I received this email yesterday, since it was related i thought i’d post it. Hope it helps
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Date: 09 January 2001
Subject: FW: Info on Lunar Eclipse Tonight
Assalaamu-Alaikum
Here’s some info on the lunar eclipse which should be a spectacular sky
event visible tonight, if Allah wills. Also some information on fiqq,
issues concerning the eclipse.
First Red Moon of the Millennium
In the early evening of 9 January, South Africans will be able to see
the
start of the first total lunar eclipse of the 3rd millennium. The last
total
lunar eclipse seen from South Africa was on 16 September 1997 and there
will not be another till 16 May 2003.
The full Moon of 9 January will be `eclipsed’ as it passes through the
Earth’s shadow, but the Moon won’t be completely dark. A totally
eclipsed
Moon usually appears copper-orange to red, for the same reason that the
western sky looks orange-to-red after sunset. The Earth’s atmosphere
bends
the sun’s light so that some light always reaches the surface of the
Moon.
What gets through is mostly red light; the exact colour depends on the
amount of pollution, dust and smoke in the air. Historically eclipses,
both
solar and lunar, were regarded as bad omens, especially when astronomy
wasn’t sufficiently developed to predict when
they would happen.
Today when we can predict eclipses to the second, they remain majestic
natural spectacles - and unlike our ancestors we don’t have to be
afraid of
them.
The Earth’s shadow has two parts. In the penumbra', direct sunlight is only partially blocked. When the Moon enters the penumbra at 19:44, the Moon will begin getting dimmer, but the effect will be very hard to see. At 20:42 the Moon will enter the umbra’, the much darker part of the shadow where
direct
sunlight is completely blocked and only the red glow of the Earth’s
atmosphere lights the Moon. The right side of the Moon will begin to
darken,
and it will look as though some of the Moon is missing. By the time all
of
the Moon is inside the umbra, at 21:50, it will have changed colour.
This
`total’ phase of the eclipse lasts just over an hour, ending at 22:52,
and
the Moon leaves the umbra at 23:59. The eclipse ends when the Moon
leaves
the penumbra and returns into full sunlight at 00:58 on 10 January.
An extract from Sayyid Sabiq’s Fiqqus-Sunnah. This is to the best of
my
knowledge the best reference I could find on the subject, but Allah
knows
best.
Salatul Kasuf, prayer of the solar and lunar eclipse
The scholars agree that the prayer of the eclipses is a sunnah
mu’akkadah, a
stressed one, which is to be performed by both men and women. It is
best to
pray it in congregation although the congregation is not a condition
for it.
The people are called to it by announcing as-salatu jami’ah “prayer in
congregation.” The majority of the scholars hold that it is to consist
of
two rak’at and that in every rak’ah one is to perform two bowings
(ruku’)
instead of the customary one.
‘Aishah narrates: "There was a solar eclipse during the time of the
Prophet
sallallahu alehi wasallam and the Prophet went to the mosque, and he
stood
and made the takbir, and he put the people in rows behind him, and he
made a
lengthy recital during the salah. Next, he made the takbir and made a
long
ruku’, but it was not as long as the recital.
Following that, he raised his head, saying: ‘Allah hears him who
praises
Him. And to You, our Lord, belongs the praise.’ Afterward, he stood and
made
another long recital but it was shorter than the first one. Again, he
made
the takbir and made a ruku’ that was shorter than the first one. Then,
again
he said: ‘Allah hears him who praises Him. And to You, our Lord,
belongs the
praise.’ After this, he prostrated. He did the same in the next rak’ah
and
finished four ruku’ and four sujjud. The sun appeared again before he
finished. Finally, he stood and addressed the people and praised Allah
as He
deserves it and said:
‘The sun and the moon are two signs from among Allah’s signs and there
is no
eclipse due to someone’s death or life. If you see them occurring,
hurry to
pray.’" This is related by alBukhari and Muslim.
Bukhari and Muslim also record that Ibn ‘Abbas said: "There was a solar
eclipse during the life time of the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam
and he
prayed with a long standing, similar to what it takes to recite
alBaqarah.
Then, he made a long ruku’. After which, he stood and made another long
recital but shorter than the first one. Again he went into ruku’, but
for a
shorter time than in the first one. Following this, he made sajdah
[twice].
Next he made another long standing (qiyam) which was also not as long
as the
first. After that, he made another lengthy ruku’ but it was not as long
as
the first one. Again, he made another long qiyam [and recital] but it
was
not as long as the first one. After which, he made another lengthy
ruku’ but
it was not as long as the previous one.
Following this, he went into sajdah [and so on]. When he had finished,
the
sun had appeared. He concluded his prayer and said: ‘The sun and the
moon
are two signs from the signs of Allah, and there is no eclipse due to
the
death or life of anyone. If you see it, make remembrance of Allah.’"
Grading
these reports, Ibn Abdul Barr says: “These two hadith are the most
authentic
reports on this topic.”
Ibn al-Qayyim observes: “The authentic, clear, and prepondering sunnah
concerning salatul kasuf is that the ruku’ is to be repeated [twice] in
every rak’ah. This is based on the hadith from 'Aishah, Ibn 'Abbas,
Jabir,
Ubayy ibn Ka’b, 'Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas, and Abu Musa alAsh’ari.
They all report that the Prophet repeated the ruku’ in one rak’ah.
Those who
mention the repeating of the ruku’ are more in number, weightier, and
closer
to the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam than those who do not mention
it.”
This is the opinion of Malik, ash-Shaf’i, and Ahmad.
Abu Hanifah is of the opinion that salatul Kasuf consists of two
rak’at,
similar to salatul ‘id and jumu’ah, based on the hadith of An-Nu’man
ibn
Bashir who says: "The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alehi wasallam
prayed
the salatul kasuf with us like one of your prayers. He went into ruku’
and
performed sajdah, praying two rak’at by two rak’at, and supplicated to
Allah
until the sun reappeared clearly again."
In the hadith from Qabsah al-Hillali, the Prophet said: “If you see
that
*, pray as you pray the obligatory prayer.” This is
related
by Ahmad and an-Nasa’i.
The reciting of al-Fatihah is obligatory in each rak’ah, and one may
recite
whatever one wishes to, after Al-Fatihah. It is allowed to make the
recital
audible or silent, but al-Bukhari says: "Audible recital is more
proper. "
Volume 2, Page 36: The time for al-kasuf is from the beginning of the
eclipse until the eclipse finishes
The prayer of the lunar eclipse is similar to that of the solar
eclipse.
Al-Hassan al-Basri reports: “There was a solar eclipse and Ibn ‘Abbas,
the
governor of Basra, went out and prayed two rak’at with two ruku’ in
each
rak’ah. Then, he mounted his mount and said: ‘I prayed as I have seen
the
Prophet praying.’” This is related by ash-Shaf’i in his Musnad.
It is preferred to make the takbir, supplications, to give charity, and
ask
Allah for forgiveness during the eclipse Al-Bukhari and Muslim record
from
'Aishah that the Messenger of Allah said:
“The sun and the moon are two signs from among Allah’s signs and there
is no
eclipse due to the life or death of anyone. If you see that [an
eclipse]
supplicate to Allah, extol His greatness, give charity and pray.” They
also
record from Abu Musa that there was a solar eclipse and the Prophet
said:
“If you see something of this nature, rush to the remembrance of Allah,
supplicating Him and asking His forgiveness.”
Wassalaam*