(the wife of the Prophet) On the day when the sun Khasafat (eclipsed) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) prayed; he stood up and said Takbir and recited a prolonged recitation, then he performed a prolonged bowing, then he raised his head and said, "Sami`a l-lahu Lyman Hamidah," and then remained standing and recited a prolonged recitation which was shorter than the first. Then he performed a prolonged bowing which was shorter than the first. Then he prostrated and prolonged the prostration and he did the same in the second rak`a as in the first and then finished the prayer with Taslim. By that time the sun (eclipse) had cleared He addressed the people and said, "The sun and the moon are two of the signs of Allah; they do not eclipse (Yakhsifan) because of the death or the life (i.e. birth) of someone. So when you see them make haste for the prayer."
Eclipses - Sahih al-Bukhari 1047
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that on the day of solar eclipse, the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed a special prayer with prolonged standing, bowing, and prostration, demonstrating the proper manner of observing eclipse prayer.
Commentary on the Eclipse Prayer
The eclipse prayer (Salat al-Kusuf) consists of two rak'ahs, each containing two standings (qiyam), two recitations, two bowings (ruku'), and two prostrations (sujud). This differs from regular prayers and serves as a unique form of worship during celestial phenomena.
The prolonged nature of each posture reflects the gravity of the occasion and encourages deep reflection upon Allah's signs. The recitation in first standing is longer than the second, and the first bowing is longer than the subsequent one, creating a gradual decrease in duration.
Theological Significance of Eclipses
The Prophet explicitly refuted pre-Islamic superstitions that associated eclipses with births or deaths of significant figures. This establishes the Islamic position that celestial events are natural signs (ayat) of Allah's power and wisdom, not omens connected to human affairs.
Eclipses serve as reminders of the Day of Judgment and Allah's absolute control over creation, inspiring believers to turn to prayer, remembrance of Allah, and seeking forgiveness rather than engaging in superstitious interpretations.
Practical Implementation
When witnessing an eclipse, Muslims should hasten to prayer in congregation if possible, following the Prophetic example. The prayer can be performed anytime during the eclipse duration, preferably in mosques.
Scholars recommend accompanying the prayer with increased dhikr (remembrance), du'a (supplication), and charity, as these are times when Allah's mercy is abundantly available to those who turn to Him in sincere worship.