The Manner of the Eclipse Prayer.

The Shaykh : Then, when the sun was eclipsed, and the eclipse was total, and it occurred after the sun had risen by the length of a spear or two spears, meaning approximately two-thirds of an hour after its rising, and the day was very hot, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was greatly alarmed. He stood up quickly until he caught up with his cloak, and he went out to the people and ordered a caller to announce: "The prayer is gathered." The Muslims, men and women, gathered in the mosque to see what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would do. It is known that when the solar eclipse is total, the world becomes dark; the world did become dark, and it was announced: "The prayer is gathered." The Muslims gathered, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led them in a long standing. He prayed a prayer unlike any previously known. Why? Because the eclipse was unlike any previously known, the prayer was unlike any previously known. Therefore, it is said: a legal sign for a cosmic sign, a legal sign for a cosmic sign. What is the legal sign? The student. No, stand up. A legal sign for a cosmic sign, okay. The legal sign: the prayer, because it has no counterpart in the prayers. For a cosmic sign: the solar eclipse that occurred. He recited a long recitation, so much so that the Companions, despite their strength in the religion of Allah and the robustness of their bodies, some of them fainted from the faintness, they were overcome by faintness. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), in the last of his life, and yet he remained standing in the first standing for the length of Surat al-Baqarah. How long is al-Baqarah? Approximately two and a half juz. And yet he continued to recite (peace and blessings be upon him). Then he bowed in a very long bowing. Then he stood up and recited al-Fatihah and a long surah, but shorter than the first. This is from the wisdom of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): he begins the prayer with length and then shortens it. Because if people begin with length, they may be overtaken by laziness, boredom, or weakness and fatigue. So the first part of the prayer was long and the last part was short. Even in the five daily prayers, he lengthens the first rak'ah of the midday prayer more than the second, and likewise the afternoon prayer, and likewise the dawn prayer, for this wisdom. Then he recited a long recitation, shorter than the first. Then he bowed in a long bowing, shorter than the first. Then he stood up and said: "Allah hears the one who praises Him." And he stood in a long standing, approximately the length of his bowing, except that he did not recite. Then he prostrated in a long prostration. Then he sat between the two prostrations in a long sitting. Then he prostrated in a long prostration. Then he stood up for the second rak'ah and did as in the first, except that it was lighter than it. And he concluded, and the sun had cleared. And you know that when the eclipse is total, its duration is long, but the Messenger lengthened the prayer.