Hanafi ruling on Eid prayer extra takbirs: If imam said 4 but gave 3 per rak'ah, is prayer valid?

Answer:
Yes, your prayer is valid (sahih). The extra takbīrs in Eid prayer are sunnah mu'akkadah (emphasized sunnah) according to the Hanafī school, not farḍ (obligatory) or wājib (necessary). Therefore, performing a different number (whether more or less) does not invalidate the prayer. Since you followed the imam, who performed the standard Hanafī number (3 extra in each rak‘ah, totaling 6), your prayer is correct and accepted.

Detailed Explanation:

1. Number of Extra Takbīrs in Eid Prayer (Hanafī View):

   • First rak‘ah: After the opening takbīr (takbīrat al-ihrām), three additional takbīrs are recited before al-qirā’ah (recitation).
   • Second rak‘ah: After al-qirā’ah and before rukū‘, three additional takbīrs are recited.
   • Total extra takbīrs = 6 (3+3).
     (Source: Al-Hidāyah, 1/90; Radd al-Muhtār, 2/172; Fatāwa ‘Ālamgīrī, 1/152)

2. Ruling on the Extra Takbīrs:

   • Imām Abū Ḥanīfah and his students consider these takbīrs as sunnah mu’akkadah – not wājib.
   • If they are omitted, the prayer is still valid, though it is makrūh (disliked) to leave them intentionally.
     (Source: Badā’i‘ al-Ṣanā’i‘, 1/287; Fatāwa Dār al-‘Ulūm Zakariyyā, 4/253)

3. What If the Imām Changes the Number?

   • In your case, the imām stated he would do 4 extra per rak‘ah (total 8) but actually did 3 per rak‘ah (total 6), which is the standard Hanafī practice.
   • Since you followed the imām, your prayer is governed by his action. The imām’s prayer is valid, and thus your following (iqtidā’) is valid.
   • Your personal intention (niyyah) to do 4 extra takbīrs does not affect the validity because the takbīrs are not farḍ or wājib. The actual performance (3 per rak‘ah) is sufficient.
     (Source: Fatāwa Hindiyyah, 1/64; Ta‘līm al-‘Ibādāt, p. 125)

4. Conclusion:

   • Your prayer is valid (ṣaḥīḥ) and accepted (maqbūl). There is no need to repeat it.
   • However, it is recommended to align your intention with the imām’s practice from the beginning to avoid doubt.