Announcing an eclipse before it occurs

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Have you heard some of the brothers from your circle speaking about the warning regarding the eclipse before it occurs, which is written in some of the sorcery texts? Is this correct, and what is the reason for it?

Answer:
Yes, I have written on this and published it, and praise be to Allah, it is now available in print. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him) also prohibited this, as mentioned in the *Fatawa*, because this diminishes the importance of the eclipse prayer among the common people. They say, "This eclipse has happened, and people know about it, so there is nothing to fear because it is ordinary." Announcing it to people before it occurs diminishes its importance and its status in the eyes of the common people, and there is no need for this. There is no doubt that the scholars before us were more knowledgeable about these matters than we are. They understood these matters but did not inform people of them. They did not tell people that an eclipse would occur on such-and-such a day, because this is an affectation and there is no need for it. Also, as we mentioned, it causes people to lose interest in the eclipse and consider it an ordinary thing, unlike if the eclipse were to surprise them and they had not been informed of it beforehand, in which case they would experience some fear of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and awe. There is no doubt that this is something the Salaf did not do, despite their knowledge of the calculations and their understanding of this. They did not inform people and say to them, "Prepare, for you will see the moon or the sun be eclipsed." They did not say this to them, and they did not strive as the Salaf did. As I mentioned, there is a treatise by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim in his *Majmu' al-Fatawa* on this topic, and I have quoted from it in my writing, praise be to Allah. And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad.