A Word on the Rulings Specific to the Eclipse Prayer
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The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah; we praise Him, seek His help, and seek His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our own selves and from the evil of our deeds. Whoever Allah guides, no one can mislead, and whoever He misleads, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger. Allah the Exalted sent him with guidance and the religion of truth to make it prevail over all other religions. He conveyed the message, fulfilled the trust, advised the Muslim community, and struggled in the cause of Allah with a true struggle until Allah Mighty and Majestic took him to Himself. May Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.
As for what follows: On this day, Thursday, the sixteenth of the month of Jumada al-Akhirah, we meet with you for the third time this month, in the year 1413, and we ask Allah Glorified and Exalted to make it a blessed and beneficial meeting.
We had been discussing the exegesis of the Noble Qur’an, from the beginning of Surat al-Naba to the end of the Qur’an, because Muslims listen to these surahs and verses frequently, as they are recited in the prayers. However, today we are speaking about an event that occurred yesterday, namely the lunar eclipse.
As we know, an eclipse is an extraordinary event. Allah Mighty and Majestic decrees it as a warning to His servants and to frighten them. An eclipse occurred during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) once in the tenth year, on the twenty-ninth of Shawwal. This eclipse occurred at the beginning of the day when the sun had risen to the height of one or two spears. It was a great eclipse, a total solar eclipse, until the sun appeared like a piece of copper. The people were greatly alarmed by it, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) came out in alarm, dragging his cloak. The narrator said:Sahih al-Bukhari 1059. He (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that it be announced: “The prayer is gathered.” So the people, men and women, gathered to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). He established for this eclipse a unique prayer, a prayer with no counterpart among the other prayers, because this prayer had an occasion with no counterpart: the midday prayer is performed when the sun passes its zenith, which is customary, and the sunset prayer is performed when the sun sets, which is customary, but an eclipse is not customary. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) established for it an unusual prayer.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) prayed it with his Companions and recited aloud, because the prayer is a congregational prayer. For this reason, the scholars said: It is recommended that people gather in the congregational mosques for the eclipse prayer, and that it not be performed in every mosque, but rather the Sunnah is for people to gather in the congregational mosques, because there are more people and it is closer to being answered and to mercy. Indeed, the more the Muslim congregation gathers, the closer they are to the mercy of Allah. As came in the hadith that Allah Glorified and Exalted says to the people standing at 'Arafah, when they are most gathered from the corners of the earth of Muslims:.
The people gathered in the mosque of the Messenger (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him), and he recited for them aloud, a long, long recitation, until some of them fell from their standing due to the intensity of the fatigue. As for the Prophet (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him), there is no wonder that he stood this standing, because it was his (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) custom to prolong his standing until his feet would swell, or even crack. When he was told about it, he would say, when he was told about it, and they would say to him:.
He prolonged his standing a long time, then he bowed and prolonged his bowing a long time, then he raised his head and recited al-Fatihah, then he recited a long, long recitation, but less than the first. Then he bowed a long bowing, but less than the first bowing. Then he raised his head and stood after rising from the bowing without recitation, but with praise, glorification, and magnification of Allah Mighty and Majestic. He prolonged this standing to the extent of the length of the bowing. Then he went down into prostration, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and prolonged the prostration approximately the length of his bowing. Then he raised his head from the first prostration and sat, and prolonged the sitting to the extent of the length of the prostration. Then he prostrated the second prostration and prolonged it like the first prostration. Then he stood for the second rak'ah and prayed it like the first, but with less recitation and less prolongation in the bowing and prostration. Then he finished. He stood among the people as a preacher, (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him), and delivered an eloquent sermon in which he said:Sahih al-Bukhari 1044, because terrestrial events have no effect on the celestial bodies. The celestial bodies move by the command of Allah, and have no relation to what happens on earth. So they change by the command of Allah Mighty and Majestic, not because of the death of a great person, nor because of the birth of a great person.
And he (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said in this eloquent sermon: That Paradise and Hell were shown to him. Paradise was shown to him, and he saw what is in it of pleasure. He advanced a little to take a cluster of grapes from it, and said:, but Allah Glorified and Exalted prevented him from it, because the time had not yet come, as the pleasure of Paradise is not enjoyed by people except on the Day of Resurrection.
Then Hell was shown to him, until he (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) recoiled, retreating in fear of its scorching. He saw in it those who are being punished. He saw in it 'Amr ibn Luhay al-Khuza'i dragging his intestines in the Fire—may Allah protect us from that—because he was the first to introduce shirk (associating partners with Allah) to the Arabs. So he was the first to introduce idols, let free the sacrificial camels, and introduce to the Arabs various types of shirk and open sinfulness. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) saw him being punished in the Fire of Hell.
And he saw in it a woman being punished for a cat she had confined. Because of her confinement of this cat, she did not release it to eat from the insects of the earth, nor did she feed it with drink and food, until the cat died, so she was punished for it.
And he (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) saw the owner of the hooked staff being punished in it. The owner of the hooked staff is a man who steals from pilgrims with his hooked staff. The hooked staff is a staff with a curved head, having a bent tip. He passes by a pilgrim and snatches his belongings. If the pilgrim notices it, he says: “This is what the hooked staff pulled.” And if he does not notice it, he takes it and goes with it, may Allah protect us from that. So he saw him being punished in the Fire of Hell. And he (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said in this sermon:Sunan an-Nasa'i 1474Sahih (Darussalam), meaning: That Allah Glorified and Exalted has great jealousy. If the male slave commits zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) or the female slave commits zina, for this reason He Glorified and Exalted forbade the immoralities, what is apparent of them and what is hidden.
And when this verse was revealed, which is the saying of Allah the Exalted:[An-Nur 24:4], Sa'd ibn Ubadah, who was the leader of the Khazraj, and who was jealous, (may Allah be pleased with him), to the extent that out of his jealousy no one dared to marry his wife after he divorced her, said: (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him).
So he (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) clarified in this hadith that Allah is jealous of the zina of a man or the zina of a woman, and that this is among the causes of the anger and punishment of Allah.
And he said in this great sermon:Sahih al-Bukhari 5221, meaning: If you were certain as he was certain, you would have laughed little and wept much. But we do not have the certainty that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) had.
This eclipse: The Prophet (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) clarified in the sermon that Allah the Exalted creates from His affairs what He wills, and among that is the lunar or solar eclipse. So the lunar eclipse is for the moon and the solar eclipse is for the sun, and sometimes the term eclipse is used for both.
He Glorified and Exalted causes this to frighten His servants with it. So the eclipse is a warning, O brothers, a warning from Allah of a punishment whose causes have been established. It is not a punishment, but it is a warning, as he (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 901f And we do not know what is behind this frightening. There may be immediate or delayed punishments in souls, wealth, children, or family. General or specific punishments, we do not know. For this reason, he (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Sunan an-Nasa'i 1483Hasan (Darussalam). Be alarmed. He did not say: “Stand up,” and he did not say: “Pray” or “Remember Allah,” but he said: “Be alarmed.” Be alarmed to the remembrance of Allah and seeking His forgiveness, and say Allahu Akbar, give charity, pray, and free slaves. All these things indicate the greatness of this eclipse, even though due to the death of hearts in our time, it passes as if it is a natural event. As if the solar eclipse is its setting, so we stand and we pray Maghrib. It eclipses, so we stand and we pray the eclipse prayer without fear or anxiety. We ask Allah to soften our hearts to His remembrance.
The reality is that the matter is serious, and the fact that the eclipse comes and goes with such ease, as if nothing had happened, is a clear indication that there is a trial upon the hearts.[Al-Mutaffifin 83:14-15] We ask Allah not to veil us and you from it.
The student: Amen.
The Shaykh :[Al-Mutaffifin 83:16-17].
In this eclipse, people are divided into two groups:
One group believes in what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said, and that it is to frighten the servants, so they are cautious, afraid, and panic, and they turn to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). We ask Allah to make us and you among this group.
Another group says: These are natural matters with no effect; in fact, the cause of the eclipse is the earth coming between the moon and the sun. This dark part of the moon is the shadow of the earth, which came between it and the sun, just as the shadow of clouds on the earth occurs when they come between the sun and the earth. He says: This is a natural matter, it is not something to frighten with. The evidence for this, he says, is that people know about the eclipse before it happens, and they determine it by the hour and minute, from its beginning, middle, and end. So there is no need to panic and no need to be afraid. Allah has sealed their hearts—may Allah protect us from that—and they did not notice the revelation, nor did they notice that the One who decreed this cause is Allah (Mighty and Majestic); He is the One who decreed this cause.
Who is able to make the earth come between the sun and the moon? Who is able, in a solar eclipse, to make the moon come between the sun and the earth? Who is able to do this except Allah (Mighty and Majestic)?
So if He decrees it, He only decrees it for a wisdom, which is: to frighten the servants. The believing, rational person is able to combine the legislative cause and the cosmic cause, and that is that the eclipse has two causes:
The first cause: Frightening, frightening the servants when sins multiply and disobedience settles upon the hearts. We ask Allah for safety.
And the second cause: A cosmic, decreed cause: which is what people mention, that the cause of the eclipse is the moon coming between the sun and the earth, and the cause of the lunar eclipse is the earth coming between the sun and the moon. It is not impossible that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) makes natural causes to frighten the servants. Have you seen the lightning and floods? Do they have cosmic, decreed causes?
The answer: Yes, they have cosmic, decreed causes, but who created these causes?
Allah (Mighty and Majestic) created them. Allah frightens the servants:[Ar-Ra'd 13:12-13].
So: It is upon us to have hearts that are broad, encompassing the cosmic, which is the decreed cause, and the legislative cause, and we say: Allah the Exalted decrees these causes in order to frighten the servants.
In the prayer of the eclipse, there are several issues:
The first issue: Why was the prayer made in this description, and not like the other prayers? Why? There were two bowings in one unit?
We say: Because its cause is not a customary matter, so that it would be like the customary prayer. The setting of the sun is the cause for the sunset prayer; you pray the sunset prayer as usual, but this is an unusual cause, a sign from the signs of Allah, so it was fitting that the prayer be in an unusual manner to also be a sign from the signs of Allah. But the prayer is a legislative sign and the eclipse is a cosmic, legislative sign.
Now, secondly: Why is the recitation loud in the prayer of the eclipse if it occurs during the day?
Because it is a congregational prayer, and we see that the congregational prayers during the day have loud recitation. The Friday prayer is a daytime prayer, and the recitation is loud in it. Why?
Because it is congregational. The festival prayer is a daytime prayer, and the recitation is loud in it because it is congregational. The prayer for rain is likewise. For this reason, we say: Its recitation became loud because it is a congregational prayer.
Also, we ask: Where is this prayer prescribed? Is it in every mosque?
The answer: In the congregational mosques, this is the best. But if it were the case that people were lazy and each person prayed in his mosque, there is no harm. But the best is that it be in the congregational mosque, as the scholars mentioned, and as is apparent from the Sunnah, where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) ordered that it be called for:Musnad Ahmad 80Da'if because of the weakness of Eesa bin al-Musayyab (Darussalam).
And from it also: Is this prayer prolonged, or why is this prayer prolonged in the recitation, bowing, prostration, standing, and sitting? Why?
Because it is a prayer of awe, in which a person needs to return to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and repent. Also, the eclipse may last a long time. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 1502Sahih (Darussalam), and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the prayer of the eclipse remained until the sun cleared, so he did not finish his prayer until it had cleared. And we mentioned at the beginning of our speech that the eclipse that occurred in his time was a total solar eclipse, and this usually takes a long time. And I mentioned to you that some of the Companions would fall from fatigue and exhaustion due to the length of the recitation.
So: It is prolonged because the norm is that the time of the eclipse is long. So if it is decreed that we did not know about the eclipse until it began to clear, and when it begins to clear, sometimes it clears quickly, do we pray or not?
The answer: We pray. And if the sun or moon clears while we are praying, we shorten the prayer. We shorten the prayer because it is a prayer with a cause that is restricted by its duration. So if we did not know about the eclipse until after it had completely cleared, do we make it up?
No, we do not make it up, because this prayer is for a cause that has ceased. And the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) says:Sunan an-Nasa'i 1502Sahih (Darussalam).
And from the issues that arise regarding the prayer of the eclipse: It has two bowings in every unit. So if a latecomer comes and enters with the imam after the first bowing, does he catch up with the unit?
The answer: No, because the unit is not caught up with except by catching up with the first bowing. So if you come and the imam is in the first unit and has risen from the first bowing, you have missed the first unit. So when he concludes, you stand and make up a complete unit with two bowings and two prostrations, because catching up with the unit in the prayer of the eclipse is not except by catching up with the first bowing. And this is an issue that is hidden from many people. Many people, when they catch up with the second bowing, think that they have caught up with the unit, and that is not the case, because a bowing remains for him in the unit. How can you be one who catches up with the unit when you have missed the bowing?
And from what is asked: Is the sermon in the prayer of the eclipse from the regular sermons or from the occasional sermons? Yes?
The student: Occasional.
The Shaykh : If the eclipse had occurred in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) two or three times, and he gave a sermon in one instance and left it in another instance, we would say: This is from the occasional sermons, because he did it and left it. But it only occurred once and he gave a sermon. For this reason, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed: Is it from the regular sermons, such that we say: It is recommended for the imam to give a sermon to the people in all cases? Or is it from the occasional sermons, which if he wishes he stands for it and if he wishes he does not stand?
And what is clear to me is that it is from the regular sermons, and that it is recommended for every one who prays and has the ability to give a sermon to the people, because of what is in that of stirring the feeling and explaining the greatness of this event, so that the people do not leave this place without a sermon. So what I see is that it is from the regular sermons that are recommended in all cases. Whenever he prays the prayer of the eclipse and the imam has the ability, let him speak to the people and admonish them. If he is not able and there is among the people one who is able, let him ask him and say: O so-and-so, stand and tell us, and he will tell the people like what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) told them.
And from the issues that arise regarding the prayer of the eclipse: If it is called for, does he say the takbir and the tashahhud?
The answer: No, but he says: The prayer is congregational. And how many times does he repeat it?
He repeats it three or four times, or five times, but the best is that he cuts it off on an odd number, and he repeats it according to the need. For example, if the eclipse occurs at a time when people are awake and alert, then there is no need for a long repetition, because the people are awake and alert. But if it occurs during the night, as in the lunar eclipse last night, then he repeats it until he is convinced that he has conveyed it, because the people are sleeping, and in the norm, in the days of winter, they are in the houses with the doors closed on them, so they do not hear. So the repetition of the call for the prayer of the eclipse is according to the need; if they need a lot of repetition, he does it, and if not, he does not.
Perhaps we should limit ourselves to what we have mentioned so that we do not take up too much time regarding the rulings of the eclipse prayer. We ask Allah the Exalted to make us and you among those who take heed of the signs of Allah and benefit from them, and to give us and you a good life, and to cause us to die upon faith, and to make us among His sincere servants. Indeed, He is the One capable of that and able to do it. And all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and all his Companions.
As for what follows: On this day, Thursday, the sixteenth of the month of Jumada al-Akhirah, we meet with you for the third time this month, in the year 1413, and we ask Allah Glorified and Exalted to make it a blessed and beneficial meeting.
We had been discussing the exegesis of the Noble Qur’an, from the beginning of Surat al-Naba to the end of the Qur’an, because Muslims listen to these surahs and verses frequently, as they are recited in the prayers. However, today we are speaking about an event that occurred yesterday, namely the lunar eclipse.
As we know, an eclipse is an extraordinary event. Allah Mighty and Majestic decrees it as a warning to His servants and to frighten them. An eclipse occurred during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) once in the tenth year, on the twenty-ninth of Shawwal. This eclipse occurred at the beginning of the day when the sun had risen to the height of one or two spears. It was a great eclipse, a total solar eclipse, until the sun appeared like a piece of copper. The people were greatly alarmed by it, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) came out in alarm, dragging his cloak. The narrator said:
being afraid that it might be the Hour
يخشى أن تكون الساعةThe Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) prayed it with his Companions and recited aloud, because the prayer is a congregational prayer. For this reason, the scholars said: It is recommended that people gather in the congregational mosques for the eclipse prayer, and that it not be performed in every mosque, but rather the Sunnah is for people to gather in the congregational mosques, because there are more people and it is closer to being answered and to mercy. Indeed, the more the Muslim congregation gathers, the closer they are to the mercy of Allah. As came in the hadith that Allah Glorified and Exalted says to the people standing at 'Arafah, when they are most gathered from the corners of the earth of Muslims:
Depart, for you have been forgiven
انصرفوا مغفورًا لكمThe people gathered in the mosque of the Messenger (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him), and he recited for them aloud, a long, long recitation, until some of them fell from their standing due to the intensity of the fatigue. As for the Prophet (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him), there is no wonder that he stood this standing, because it was his (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) custom to prolong his standing until his feet would swell, or even crack. When he was told about it, he would say, when he was told about it, and they would say to him:
Had not Allah already forgiven you for what has passed of your sins and what is to come? He said, may Allah’s prayers and blessings be upon him: Do I not love to be a grateful servant?
ألم يكن الله قد غفر لك ما تقدم من ذنبك وما تأخر؟ فيقول عليه الصلاة والسلام: أفلا أحب أن أكون عبداً شكوراًHe prolonged his standing a long time, then he bowed and prolonged his bowing a long time, then he raised his head and recited al-Fatihah, then he recited a long, long recitation, but less than the first. Then he bowed a long bowing, but less than the first bowing. Then he raised his head and stood after rising from the bowing without recitation, but with praise, glorification, and magnification of Allah Mighty and Majestic. He prolonged this standing to the extent of the length of the bowing. Then he went down into prostration, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and prolonged the prostration approximately the length of his bowing. Then he raised his head from the first prostration and sat, and prolonged the sitting to the extent of the length of the prostration. Then he prostrated the second prostration and prolonged it like the first prostration. Then he stood for the second rak'ah and prayed it like the first, but with less recitation and less prolongation in the bowing and prostration. Then he finished. He stood among the people as a preacher, (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him), and delivered an eloquent sermon in which he said:
The sun and the moon are two signs against the signs of Allah; they do not eclipse on the death or life of anyone.
إن الشمس والقمر آيتان من آيات الله، لا ينخسفان لموت أحد، ولا لحياة أحدAnd he (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said in this eloquent sermon: That Paradise and Hell were shown to him. Paradise was shown to him, and he saw what is in it of pleasure. He advanced a little to take a cluster of grapes from it, and said:
If I had taken it, it would have remained for you as long as the world remains
لو أني أخذته لبقي لكم ما بقيت الدنياThen Hell was shown to him, until he (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) recoiled, retreating in fear of its scorching. He saw in it those who are being punished. He saw in it 'Amr ibn Luhay al-Khuza'i dragging his intestines in the Fire—may Allah protect us from that—because he was the first to introduce shirk (associating partners with Allah) to the Arabs. So he was the first to introduce idols, let free the sacrificial camels, and introduce to the Arabs various types of shirk and open sinfulness. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) saw him being punished in the Fire of Hell.
And he saw in it a woman being punished for a cat she had confined. Because of her confinement of this cat, she did not release it to eat from the insects of the earth, nor did she feed it with drink and food, until the cat died, so she was punished for it.
And he (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) saw the owner of the hooked staff being punished in it. The owner of the hooked staff is a man who steals from pilgrims with his hooked staff. The hooked staff is a staff with a curved head, having a bent tip. He passes by a pilgrim and snatches his belongings. If the pilgrim notices it, he says: “This is what the hooked staff pulled.” And if he does not notice it, he takes it and goes with it, may Allah protect us from that. So he saw him being punished in the Fire of Hell. And he (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said in this sermon:
O Ummah of Muhammad! There is no one more jealous than Allah (SWT), the Mighty and Sublime, when his male or female slave commits zina.
يا أمة محمد ما من أحد أغيرُ من الله عز وجل أن يزنيَ عبدُه أو تزنيَ أمتُهAnd when this verse was revealed, which is the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And those who accuse chaste women and then do not produce four witnesses - lash them with eighty lashes and do not accept from them testimony ever after. And those are the defiantly disobedient,
وَالَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَأْتُوا بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَاءَ فَاجْلِدُوهُمْ ثَمَانِينَ جَلْدَةً وَلا تَقْبَلُوا لَهُمْ شَهَادَةً أَبَداً وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَO Messenger of Allah! What do you think if I saw Lu‘ayn ibn Lu‘ayn—and this is a description of blame—on my wife? Should I go until I bring four witnesses? By Allah, I would strike him with the sword, not with its flat side—meaning: I would strike him with the edge of the sword, not its flat side, meaning I would kill him. The Prophet, may Allah’s prayers and blessings be upon him, said: Are you not amazed at the jealousy of Sa‘d? By Allah, I am more jealous than Sa‘d, and Allah is more jealous than me
يا رسول الله! أرأيتَ إن رأيتُ لُكَع بن لُكَع -وهذا وصف ذم- على امرأتي، أذهب حتى آتي بأربعة شهداء، والله لأضربنه بالسيف غير مصفَّح -يعني: أضربه بحد السيف لا بصفحته يعني فأقتله- فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: ألا تعجبون من غَيرة سعد، والله إني لأغيرُ من سعد، وإن الله لأغير منيSo he (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) clarified in this hadith that Allah is jealous of the zina of a man or the zina of a woman, and that this is among the causes of the anger and punishment of Allah.
And he said in this great sermon:
O followers of Muhammad! If you but knew what I know, you would laugh less and weep more!
يا أمة محمد لو تعلمون ما أعلم لضحكتم قليلاً ولبكيتم كثيرا ًThis eclipse: The Prophet (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) clarified in the sermon that Allah the Exalted creates from His affairs what He wills, and among that is the lunar or solar eclipse. So the lunar eclipse is for the moon and the solar eclipse is for the sun, and sometimes the term eclipse is used for both.
He Glorified and Exalted causes this to frighten His servants with it. So the eclipse is a warning, O brothers, a warning from Allah of a punishment whose causes have been established. It is not a punishment, but it is a warning, as he (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
with which Allah terrifies His servants
يخوف الله بهما عبادهIf you see that then hasted to remember Allah (SWT)
إذا رأيتم ذلك فافزعوا إلى ذكر اللهThe reality is that the matter is serious, and the fact that the eclipse comes and goes with such ease, as if nothing had happened, is a clear indication that there is a trial upon the hearts.
(14) No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning. (15) No! Indeed, from their Lord, that Day, they will be partitioned.
كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ * كَلاَّ إِنَّهُمْ عَنْ رَبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَمَحْجُوبُونَThe student: Amen.
The Shaykh :
(16) Then indeed, they will [enter and] burn in Hellfire. (17) Then it will be said [to them], "This is what you used to deny."
ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمْ لَصَالُوا الْجَحِيمِ * ثُمَّ يُقَالُ هَذَا الَّذِي كُنتُمْ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَIn this eclipse, people are divided into two groups:
One group believes in what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said, and that it is to frighten the servants, so they are cautious, afraid, and panic, and they turn to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). We ask Allah to make us and you among this group.
Another group says: These are natural matters with no effect; in fact, the cause of the eclipse is the earth coming between the moon and the sun. This dark part of the moon is the shadow of the earth, which came between it and the sun, just as the shadow of clouds on the earth occurs when they come between the sun and the earth. He says: This is a natural matter, it is not something to frighten with. The evidence for this, he says, is that people know about the eclipse before it happens, and they determine it by the hour and minute, from its beginning, middle, and end. So there is no need to panic and no need to be afraid. Allah has sealed their hearts—may Allah protect us from that—and they did not notice the revelation, nor did they notice that the One who decreed this cause is Allah (Mighty and Majestic); He is the One who decreed this cause.
Who is able to make the earth come between the sun and the moon? Who is able, in a solar eclipse, to make the moon come between the sun and the earth? Who is able to do this except Allah (Mighty and Majestic)?
So if He decrees it, He only decrees it for a wisdom, which is: to frighten the servants. The believing, rational person is able to combine the legislative cause and the cosmic cause, and that is that the eclipse has two causes:
The first cause: Frightening, frightening the servants when sins multiply and disobedience settles upon the hearts. We ask Allah for safety.
And the second cause: A cosmic, decreed cause: which is what people mention, that the cause of the eclipse is the moon coming between the sun and the earth, and the cause of the lunar eclipse is the earth coming between the sun and the moon. It is not impossible that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) makes natural causes to frighten the servants. Have you seen the lightning and floods? Do they have cosmic, decreed causes?
The answer: Yes, they have cosmic, decreed causes, but who created these causes?
Allah (Mighty and Majestic) created them. Allah frightens the servants:
(12) It is He who shows you lightening, [causing] fear and aspiration, and generates the heavy clouds. (13) And the thunder exalts [Allah] with praise of Him - and the angels [as well] from fear of Him - and He sends thunderbolts and strikes therewith whom He wills while they dispute about Allah; and He is severe in assault.
هُوَ الَّذِي يُرِيكُمُ الْبَرْقَ خَوْفاً وَطَمَعاً وَيُنْشِئُ السَّحَابَ الثِّقَالَ * وَيُسَبِّحُ الرَّعْدُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَالْمَلائِكَةُ مِنْ خِيفَتِهِ وَيُرْسِلُ الصَّوَاعِقَ فَيُصِيبُ بِهَا مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَهُمْ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي اللَّهِ وَهُوَ شَدِيدُ الْمِحَالِSo: It is upon us to have hearts that are broad, encompassing the cosmic, which is the decreed cause, and the legislative cause, and we say: Allah the Exalted decrees these causes in order to frighten the servants.
In the prayer of the eclipse, there are several issues:
The first issue: Why was the prayer made in this description, and not like the other prayers? Why? There were two bowings in one unit?
We say: Because its cause is not a customary matter, so that it would be like the customary prayer. The setting of the sun is the cause for the sunset prayer; you pray the sunset prayer as usual, but this is an unusual cause, a sign from the signs of Allah, so it was fitting that the prayer be in an unusual manner to also be a sign from the signs of Allah. But the prayer is a legislative sign and the eclipse is a cosmic, legislative sign.
Now, secondly: Why is the recitation loud in the prayer of the eclipse if it occurs during the day?
Because it is a congregational prayer, and we see that the congregational prayers during the day have loud recitation. The Friday prayer is a daytime prayer, and the recitation is loud in it. Why?
Because it is congregational. The festival prayer is a daytime prayer, and the recitation is loud in it because it is congregational. The prayer for rain is likewise. For this reason, we say: Its recitation became loud because it is a congregational prayer.
Also, we ask: Where is this prayer prescribed? Is it in every mosque?
The answer: In the congregational mosques, this is the best. But if it were the case that people were lazy and each person prayed in his mosque, there is no harm. But the best is that it be in the congregational mosque, as the scholars mentioned, and as is apparent from the Sunnah, where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) ordered that it be called for:
`As-salatu jami'ah (prayer is about to begin),` and it was the first time that this call of `as-salatu jami'ah` went out to the people. The people gathered
الصلاة جامعة، فاجتمع الناسAnd from it also: Is this prayer prolonged, or why is this prayer prolonged in the recitation, bowing, prostration, standing, and sitting? Why?
Because it is a prayer of awe, in which a person needs to return to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and repent. Also, the eclipse may last a long time. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
then pray and supplicate until it removed it from you.
صلوا وادعوا حتى ينكشف ما بكمSo: It is prolonged because the norm is that the time of the eclipse is long. So if it is decreed that we did not know about the eclipse until it began to clear, and when it begins to clear, sometimes it clears quickly, do we pray or not?
The answer: We pray. And if the sun or moon clears while we are praying, we shorten the prayer. We shorten the prayer because it is a prayer with a cause that is restricted by its duration. So if we did not know about the eclipse until after it had completely cleared, do we make it up?
No, we do not make it up, because this prayer is for a cause that has ceased. And the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) says:
then pray and supplicate until it removed it from you.
صلوا وادعوا حتى ينكشف ما بكمAnd from the issues that arise regarding the prayer of the eclipse: It has two bowings in every unit. So if a latecomer comes and enters with the imam after the first bowing, does he catch up with the unit?
The answer: No, because the unit is not caught up with except by catching up with the first bowing. So if you come and the imam is in the first unit and has risen from the first bowing, you have missed the first unit. So when he concludes, you stand and make up a complete unit with two bowings and two prostrations, because catching up with the unit in the prayer of the eclipse is not except by catching up with the first bowing. And this is an issue that is hidden from many people. Many people, when they catch up with the second bowing, think that they have caught up with the unit, and that is not the case, because a bowing remains for him in the unit. How can you be one who catches up with the unit when you have missed the bowing?
And from what is asked: Is the sermon in the prayer of the eclipse from the regular sermons or from the occasional sermons? Yes?
The student: Occasional.
The Shaykh : If the eclipse had occurred in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) two or three times, and he gave a sermon in one instance and left it in another instance, we would say: This is from the occasional sermons, because he did it and left it. But it only occurred once and he gave a sermon. For this reason, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed: Is it from the regular sermons, such that we say: It is recommended for the imam to give a sermon to the people in all cases? Or is it from the occasional sermons, which if he wishes he stands for it and if he wishes he does not stand?
And what is clear to me is that it is from the regular sermons, and that it is recommended for every one who prays and has the ability to give a sermon to the people, because of what is in that of stirring the feeling and explaining the greatness of this event, so that the people do not leave this place without a sermon. So what I see is that it is from the regular sermons that are recommended in all cases. Whenever he prays the prayer of the eclipse and the imam has the ability, let him speak to the people and admonish them. If he is not able and there is among the people one who is able, let him ask him and say: O so-and-so, stand and tell us, and he will tell the people like what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) told them.
And from the issues that arise regarding the prayer of the eclipse: If it is called for, does he say the takbir and the tashahhud?
The answer: No, but he says: The prayer is congregational. And how many times does he repeat it?
He repeats it three or four times, or five times, but the best is that he cuts it off on an odd number, and he repeats it according to the need. For example, if the eclipse occurs at a time when people are awake and alert, then there is no need for a long repetition, because the people are awake and alert. But if it occurs during the night, as in the lunar eclipse last night, then he repeats it until he is convinced that he has conveyed it, because the people are sleeping, and in the norm, in the days of winter, they are in the houses with the doors closed on them, so they do not hear. So the repetition of the call for the prayer of the eclipse is according to the need; if they need a lot of repetition, he does it, and if not, he does not.
Perhaps we should limit ourselves to what we have mentioned so that we do not take up too much time regarding the rulings of the eclipse prayer. We ask Allah the Exalted to make us and you among those who take heed of the signs of Allah and benefit from them, and to give us and you a good life, and to cause us to die upon faith, and to make us among His sincere servants. Indeed, He is the One capable of that and able to do it. And all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and all his Companions.