The Book of Prayer (Eclipse)

'A'isha reported that there was a solar eclipse in the time of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). He stood up to pray and prolonged his stand very much. He then bowed and prolonged very much his bowing. He then raised his head and prolonged his stand much, but it was less than the (duration) of the first stand. He then bowed and prolonged bowing much, but it was less than the duration of his first bowing. He then prostrated and then stood up and prolonged the stand, but it was less than the first stand. He then bowed and prolonged his bowing, but it was less than the first bowing. He then lifted his head and then stood up and prolonged his stand, but it was less than the first stand. He then bowed and prolonged bowing and it was less than the first bowing. He then prostrated himself; then he turned about, and the sun had become bright, and he addressed the people. He praised Allah and landed Him and said: The sun and the moon are two signs of Allah; they are not eclipsed on account of anyones death or on account of anyone's birth. So when you see them, glorify and supplicate Allah, observe prayer, give alms. O Ummah of Muhammad, none is more indignant than Allah When His servant or maid commits fornication. O people of Muhammad, by Allah, if you knew what I know, you would weep much and laugh little.

This hadith has been narrated by Hisham b. 'Urwa with the same chain of transmitters but with this addition: " Verily the sun and the moon are among the signs of Allah." And similarly this addition was made:" He then lifted his hands and said: O Allah! have I not conveyed it?"

'A'isha, the wife of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him), reported There was an eclipse of the sun during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). So, the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) went to the mosque and stood up and glorified Allah, and the people formed themselves in rows behind him. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) made a long recital (of the Qur'an) and then pronounced takbir and then observed a long ruku'. He then raised his head and said: Allah listened to him who praised Him: our Lord, praise is due to Thee. He then again stood up and made a long recital, which was less than the first recital. He pronounced takbir and observed a long ruku', and it was less than the first one. He again said: Allah listened to him who praised Him; our Lord, praise is due to Thee. (Abu Tahir, one of the narrators) made no mention of:" He then prostrated himself." He did like this in the second rak'ah, till he completed four rak'ahs and four prostrations and the sun became bright before he deported. He then stood up and addressed people, after lauding Allah as He deserved, and then said: The sun and the moon are two signs among the signs of Allah These do not eclipse either on the death of anyone or on his birth. So when you see them, hasten to prayer. He also said this: Observe prayer till Allah dispels the anxiety (of this extraordinary phenomenon) from you. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: I saw in my place everything which you have been promised. I even saw myself desiring to pluck a bunch (of grapes) from Paradise (and it was at the time) when you saw me moving forward. And I saw Hell and some of its parts crushing the others, when you saw me moving back; and I saw in it Ibn Luhayy and he was the person who made the she-camels loiter about. In the hadith transmitted by Abu Tahir the words are:" He hastened to prayer," and he made no mention of what follows.

'A'isha reported that there was a solar eclipse during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) and he sent the announcer (to summon them) for congregational prayer. The people gathered together and he pronounced takbir and he observed four rak'ahs, in the form of two rak'ahs (i. e. he observed two qiyams and two ruku's in one rak'ah) and four prostrations.

'A'isha reported that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) recited loudly in the eclipse prayer, and he observed four rak'ahs in the form of two rak'ahs and four prostrations. Zuhri said: Kathir b. 'Abbas narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed four rak'ahs and four prostrations in two rak'ahs.

Zuhri said: Kathir b. Abbas used to narrate that Ibn 'Abbas used to relate about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) in regard to the eclipse of the sun like that what was narrated by 'Urwa on the authority of 'A'isha.

'Ata' reported: I heard 'Ubaid b. 'Umair say: It has been narrated to me by one whom I regard as truthful, (the narrator says: I can well guess that he meant 'A'isha) that the sun eclipsed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and he stood up (in prayer) for a rigorously long time. He then bowed and then stood up and then bowed and then stood up and then bowed, thus observing three ruku's in two rak'ahs and four prostrations. He then departed and the sun brightened. He pronounced" Allah is the Greatest" while bowing. He would then bow and say:" Allah listened to him who praised Him" while lifting up his head. He then stood up, and praised Allah and lauded Him, and then said: The sun and the moon do not eclipse on the death of anyone or on his birth. But both of them are among the signs of Allah with which Allah terrifies His servants. So when you see them under eclipse, remember Allah till they are brightened. This hadith is narrated thus on the authority of 'A'isha through another chain of transmitters:" The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed six ruku's and four prostration in (two rak'ahs)."

'Amra reported that a Jewess came to 'A'isha to ask (about something) and said: May Allah protect you from the torment of the grave! 'A'isha said: Messenger of Allah, would people be tormented in the graves? The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: (May there be) protection of Allah! The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) mounted one morning on the ride, and the sun eclipsed. 'A'isha said: I came in the company of the women in the mosque from behind the rooms. The Messenger of Allah (way peace he upon him) dismounted from his ride and came to the place of worship where he used to pray. He stood up (to pray) and the people stood behind him. 'A'isha said: He stood for a long time. He then bowed and it was a long ruku'. He then raised his head and he stood for a long time, less than the first standing. He then bowed and his ruku' was long, but it was less than that (the first) ruku'. He then raised (his head) and the sun had become bright. He (the Holy Prophet) then said: I saw you under trial in the grave like the turmoil of Dajjal. 'Amra said: I heard 'A'isha say: I listened after this to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) seeking refuge from the torment of Fire and the torment of the grave.

This hadith has been narrated by Yahya b. Sa'id with the same chain of transmitters.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported: The sun eclipsed on one extremely hot day during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) prayed along with his Companions. He prolonged his qiyam (standing posture in prayer) till they (his Companions) began to fall down. He then observed a long ruku'. He raised his head (and stood up for long) and then observed a long ruku'. He then raised (his head and stood up) for a long time and then made two prostrations. He then stood up and did like this and thus he observed four ruku's and four prostrations (in two rak'ahs) and then said: All these things were brought to me in which you will be made to enter. Paradise was brought to me till (I was so close to it) that if I (had intended) to pluck a bunch (of grapes) out of it. I would have got it, or he (the Holy Prophet) said: I intended to get a bunch (out of that) but my hand could not reach it. Hell was also brought to me and I saw in it a woman belonging to the tribe of Israel who was tormented for a cat whom she had tied, but did not give it food nor set it free to eat the creatures of the earth; and I saw Abu Thumama 'Amr b. Malik who was dragging his intestines in Hell. They (the Arabs) used to say that the sun and the moon do not eclipse but on the death of some great person; but (in reality) both these (the sun and the moon) are among the signs of Allah which are shown to you; so when there is an eclipse, observe prayer till it (the sun or the moon) brightens. This hadith has been narrated by Hisham with the same chain of transmitters except this" I saw a dark woman with a tail stature and loud voice," but he made no mention of" from among Bani Israel".

Jabir reported that the sun eclipsed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) on that very day when Ibrahim (the Prophet's son) died. The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) stood up and led people in (two rak'ahs of) prayer with six ruku's and four prostrations. He commenced (the prayer) with takbir (Allah-o-Akbar) and then recited and prolonged his recital. He then bowed nearly the (length of time) that he stood up. He then raised his head from the ruku' and recited but less than the first recital. He then bowed (to the length of time) that he stood up. He then raised his head from the ruku' and again recited but less than the second recital. He then bowed (to the length of time) that he stood up. He then lifted his head from the ruku'. He then fell in prostration and observed two prostrations. He stood up and then bowed, observing six ruku's like it, without (completing) the rak'ah in them, except (this difference) that the first (qiyam of ruku') was longer than the later one, and the ruku' was nearly (of the same length) as prostration. He then moved backward and the rows behind him also moved backward till we reached the extreme (Abu Bakr said: till he reached near the women) He then moved forward and the people also moved forward along with him till he stood at his (original) place (of worship). He then completed the prayer as it was required to complete and the sun brightened and he said: O people! verily the sun and the moon are among the signs of Allah and they do not eclipse at the death of anyone among people (Abu Bakr said: On the death of any human being). So when you see anything like it (of the nature of eclipse), pray till it is bright. There is nothing which you have been promised (in the next world) but I have seen it in this prayer of mine. Hell was brought to me as you saw me moving back on account of fear lest its heat might affect me; and I saw the owner of the curved staff who dragged his intestines in the fire, and he used to steal (the belongings) of the pilgrims with his curved staff. If he (the owner of the staff) became aware, he would say: It got (accidentally) entangled in my curved staff, but if he was unaware of that, he would take that away. I also saw in it (in Hell) the owner of a cat whom she had tied and did not feed her nor set her free so that she could eat the creatures of the earth, till the cat died of starvation. Paradise was brought to me, and it was on that occasion that you saw me moving forward till I stood at my place (of worship). I stretched my hand as I wanted to catch hold of its fruits so that you may see them. Then I thought of not doing it. Nothing which you have been promised was there that I did not see in this prayer of mine.

Asma' reported: The sun eclipsed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). As I went to 'A'isha who was busy in prayer. I said: What is the matter with the people that they are praying (a special prayer)? She ('A'isha) pointed towards the sky with her head. I said: Is it (an unusual) sign? She said: Yes. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) stood up for prayer for such a long time that I was about to faint. I caught hold of a waterskin lying by my side, and began to pour water over my head, or (began to sprinkle water) on my face. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) then finished and the sun had brightened. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) then addressed the people, (after) praising Allah and lauding Him, and then said: There was no such thing as I did not see earlier, but I saw it at this very place of mine. I ever saw Paradise and Hell. It was also revealed to me that you would be tried in the graves, as you would he tried something like the turmoil of the Dajjal. Asma' said: I do not know which word he actually used (qariban or mithl), and each one of you would be brought and it would be said: What is your knowledge about this man? If the person is a believer, (Asma' said: I do not know whether it was the word al-Mu'min or al-Mu'qin) he would say: He is Muhammad and he is the Messenger of Allah. He brought to us the clear signs and right guidance. So we responded and obeyed him. (He would repeat this three times), and it would be said to him: You should go to sleep. We already knew that you are a believer in him. So the pious man would go to sleep. So far as the hypocrite or sceptic is concerned (Asma' said: I do not know which word was that: al-Munafiq (hypocrite) or al-Murtad (doubtful) he would say: I do not know. I only uttered whatever I heard people say.

Asma' said: I came to 'A'isha when the people were standing (in prayer) and she was also praying. I said: What is this excitement of the people for? And the rest of the hadith was narrated like one, (narrated above). 'Urwa said: Do not say Kasafat-ush-Shamsu, but say Khasafat-ush-Shamsu.

Asma' bint Abu Bakr said: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) was one day (i. e. on the day when the sun eclipsed) so perturbed that he (in haste) took hold of the outer garment (of a female member of his family) and it was later on that his (own) cloak was sent to him. He stood in prayer along with people for such a long time that if a man came he did not realise that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) had observed ruku', as it has been narrated about ruku' in connection with long qiyam.

Abu Juraij narrated this hadith with the same chain of transmitters (but with the addition of these words): " It was for a long duration that he (the Holy Prophet) observed qiyam and he would then observe ruku'. (The narrator also added) I (Asma') looked at a woman who was older than I, and at another who was weaker than I.

Asma' daughter of Abu Bakr reported: The sun eclipsed during the lifetime of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) ; so he felt perturbed and he, by mistake, took hold of the outer garment of a woman till he was given his own cloak. After this I satisfied my need and then came and entered the mosque. I saw the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) standing in prayer. I stood along with him. He prolonged his qiyam till I wished to sit down. Then I cast a glance towards an old woman. So I said: She is older than I. I, therefore, kept standing. He (the Holy Prophet) then observed ruku', and prolonged his ruku'. He then raised his head. He then prolonged his qiyam to such an extent that if a person happened to come he would have thought that he had not observed the ruku'.

Ibn 'Abbas reported: There was an eclipse of the sun during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). The Messenger of Allah, (may peace be upon him) prayed accompanied by the people. He stood for a long time, about as long as it would take to recite Surah al-Baqara; then he bowed for a long time; then he raised his head and stood for a long time, but it was less than the first qiyam. He then bowed for a long time but for a shorter while than the first. He then prostrated and then stood for a long time, but it was less than the first qiyam. He then bowed for a long time, but it was less than the first bowing. He then raised (his head) and stood for a long time, but it was less than the first qiyam. He then bowed for a long time but it was less than the first bowing. He then observed prostration, and then he finished, and the sun had cleared (by that time). He (the Holy Prophet) then said: The sun and moon are two signs from the signs of Allah. These two do not eclipse on account of the death of anyone or on account of the birth of anyone. So when you see that, remember Allah. They (his Companions) said: Messenger of Allah, we saw you reach out to something, while you were standing here, then we saw you restrain yourself. He said: I saw Paradise and reached out to a bunch of its grapes; and had I taken it you would have eaten of it as long as the world endured. I saw Hell also. No such (abominable) sight have I ever seen as that which I saw today; and I observed that most of its inhabitants were women. They said: Messenger of Allah, on what account is it so? He said: For their ingratitude or disbelief (bi-kufraihinna). It was said: Do they disbelieve in Allah? He said: (Not for their disbelief in God) but for their ingratitude to their husbands and ingratitude to kindness. If you were to treat one of them kindly for ever, but if she later saw anything (displeasing) in you, she would say: I have never seen any good in you.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zaid b. Aslam with the same chain of transmitters except with this difference that he (the narrator said): " then we saw you keeping aloof (back)."

Ibn 'Abbas reported: When there was a solar eclipse the Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) observed eight ruku's and four prostrations (in two rak'ahs). This has been narrated by 'Ali also.

Ibn 'Abbas reported: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed prayer while it was (solar) eclipse. He recited (the Qur'an in qiyam) and then bowed. He again recited and again bowed. He again recited and again bowed and again recited and again bowed, and then prostrated; and the second (rak'ah) was like this.

'Amr b. al-'As reported: When the sun eclipsed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), they (the people) were called to congregational prayers. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed two ruku's in one rak'ah. He then stood and observed two ruku's in (the second) rak'ah. The sun then became bright, and 'A'isha said; Never did I observe, ruku' and prostration longer than this (ruku' and prostration).

Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Verily the sun and the moon are the two signs among the signs of Allah by which He frightens his servants and they do not eclipse on account of the death of any one of the people. So when you see anything about them, observe prayer, supplicate Allah till it is cleared from you.

Abu Mas'ud reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Verily the sun and the moon do not eclipse on account of the death of any one of the people, but they are the two signs among the signs of Allah. So when you see it, stand up and observe prayer.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Isma'il with the same chain of transmitters and in the hadith narrated by Sufyan and Waki' (the words are): " The sun eclipsed on the day when Ibrahim died, and the people said: It has eclipsed on the death of Ibrahim."

Abu Musa reported: The sun eclipsed during the time of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him). He stood in great anxiety fearing that it might be the Doomsday, till he came to the mosque. He stood up to pray with prolonged qiyam, ruku', and prostration which I never saw him doing in prayer; and then he said: These are the signs which Allah sends, not on account of the death of anyone or life of any one, but Allah sends them to frighten thereby His servants. So when you see any such thing, hasten to remember Him, supplicate Him and beg pardon from Him, and in the narration transmitted by Ibn 'Ala the words are:" The sun eclipsed"."" He frightens His servants."

'Abd al-Rahman b. Samura said: During the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) I was shooting my arrows in Medina, when an eclipse of the sun took place. I, therefore, threw them away and said, I must see how the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) acts in a solar eclipse today. When I came to him, he had been supplicating with his hands, raised, pronouncing Allah-o-Akbar, praising Him, acknowledging that He is One God till the eclipse was over, then he recited two surahs and prayed two rak'ahs.

'Abd al-Rahman b. Samura, who was one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: During the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) I was shooting some of my arrows in Medina, when the sun eclipsed. I threw (the arrows) and said: By Allah, I must see how the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) acts in solar eclipse. So I came to him and he was standing in prayer, raising his hands, glorifying Him, praising Him, acknowledging His Oneness, declaring His greatness, and supplicating Him, till the sun cleared. When the eclipse was over, he recited two surahs and prayed two rak'ahs.

'Abd al-Rahman b. Samura reported: I was shooting some of my arrows during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) that the sun eclipsed. The rest of the hadith is the same.

'Abdullah b. 'Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed: Verily the sun and the moon do not eclipse on account of the death or life of anyone. They are in fact the signs among the signs of Allah. So when you see them, observe prayer.