The Book of Eclipses

كتاب الكسوف

Chapter 1: Eclipse of the sun and moon

It was narrated that Abu Bakrah said

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The sun and moon are two signs of Allah (SWT), the Most High, and they do not become eclipsed for death or birth of anyone, rather Allah (SWT), the Mighty and Sublime, strikes fear into His slaves through them.'"

Chapter 2: Tasbih, Takbir and supplication while the sun is eclipsed

'Abdur-Rahman bin Samurah said

"While I was (practicing) shooting some arrows in Al-Madinah, the sun became eclipsed. I gathered up my arrows and said: 'I want to see what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) will say about the eclipse of the sun.' So I came to him from behind when he was in the masjid, and he started to say the tasbih and takbir and to supplicate until the eclipse was over. Then he stood up and prayed two rak'ahs with four prostrations."

Chapter 3: The command to pray when there is a solar eclipse

It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin 'Umar that

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The sun and moon do not become eclipsed for death or birth of anyone, rather they are two of the signs of Allah (SWT) the Most High, so when you see that then pray."

Chapter 4: The command to pray when there is a lunar eclipse

It was narrated that Abu Mas'ud said

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The sun and the moon do not become eclipsed for the death or birth of anyone, rather they are two of the signs of Allah (SWT), the Mighty and Sublime, so when you see that then pray.'"

Chapter 5: The command to pray when there is an eclipse until it is over

It was narrated that Abu Bakrah said

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The sun and moon are two signs of Allah(ﷺ), and they do not become eclipsed for the death or birth of anyone. If you see that then pray until it (the eclipse) is over.'"

It was narrated that Abu Bakrah said

"We were sitting with the Prophet (ﷺ) when the sun became eclipsed. He leapt up, dragging his garment and prayed two rak'ahs until the eclipse was over."

Chapter 6: The command to call people to the eclipse prayer

It was narrated that 'Aishah said

"The sun was eclipsed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and the Prophet (ﷺ) commanded a caller to call out that prayer was about to begin in congregation. So they gathered and formed rows, and he led them in prayer, bowing four times in two rak'ahs and prostrating four times."

Chapter 7: The rows in the eclipse prayer

'Urwah bin Az-Zubair narrated that 'Aishah, the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ) said

"The sun was eclipsed during the life of the Prophet (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out to the masjid and stood and said the takbir, and the people formed rows behind him. He bowed four times and prostrated four times, and the eclipse ended before he finished."

Chapter 8: How to perform the eclipse prayer

It was narrated from Tawus from Ibn Abbas, that

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed when the sun was eclipsed, bowing eight times and prostrating four times.

It was narrated from Tawus from Ibn Abbas that

The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed when there was an eclipse. He recited then he bowed, then he recited then he bowed, then he recited then he bowed, then he recited then he bowed, then he prostrated, and he did the second rak'ahs in same fashion.

Chapter 9: Another version of the eclipse prayer, narrated from Ibn Abbas

It was narrated from Kathir bin Abbas, from Abdullah bin Abbas that

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed on the day the sun was eclipsed, bowing four times in two rak'ahs and prostrating four times.

Chapter 10: Another version of the eclipse prayer

'Ata said

"I heard Ubaid bin Umair say:'Someone whom I trust'- and I think he meant Aishah- told me: There was an eclipse of the sun during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He led the people in prayer and stood for a very long time, then he bowed, then he stood, then he bowed, then he stood, then he bowed. He prayed two rak'ahs, bowing three times in each rak'ah. After bowing for the third time he prostrated for a long time. Some men fainted on that day and had to be revived by having buckets of water thrown over them, because of having stood for so log. When he bowed, he said: Allahu Akbar, and when he raised his head, he said: Sami' Allahu lima hamidah.He did not finish until the eclipse had ended. Then he stood and praised and glorified Allah (SWT) and said: The sun and moon do not eclipse for the death or birth of anyone, but they are two of the signs of Allah (SWT) with which He strikes fear unto you. If they are eclipsed then turn to the remembrance of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, until it (the eclipse) is over.'"

It was narrated fom 'Ata from Ibn 'Umair, from Aishah, that

The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed, bowing six times and prostrating four times. "I said to Mu'adh: 'Is this from the Prophet (ﷺ)?' He said: 'Without a doubt.'"

Chapter 11: Another version narrated from Aishah

It was narrated from Ibn Shihab rom 'Urwah bin Az-Zubair, that Aishah said

"The sun was eclipsed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He stood and said the takbir, and the people formed rows behind him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited for a long time, then he said the takbir and bowed for a long time, then he raised his head and said: Sami Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa lakal-hamd. Then he stood and recited for a long time, but it was a shorter recitation than the first recitation, then he said the takbir and bowed but it was shorter than the first bowing. Then he said: Sami Allahu liman hamidah, then he prostrated. In this manner, he bowed four times, and the eclipse ended before he had finished. Then he stood and addressed the people. He praised and glorified Allah (SWT), the Mighty and Sublime, as He deserves, then he said: The sun and moon are two of the signs of Allah (SWT), Most High. They do not become eclipsed for the death or birth of anyone. If you see that (eclipsed) then pray until it ends. And the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: While I was standing just now I saw everything you have been promised. When you saw me moving forward, I wanted to take a cluster of fruit from Paradise. And I saw Hell; parts of it were consuming other parts when you saw me step backward. And I saw therein Ibn Luhayy, who was the first one to establish the Sa'ibah.'"

It was narrated from Az-Zuhri, from 'Urwah, that

Aishah said: "The sun was eclipsed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and it was called out: 'As-salatu jam'iah (prayer is about to begin in congregation).' So the people gathered and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led them in prayer, bowing four times in two rak'ahs and prostrating four times."

It was narrated from Hisham bin 'Urwah, from his father, that 'Aishah said

'The sun was eclipsed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led the people in prayer. He stood for a long time, then he bowed for a long time, then he stood for a long time, but it was shorter than the first standing, then he bowed for a long time but it was shorter than the first bowing. Then he stood up, then he prostrated, then he did the same in the second rak'ah, and when he finished the eclipse had ended. Then he addressed the people; he praised and glorified Allah (SWT), then he said: The sun and the moon are two of the signs of Allah (SWT). They do not become eclipsed for the death or birth of anyone. If you see that then call upon Allah (SWT), the Mighty and Sublime, and magnify Him, and give charity. Then he said: 'O Ummah of Muhammad! There is no one more jealous than Allah (SWT), the Mighty and Sublime, when his male or female slave commits zina. O Ummah of Muhammad! By Allah, if you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much.'"

It was narrated from Yahya bin Sa'eed that

'Amrah told him that Aishah told her that a Jewish woman came to her and said: "May Allah protect you from the torment of the grave." Aishah said: "O Messenger of Allah, will people be tormented in the graves?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sought refuge with Allah. 'Aishah said: "The Prophet (ﷺ) went out, and the sun became eclipsed. We went out to another room and the women gathered with us. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to us and that was at the time of forenoon. He stood for a long time, then he bowed for a long time, then he raises his head and stood for a shorter time than the first one; then he bowed for a shorter time than the first one. Then he prostrated, then he stood up for the second (rak'ah) and did the same again, except that his bowing an prostrating were shorter than in the first rak'ah. Then he prostrated, and the eclipse had ended. When he had finished, he sat on the minbar and one of the things he said was: 'The people will be tried in their graves like the trial of the Dajjal.' Aishah siad: 'After that, we used to hear him seeking refuge with Allah (SWT) from the torment of the grave."

Chapter 12: Another version

Amrah said

"I heard Aishah say: 'A Jewish woman came to me begging, and said: May Allah grant you protection from the torment of the grave.' When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came, I said: 'O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), will people be tormented in their graves?' He sought refuge with Allah (SWT) and climbed onto his mount. The sun became eclipsed while I was between the apartments with some women. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came from his mount and came to his prayer place, and led the people in prayer.He stood for a long time, then he bowed for a long time, then he raised his head and stood for a long time, then he bowed for a long time, then he raised his head and stood for a long time, then he prostrated for a long time. Then he stood for a shorter time than in the first (rak'ah), then he bowed for a shorter time than the first, then he raised his head and stood for a shorter time than the first, then he bowed for a shorter time than the first, then he raised his head and stood for a shorter time than the first, so he bowed four times and prostrated four times, and the eclipse ended. He said: "You will be tried in your graves like the trial of the Dajjal.' Aishah said: 'I heard him after that seeking refuge with Allah from the torment of the grave.'"

It was narrated from Aishah that

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed during an eclipse in a shaded area near Zamzam, bowing four times and prostrating four times.