Salaat al-Kusoof (prayer when there is an eclipse)

Praise be to Allaah.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“It is He Who made the sun a shining thing and the moon as a light and measured
out for it stages that you might know the number of years and the reckoning. Allaah did
not create this but in truth. He explains the Ayaat in detail for people who have
knowledge.” [Yoonus 10:5]

“And from among His Signs are the night and the day, and the
sun and the moon. Prostrate yourselves not to the sun” nor to the moon, but prostrate
yourselves to Allaah Who created them, if you (really) worship Him” (Fussilat 41:37)

Salaat al-Kusoof is Sunnah mu’akkadah (a confirmed Sunnah) according to the
consensus of the scholars. The daleel (evidence) for this is the Sunnah reported from the
Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)

Eclipses are signs from Allaah by means of which Allaah makes His slaves
afraid. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And We sent not the signs
except to warn, and to make them afraid (of destruction)” [al-Israa’ 17:39]

When the sun was eclipsed at the time of the Messenger of Allaah SAWS
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), he went out rushing nervously to the mosque,
dragging his cloak behind him, and led the people in prayer. He told them that the eclipse
was one of the signs of Allaah, with which Allaah makes His slaves afraid, and that it may
be the cause of punishment coming upon the people. He commanded them to do that which
could prevent the punishment, so he commanded them to pray when an eclipse happens, and to
make du’aa’, seek His forgiveness, give charity, free slaves and do other
righteous deeds so that the punishment would go away and not befall the people. So the
eclipse is a reminder to people, making them afraid so that they will turn back to Allaah
and pay attention to Him.

During the Jaahiliyyah, people used to believe that eclipses happened
to mark the birth or death of a great person, but the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) declared this belief to be false and explained the divine
wisdom behind the occurrence of eclipses:

Imaam al-Bukhaari and Muslim narrated that Ibn Mas’ood al-Ansaari
said: “the sun was eclipsed the day Ibraaheem the son of the Messenger of Allaah SAWS
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died, and the people said, ‘The sun is
eclipsed because of the death of Ibraaheem.’ The Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The sun and the moon are two signs from
Allaah, and they do not become eclipsed for the death or the birth of anyone. If you see
that, hasten to remember Allaah and to pray.’”

According to another hadeeth in al-Saheehayn: “Call on
Allaah and pray until [the eclipse] is over.”

It is reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaari that Abu Moosa said:
“These signs that Allaah sends are not for the death or life of anyone, but Allaah
makes His slaves afraid through them, so if you see anything of that [eclipses], then
hasten to remember Allaah and call on Him and seek His forgiveness.”

Allaah causes eclipses to happen to these two mighty signs, the sun and
the moon, to teach His slaves and show them that these things are created and are subject
to imperfections and changes just like any other created entities. Thus He shows them His
perfect ability and that He alone is deserving of worship, as Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning): “And from among His Signs are the night and the day, and the sun
and the moon. Prostrate yourselves not to the sun” nor to the moon, but prostrate
yourselves to Allaah Who created them, if you (really) worship Him” (Fussilat 41:37)

The time for Salaat al-Kusoof lasts from the beginning of the eclipse
until it is over, because the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “When you see that, then pray.” (Agreed upon). According to another
hadeeth, “If you see anything of that, then pray until it is over.” (Reported by
Muslim).

Salaat al-Kusoof should not be done once the eclipse is over, because
the time has gone. If an eclipse ends before one knows about it, one does not have to
pray, because the reason for this prayer is no longer there.

The way in which Salaat al-Kusoof is done is to pray two Rak’ahs in
which Qur’aan is recited aloud, according to the correct one out of the two scholarly
opinions. In the first Rak’ah, one should recite al-Faatihah and a long soorah
such as Soorat al-Baqarah or the equivalent, then do a long rukoo’, then raise one’s
head and say, “Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah, Rabbanaa wa laka’l-hamd
(Allaah listens to the one who praises Him; our Lord to You be praise)” after
standing upright, as in other prayers. Then one should then recite al-Faatihah and
another long soorah, shorter than in the first recitation, equivalent in length to Soorat
Aal ‘Imraan. Then one should do another long rukoo’ shorter than the first,
and when raising one’s head, say, “Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah, Rabbanaa wa
laka’l-hamd hamdan katheeran tayyiban mubaarakan fih, mal’ al-samawaati wa
mal’ al-ard wa mal’ ma shi’ta min shay’in ba’d (Allaah
listens to the one who praises Him; our Lord to You be praise, much good and blessed
praise, filling heaven and earth and whatever You will besides that).” Then he should
do two lengthy sujoods, without making the sitting between them too long. Then one should
pray the second rak’ah like the first, with two long rukoo’s and two long
sujoods, as he did in the first rak’ah. Then he should recite the Tashahhud and say
the salaam.

This is the description of Salaat al-Kusoof as prayed by the Messenger
of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), as was reported with a number
of isnaads. Some of these reports are in al-Saheehayn, including the hadeeth
narrated by ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her): “The sun was
eclipsed at the time of the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), and the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
went out, stood up and said Takbeer (‘Allaahu akbar’), and the people
formed rows behind him. The Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) recited a lengthy recitation and did a lengthy rukoo’, then he raised his
head and said, ‘Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah, Rabbanaa wa laka’l-hamd.’
Then he stood upright and recited another lengthy recitation, shorter than the first. Then
he said ‘Allaahu akbar’ and did another lengthy rukoo’, shorter than the
first. Then he said, ‘Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah, Rabbanaa wa
laka’l-hamd.’ Then he did sujood. Then in the second rak’ah he did
likewise, until he had completed four rukoo’s and four sujoods, and the eclipse was
over before he had finished.” (Agreed upon).

It is sunnah to pray Salaat al-Kusoof in jamaa’ah (congregation),
because this is what the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did, but
it is permissible to pray it individually, as with all other naafil prayers. However,
praying it in congregation is better.

It is sunnah for the imaam to address the people after the prayer, and
to warn them against negligence and being led astray, and to tell them to make lots of
du’aa’ and ask for forgiveness. In al-Saheeh it is narrated from
‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet SAWS (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) finished his prayer then addressed the people and started
by praising Allaah then he said, “The sun and the moon are two of the signs of
Allaah, and they do not become eclipsed for the death or the birth of anyone. If you see
that, then call on Allaah, perform salaah, give charity…”

If the prayer ends before the eclipse does, then remember Allaah (dhikr)
and call on Him (du’aa’) until the eclipse ends. The prayer should not be
repeated. If the eclipse ends before the prayer, then the prayer should be completed
quickly, but it should not be stopped or cut off abruptly, because Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): “and render not vain your deeds” [Muhammad
47:33]. The prayer should be at the time of the eclipse, because the Prophet SAWS
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “… until it (the eclipse) is
over…” and he also said, “… until what you are going through is over
…”

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: “Sometimes eclipses last for a
long time, and sometimes for a short time, depending on how much of the sun or moon is
eclipsed. The entire sun or moon may be eclipsed, or only half of it, or one-third. If it
is a total eclipse, then the prayer should last long enough for all of al-Baqarah
or something of similar length to be recited in the first rak’ah, and in the next
rak’ah a shorter recitation is made. There are saheeh ahaadeeth narrated from the
Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), as we have mentioned, and it is
prescribed to shorten the prayer if the reason for it [i.e., the eclipse] is no longer
there. So if it is known that the eclipse will not last for long, or if it started to get
less, one should still pray, but the prayer should be shortened. This is the opinion of
the majority of scholars, because this prayer is prescribed for a specific reason, and if
the reason is no longer there and the eclipse is over, one should not pray.”