3/5. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1178 — Prayer Until the Eclipse Clears
Whoever Said That It Should Be Prayed With Four Rak'ahs
Sun Eclipse Hadith: Pray Until the Eclipse Becomes Clear
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1178
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1178
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ، حَدَّثَنِي عَطَاءٌ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ كُسِفَتِ الشَّمْسُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ فِي الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ابْنُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا كُسِفَتْ لِمَوْتِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ابْنِهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ سِتَّ رَكَعَاتٍ فِي أَرْبَعِ سَجَدَاتٍ كَبَّرَ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ فَأَطَالَ الْقِرَاءَةَ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ نَحْوًا مِمَّا قَامَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَقَرَأَ دُونَ الْقِرَاءَةِ الأُولَى ثُمَّ رَكَعَ نَحْوًا مِمَّا قَامَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَقَرَأَ الْقِرَاءَةَ الثَّالِثَةَ دُونَ الْقِرَاءَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ نَحْوًا مِمَّا قَامَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَانْحَدَرَ لِلسُّجُودِ فَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَرَكَعَ ثَلاَثَ رَكَعَاتٍ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَسْجُدَ لَيْسَ فِيهَا رَكْعَةٌ إِلاَّ الَّتِي قَبْلَهَا أَطْوَلُ مِنَ الَّتِي بَعْدَهَا إِلاَّ أَنَّ رُكُوعَهُ نَحْوٌ مِنْ قِيَامِهِ قَالَ ثُمَّ تَأَخَّرَ فِي صَلاَتِهِ فَتَأَخَّرَتِ الصُّفُوفُ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ تَقَدَّمَ فَقَامَ فِي مَقَامِهِ وَتَقَدَّمَتِ الصُّفُوفُ فَقَضَى الصَّلاَةَ وَقَدْ طَلَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَقَالَ " يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ آيَتَانِ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لاَ يَنْكَسِفَانِ لِمَوْتِ بَشَرٍ فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ شَيْئًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَصَلُّوا حَتَّى تَنْجَلِيَ " . وَسَاقَ بَقِيَّةَ الْحَدِيثِ .
Jabir b. 'Abd Allah Narrated from:
There was an eclipse of the sun in the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had died. The people began to to say that there was an eclipse on account of the death of Ibrahim. The Prophet (ﷺ) stood up and led the people in prayer performing six bowings and four prostrations.he said: Allah is most great, and then recited from the Qur'an and prolonged the recitation. He then bowed nearly as long as he stood. He then raised his head and recited from the Qur'an but it was less than the first (recitation). He then bowed nearly as long as he stood. He then raised his head and then recited from the Quran for the third time, but it was less than the second recitation. He then bowed nearly as long as he stood. he then raised his head and then recited from the Qur'an for the third time, but it was less than the second recitation. he then bowed nearly as long as he stood. Then he raised his head and went down for prostration. he made two prostrations.He then stood and made three bowings before prostrating himself, the preceding bowing being more lengthy than the following, but he bowed nearly as long as he stood. He then stepped back during the prayer and the rows (of the people) too stepped back along with him. Then he stepped forward and stood in his place, and the rows too stepped forward. he then finished the prayer and the sun had become bright.He said: O people, the sun and the moon are two of Allah's signs; they are not eclipsed on account of a man's death. So when you see anything of that nature, offer prayer until the sun becomes bright.The narrator then narrated the rest of the tradition.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1178In-book reference : Book 3, Hadith 18English translation : Book 3, Hadith 1174
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1178
This sun eclipse hadith reports that an eclipse happened on the day Ibrahim, the son of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, died. Some people said the eclipse was because of Ibrahim's death. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then led the people in a long eclipse prayer with repeated recitation, bowing, and prostration. After the prayer, when the sun had become bright, he said that the sun and moon are two signs of Allah and are not eclipsed because of a person's death. He told the people to pray until the eclipse clears. The key message is clear: a believer answers an eclipse with prayer and remembrance, not false explanations.
What we learn from this hadith
- The eclipse happened on the day Ibrahim died, according to the report.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم corrected the claim that the eclipse was caused by a death.
- He led the people in a long prayer with repeated bowings and prostrations.
- He told people to pray until the eclipse clears.
