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How do you pray Salat al-Kusuf – the prayer during a solar/lunar eclipse

ByShaykh Haytham Tamim

The salah

The salah is performed during the duration of the eclipse, which usually lasts a few minutes. There are two opinions on how many ruku and sujud there are.

Hanafi


1. Two rakʿahs with one rukūʿ each (Hanafi view)

•It is prayed just like any normal nafl prayer: two rakʿahs, each with one rukūʿ and two sujūd.

•The rukūʿ is lengthened, following the report that the Prophet’s ﷺ bowing during the eclipse prayer was prolonged.

Shafi’i, Hanbali and Maliki


2. Two rakʿahs with two rukūʿ in each rakʿah (Shāfiʿī, Hanbalī, many Mālikī scholars)

•Each rakʿah has:

•Opening takbīr, recitation of al-Fātiḥah and a long surah, rukūʿ (prolonged).

•Stand again, recite al-Fātiḥah and another surah, then perform a second rukūʿ.

•Rise, then go into sujūd as normal.

•This is repeated in the second rakʿah, making a total of four rukūʿ and four sujūd in two rakʿahs.

•This method is considered the most common and most authentic according to many hadith.

Variations


3. Two rakʿahs with multiple rukūʿ (reported variations)

•Some narrations mention the Prophet ﷺ performing up to three or even four rukūʿ per rakʿah.

•These are less common practices, but acknowledged by some scholars as valid based on hadith reports.

 Shared elements in all methods

•The recitation is prolonged, especially Sūrat al-Baqarah or similar in length (or as much as one is able).

•Rukūʿ and sujūd are lengthened more than usual.

•After the prayer, the Prophet ﷺ gave a khutbah reminding people to remember Allah, make duʿā, give charity, and seek forgiveness.

As the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) ruku was so prolonged, the people behind him could not see him and thought he had done two ruku.Seek forgiveness

For Muslims, an eclipse is a time of seeking Allah’s forgiveness.

The sun and moon are signs of Allah’s greatness:

And He is the One Who created the day and the night, the sun and the moon—each traveling in an orbit. [21:33]

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that that when there was an eclipse the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed salat al-khusuf and then:

He delivered the Khutba (sermon) and after praising and glorifying Allah 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. So when you see the eclipse, remember Allah and say Takbir, pray and give Sadaqa.” [Bukhari]

Should the salah be prayed in congregation?

Salat al-Kusuf (solar eclipse prayer) and Salat al-Khusuf (lunar eclipse prayer): The Sunnah is to pray them in congregation in the mosque. They can also be prayed individually if you miss the jama‘ah. Recitation: The imam recites silently according to the Hanafi, Shafi‘i and Maliki schools, and aloud according to the Hanbali school.

There no adhan or iqamah. Instead, an announcement was made: “As-salatu jamiʿah” which means “The prayer is gathering.”

Avoid superstitions

Many myths and superstitions have surrounded eclipses throughout history, and some continue today. In parts of South Asia, for example, pregnant women may be told not to go outside during an eclipse or to avoid using knives and scissors for fear of harming their unborn child.

Some people avoid eating or cooking, believe that food becomes contaminated during an eclipse, or feel they must bathe afterwards to remove its harmful effects. None of these beliefs has any basis in Islam.

When an eclipse occurred on the day the Prophet ﷺ’s son Ibrahim died, people thought the two events were connected. The Prophet ﷺ corrected them, saying: “The sun and the moon are two signs among the signs of Allah. They do not eclipse because of the death or birth of anyone.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

An eclipse is not a bad omen or a cause of harm. It is a natural phenomenon and one of Allah’s signs, and the Sunnah teaches us to respond to it with prayer, duʿa, remembrance of Allah and seeking His forgiveness.

Should I watch the eclipse or pray?

It’s definitely better to pra,y but if one does watch the eclipse as an ayah (sign) from Allah and a reminder that’s ok.

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