that Mu'awiyah initiated it and his governors followed him. If 'Uthman's action is authentic, then it was based on his ijtihad (independent reasoning) for the benefit of the people.