بَابُ صَلَاةِ الْخُسُوْفِThe Eclipse Prayer (Salat al-Khusuf)

And the saying of Allah, the Almighty: "And We send not the signs except as a warning." (Qur’an 17:59)

Abdullah ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "When the sun eclipsed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), it was announced, 'The prayer is to be held in congregation.'" [Narrated by Bukhari]

Abu Dawud narrated something similar from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her).

Abu Qilabah ¹ reported from Al-Nu’man ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed during a solar eclipse as you pray: one rak’ah and two prostrations. ² [Narrated by Al-Tahawi, Abu Dawud, and Nasa’i]

In Al-Ta’liq al-Hasan, it is said: "Ibn al-Turkmani in Al-Jawhar al-Naqi said: 'Even if the chain mentioned by Al-Bayhaqi is authentic, which includes Abu Qilabah narrating from a man who narrated from Al-Nu’man, it indicates that he did not hear it directly from Al-Nu’man. However, it is possible that he heard it from Al-Nu’man and then from someone else, and he narrated both versions.'"

Qabisah al-Bajali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The sun eclipsed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he prayed as you pray." [Narrated by Al-Tahawi]

Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "We were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when the sun eclipsed. He rushed to the mosque, dragging his cloak in haste, and the people gathered around him. He prayed as you pray." [Narrated by Al-Tahawi]

Bukhari narrated something similar.

In a narration by Ibn Hibban: "He prayed two rak’ahs like your prayer."

In a narration by Al-Hakim, similar to Ibn Hibban’s, Al-Hakim said: "It meets the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim, but they did not include it." Al-Dhahabi agreed with him.

Al-Nu’man ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed during a solar eclipse in a manner similar to your prayer, bowing and prostrating." [Narrated by Ahmad and Nasa’i with an authentic chain]

In a narration by Nasa’i: "The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed when the sun eclipsed in the same way as our prayer, bowing and prostrating."

Ibrahim reported: "They used to say, 'If an eclipse occurs, pray as you normally pray until it clears.'" [Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah with an authentic chain]

Ata’ reported from Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with him): "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed during an eclipse with one bowing (ruku’)." [Narrated by Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Al-Hakim, and Tirmidhi in Al-Shama’il]

Al-Hakim said: "It is authentic, and Ata’ is trustworthy, as Ayyub said."

Mahmud ibn Labid reported: "The sun eclipsed on the day Ibrahim, the son of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), passed away. People said, 'The sun has eclipsed because of the death of Ibrahim.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, 'The sun and the moon are two signs among the signs of Allah. They do not eclipse because of the death or life of anyone. When you see them (eclipse), rush to the mosques.' Then he stood and recited some of Surah Ibrahim, bowed, ¹ stood up, prostrated twice, stood again, and repeated the same in the second rak’ah." [Narrated by Ahmad with a good chain]

Al-Haythami said in Majma’ al-Zawa’id: "Its narrators are those of authentic hadith."

Ali al-Qari also said: "Al-Shafi’i and Bukhari responded that these narrations cannot be interpreted as indicating permissibility unless the event occurred multiple times, which it did not, as all narrations refer to the same eclipse during the death of Ibrahim. Therefore, we must prioritize the narrations mentioning only two bowings, as they are the most authentic and well-known."

I say: Rather, we should prioritize the narrations mentioning only one bowing, as it is the original practice, supported by both statements and actions, as previously mentioned. All other narrations are inconsistent and contradictory.

In Tabi’ al-Athar, it is said: "The narrations differing from this, which mention multiple bowings, are not supported by historical evidence of later actions, so we prioritize what aligns with the established practice. Additionally, it is supported by explicit statements."

In Al-Bada’i’, Abu Mansur said: "The differing narrations are interpreted as abrogation rather than choice, as the scholars disagreed. If it were a matter of choice, they would not have differed." This is mentioned by Al-‘Allamah Al-‘Ayni in Sharh al-Hidayah.

Ata’ ibn al-Sa’ib reported from his father, who reported from Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): "The sun eclipsed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He stood and almost did not bow, then he bowed and almost did not rise, then he rose and almost did not prostrate, then he prostrated and almost did not rise, then he rose and almost did not prostrate, then he prostrated and almost did not rise. Then he rose and repeated the same in the second rak’ah." [Narrated by Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Tirmidhi in Al-Shama’il, Al-Hakim, and Al-Tawus with a good chain]

Al-Hakim said: "It is authentic, but Bukhari and Muslim did not include it." Shaykh Imam Ibn al-Humam said: "Bukhari included Ata’ alongside Abu Bishr, and Ayyub said he is trustworthy."

Abu Qilabah reported from Qabisah al-Hilali (may Allah be pleased with him):

"The sun eclipsed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He rushed out in alarm, dragging his garment, and I was with him in Madinah that day. He prayed two rak’ahs, prolonging the standing in them. When the eclipse ended, he said, 'These are signs by which Allah instills fear. When you see them, pray as you have prayed the most recent obligatory prayer.' ¹ [Narrated by Abu Dawud, Al-Tahawi, and Nasa’i with an authentic chain]

Al-Nu’man ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The sun eclipsed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He prayed two rak’ahs and inquired about it until the eclipse ended." [Narrated by Abu Dawud]

Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "While I and a young man from the Ansar were practicing archery, the sun eclipsed when it was about two or three spear-lengths above the horizon. It darkened until it looked like a piece of cloth. One of us said to the other, 'Let us go to the mosque, for by Allah, this eclipse will surely cause the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to address his Ummah.' We hurried, and he was already standing in prayer. He led us in the longest standing, bowing, and prostration we had ever experienced in prayer, and we did not hear his voice. ¹ He repeated the same in the second rak’ah, and the eclipse ended as he sat in the second rak’ah." [Narrated by Abu Dawud]

Tirmidhi and Nasa’i narrated something similar, and its chain is authentic. Tirmidhi said: "It is a Hasan Sahih Hadith."

Shaykh Imam Ibn al-Humam said: "When there is a contradiction, the preference is given to the original practice of silent recitation in daytime prayers."

Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led us in prayer during an eclipse, and we did not hear his voice." [Narrated by Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah]

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "I prayed beside the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the day the sun eclipsed, and I did not hear his recitation." [Narrated by Al-Tabarani and Al-Bayhaqi with a good chain]

Ahmad, Abu Ya’la, and Abu Nu’aym narrated something similar.

Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The sun eclipsed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He rushed out in alarm, fearing it might be the Hour, until he reached the mosque. He led us in prayer with the longest standing, bowing, and prostration I had ever seen him perform. Then he said, 'These are signs that Allah sends to instill fear in His servants. When you see them, rush to remember Allah, supplicate, and seek His forgiveness.'" [Narrated by Al-Tahawi]

Bukhari and Muslim narrated something similar.

In a narration by them: Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "I never performed a bowing or prostration as long as that."

In another narration by them from Aisha: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, 'The sun and the moon are two signs among the signs of Allah. They do not eclipse because of the death or life of anyone. When you see them, remember Allah, ¹ say the takbir, pray, and give charity.'"

In another narration by them from Abdullah ibn Abbas: "The eclipse ended ² as he finished the prayer. He said, 'The sun and the moon are two signs among the signs of Allah. They do not eclipse because of the death or life of anyone. When you see them, remember Allah.' They said, 'O Messenger of Allah, we saw you reach for something during the prayer, then we saw you step back.' He said, 'I saw Paradise and reached for a cluster of grapes. If I had taken it, you would have eaten from it as long as the world exists. I also saw Hell, and I have never seen a more terrifying sight. Most of its inhabitants are women.' They asked, 'Why, O Messenger of Allah?' He said, 'Because of their ingratitude.' It was said, 'Do they disbelieve in Allah?' He said, 'They are ungrateful to their husbands and ungrateful for kindness. If you were to do good to one of them for a lifetime, then she saw something from you (she disliked), she would say, "I have never seen any good from you."'"

In another narration by them from Aisha: "He said, 'O Ummah of Muhammad, by Allah, no one is more jealous than Allah when His servant or maidservant commits adultery. O Ummah of Muhammad, if you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much.'"

In a narration by Nasa’i: "The Prophet (ﷺ) rushed to the mosque one day when the sun eclipsed. He prayed until the eclipse ended, then said, 'The people of ignorance used to say that the sun and moon do not eclipse except for the death of a great person. But the sun and moon are two creations among Allah’s creations. They do not eclipse for the death or life of anyone. When either of them eclipses, pray until it clears or Allah decrees something else.'"

Asma bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:

"The Prophet (ﷺ) commanded the freeing of slaves during a solar eclipse." [Narrated by Bukhari]