Assalamu’alaikum All
Please note that a total lunar eclipse is now happening …
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/06/110615-lunar-eclipse-google-solar-video-live-feed-space-science-google-youtube/
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
All praise and thanks belong to Allah, the creator of the heavens and the earth, and the sun and the moon. May His peace and blessings be upon he whom He sent with the truth to prevail over all religions, Muhammad ibn Abdullah, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam.
Prophet Muhammad sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam said, “The sun and the moon are two of Allah’s signs; they are not eclipsed due to the death or the life of anyone. So when you see them (the eclipse of the moon or sun) supplicate to Allah and offer prayers until the eclipse is over.” [Agreed upon]
O believers, our mother, ‘Aisha radiAllahu anha, narrated: Allah’s Messenger sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam recited (from the Qur’an) in an audible voice in the prayer at an eclipse, and prayed two *Rak’at *in which he bowed four times and prostrated four times. [Agreed upon, and the wording is Muslim’s] In another narration of Muslim: “He sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam sent an announcer to announce: The prayer is (to be offered) in congregation (‘As-salaatu jaami’ah).”
In describing the prayer offered at the time of an eclipse Ibn Abbas radiAllahu anhu narrated: There was an eclipse of the sun in the life-time of Allah’s Messenger sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam and then he prayed and stood for a long time, about as long as it would take to recite Surat al-Baqarah. Then, he bowed for a long time, and then he raised his head and stood for a long time, which was less than the first standing. Then, he bowed again for a long time, which was less than the first bowing. Then, he prostrated (twice) and then he stood for a long time, which was less than the first time standing. Then, he bowed for a long time, which was less than the first bowing. Then, he raised his head and stood up for a long time, which was less than the first standing. Then, he bowed for a long time, which was less than the first bowing. Then, he prostrated (twice), and then he finished (the prayer), and the sun had become bright. He then delivered a Khutbah (religious talk, sermon). [Agreed upon, and the wording is Bukhari’s]
In other narrations, it is reported he sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam bowed 3, 4 and 5 bowings in the first Rak’at and again in the second Rak’at each with 2 prostrations.
In short and drawing from Umdatul-Fiqh, the eclipse prayer (*Salatul Kusuf *or Salatul Khusuf):
· Is recommended to perform in congregation but on one’s own is permissible
· If there is an eclipse people should rush to the prayer
· The person begins with takbir then recites Surah al-Fatihah then a very long Surah in an audible voice. Then he goes into *Ruku *(bowing) and performs a long Ruku. He then rises and recites as in the first Rak’at but with a slightly shorter Surah than before. He then makes another (second) very long Ruku albeit a little shorter than the one which occurred before. Then he (rises and then) performs two very long sujud (prostrations) before standing to do the same again.
On Qatar time tonight (UK is -2 hours), the Peninsula newspaper reports, “The eclipse (of the moon) will begin at around 9.23pm (local time) partially and move to a total phase at 10.22pm, according to NASA’s eclipse predictions. The total phase will end at 00.03 while the partial stage will come to an end at 1.02 am. The total eclipse will be at its peak at 11.13pm.”
It is important to note that the eclipse prayer is not performed according to calculations but upon sighting the eclipse.
Not a common occurrence, tonight’s eclipse affords many of us the chance to practice a (surely) rarely practiced Sunnah.
And all praise belongs to Allah subhaanahu wa ta’la.
for sharing