Is it permissible for a person to repeat the eclipse prayer voluntarily and alone, and by what does one catch up with the eclipse prayer, and if a person misses the first rak'ah, how does he make it up?
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The questioner : There are more than one question regarding the topic of the eclipse, but among them, it says, may his eminenceThe Shaykh : Is it permissible for a person to repeat the eclipse prayer voluntarily and alone, and by what does one catch up with the eclipse prayer, by the first rak'ah or the second? And another person also says, I missed only the first rak'ah, so how do I make up my prayer after the taslim, because I saw some people say the taslim and others complete it, and I do not know how to make it up?
The Shaykh : Yes, the eclipse prayer is a collective obligation (fard kifayah); it is not permissible for Muslims to leave it. Some scholars said that it is an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) and that it is obligatory for every person to pray the eclipse prayer. The majority of scholars are of the opinion that it is a confirmed recommended practice (sunnah muakkadah). The most correct of the opinions is that it is a collective obligation (fard kifayah) and that it must be prayed. Its performance, as is known, has no counterpart in the other prayers, because it is prayed as follows: First, one says the takbir and recites al-Fatihah, then recites a very long recitation, then bows in a long ruku', then stands up and repeats the recitation, meaning he recites al-Fatihah and a long surah, but shorter than the first, then bows and prolongs the ruku', then stands up and prolongs the standing, then prostrates and prolongs the sujud, then stands up and prolongs the sitting, then prostrates and prolongs the sujud, then stands up for the second rak'ah and does what he did in the first, except that it is shorter in everything he does, then he says the taslim. If the ma'mum catches the first ruku', he has caught the rak'ah; if he misses the first ruku', he has missed the rak'ah. For example, if you come and the imam is in the first rak'ah but has already risen from the first ruku', this rak'ah is not counted for you; you have missed it. So when the imam says the taslim, you stand up and make up the first rak'ah with its two ruku's. That is, you stand up, then recite al-Fatihah and a surah, then bow, then stand up, then recite al-Fatihah and a surah, then bow, then stand up, then prostrate. That is, you make it up in the manner in which it was missed. So the rule is: if one misses the first ruku', the answer is: he has missed the rak'ah, so he makes it up entirely with its two ruku's and two sujuds. If the prayer ends and the eclipse is still present, what is recommended is that you remain in the mosque or in your house, but you make du'a' and seek forgiveness. If you wish, you may pray. However, its performance in congregation is not repeated according to the correct opinion, even if the people leave before the eclipse clears; they do not repeat the prayer in congregation. But if one wishes to pray alone until it clears, there is no harm. Some people asked me and said, "The sunnah is to prolong in this prayer, but if it is difficult for the people, what should I do?" We say: Do the sunnah. I am not more merciful to the creation than the Messenger of Truth (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) prolonged the eclipse prayer with a long prolongation, until some of the Companions, despite their strength and love for good, some of them fainted and fell down from the length of the standing. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left his prayer and the sun had cleared, even though its eclipse was total, a total eclipse as mentioned by the historians. This implies that it remained for three hours or so, and the whole time the Messenger was reciting and praying (peace and blessings be upon him). He did not say, "I will have mercy on the creation and shorten and lighten it." I do the sunnah; whoever is able to follow me, let him follow me, and whoever is not able, let him sit and complete the prayer sitting. If he cannot even sit, as if he has urinated or defecated, let him leave. The matter is broad. As for leaving the sunnah because of the weakness of some of the worshippers, that is not correct.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Those who pray after the imam, meaning, for example, if a person chooses to remain and pray until it clears, let him pray two rak'ahs, two rak'ahs, yes.
The questioner : Is there a specific surah, for example?
The Shaykh : No, there is no specific surah, but he prolongs, yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, the eclipse prayer is a collective obligation (fard kifayah); it is not permissible for Muslims to leave it. Some scholars said that it is an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) and that it is obligatory for every person to pray the eclipse prayer. The majority of scholars are of the opinion that it is a confirmed recommended practice (sunnah muakkadah). The most correct of the opinions is that it is a collective obligation (fard kifayah) and that it must be prayed. Its performance, as is known, has no counterpart in the other prayers, because it is prayed as follows: First, one says the takbir and recites al-Fatihah, then recites a very long recitation, then bows in a long ruku', then stands up and repeats the recitation, meaning he recites al-Fatihah and a long surah, but shorter than the first, then bows and prolongs the ruku', then stands up and prolongs the standing, then prostrates and prolongs the sujud, then stands up and prolongs the sitting, then prostrates and prolongs the sujud, then stands up for the second rak'ah and does what he did in the first, except that it is shorter in everything he does, then he says the taslim. If the ma'mum catches the first ruku', he has caught the rak'ah; if he misses the first ruku', he has missed the rak'ah. For example, if you come and the imam is in the first rak'ah but has already risen from the first ruku', this rak'ah is not counted for you; you have missed it. So when the imam says the taslim, you stand up and make up the first rak'ah with its two ruku's. That is, you stand up, then recite al-Fatihah and a surah, then bow, then stand up, then recite al-Fatihah and a surah, then bow, then stand up, then prostrate. That is, you make it up in the manner in which it was missed. So the rule is: if one misses the first ruku', the answer is: he has missed the rak'ah, so he makes it up entirely with its two ruku's and two sujuds. If the prayer ends and the eclipse is still present, what is recommended is that you remain in the mosque or in your house, but you make du'a' and seek forgiveness. If you wish, you may pray. However, its performance in congregation is not repeated according to the correct opinion, even if the people leave before the eclipse clears; they do not repeat the prayer in congregation. But if one wishes to pray alone until it clears, there is no harm. Some people asked me and said, "The sunnah is to prolong in this prayer, but if it is difficult for the people, what should I do?" We say: Do the sunnah. I am not more merciful to the creation than the Messenger of Truth (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) prolonged the eclipse prayer with a long prolongation, until some of the Companions, despite their strength and love for good, some of them fainted and fell down from the length of the standing. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left his prayer and the sun had cleared, even though its eclipse was total, a total eclipse as mentioned by the historians. This implies that it remained for three hours or so, and the whole time the Messenger was reciting and praying (peace and blessings be upon him). He did not say, "I will have mercy on the creation and shorten and lighten it." I do the sunnah; whoever is able to follow me, let him follow me, and whoever is not able, let him sit and complete the prayer sitting. If he cannot even sit, as if he has urinated or defecated, let him leave. The matter is broad. As for leaving the sunnah because of the weakness of some of the worshippers, that is not correct.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Those who pray after the imam, meaning, for example, if a person chooses to remain and pray until it clears, let him pray two rak'ahs, two rak'ahs, yes.
The questioner : Is there a specific surah, for example?
The Shaykh : No, there is no specific surah, but he prolongs, yes.