10/1. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 901c — Eclipse Prayer and Signs of Allah
The Eclipse Prayer
Eclipse Prayer Hadith: Signs of Allah and Worship
Sahih Muslim : 901c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 901c
حَدَّثَنِي حَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنِي ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ الْمُرَادِيُّ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ خَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ فَقَامَ وَكَبَّرَ وَصَفَّ النَّاسُ وَرَاءَهُ فَاقْتَرَأَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قِرَاءَةً طَوِيلَةً ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ فَرَكَعَ رُكُوعًا طَوِيلاً ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَقَالَ " سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ " . ثُمَّ قَامَ فَاقْتَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً طَوِيلَةً هِيَ أَدْنَى مِنَ الْقِرَاءَةِ الأُولَى ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ فَرَكَعَ رُكُوعًا طَوِيلاً هُوَ أَدْنَى مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ الأَوَّلِ ثُمَّ قَالَ " سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ " . ثُمَّ سَجَدَ - وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ ثُمَّ سَجَدَ - ثُمَّ فَعَلَ فِي الرَّكْعَةِ الأُخْرَى مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى اسْتَكْمَلَ أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ وَأَرْبَعَ سَجَدَاتٍ وَانْجَلَتِ الشَّمْسُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَنْصَرِفَ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَخَطَبَ النَّاسَ فَأَثْنَى عَلَى اللَّهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ " إِنَّ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ آيَتَانِ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ لاَ يَخْسِفَانِ لِمَوْتِ أَحَدٍ وَلاَ لِحَيَاتِهِ فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمُوهَا فَافْزَعُوا لِلصَّلاَةِ " . وَقَالَ أَيْضًا " فَصَلُّوا حَتَّى يُفَرِّجَ اللَّهُ عَنْكُمْ " . وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " رَأَيْتُ فِي مَقَامِي هَذَا كُلَّ شَىْءٍ وُعِدْتُمْ حَتَّى لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُنِي أُرِيدُ أَنْ آخُذَ قِطْفًا مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ حِينَ رَأَيْتُمُونِي جَعَلْتُ أُقَدِّمُ - وَقَالَ الْمُرَادِيُّ أَتَقَدَّمُ - وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ جَهَنَّمَ يَحْطِمُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا حِينَ رَأَيْتُمُونِي تَأَخَّرْتُ وَرَأَيْتُ فِيهَا ابْنَ لُحَىٍّ وَهُوَ الَّذِي سَيَّبَ السَّوَائِبَ " . وَانْتَهَى حَدِيثُ أَبِي الطَّاهِرِ عِنْدَ قَوْلِهِ " فَافْزَعُوا لِلصَّلاَةِ " . وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ مَا بَعْدَهُ .
A'isha Narrated from:
There was an eclipse of the sun during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). So, the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) went to the mosque and stood up and glorified Allah, and the people formed themselves in rows behind him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) made a long recital (of the Qur'an) and then pronounced takbir and then observed a long ruku'. He then raised his head and said: Allah listened to him who praised Him: our Lord, praise is due to Thee.He then again stood up and made a long recital, which was less than the first recital. He pronounced takbir and observed a long ruku', and it was less than the first one. He again said: Allah listened to him who praised Him; our Lord, praise is due to Thee. (Abu Tahir, one of the narrators) made no mention of:" He then prostrated himself." He did like this in the second rak'ah, till he completed four rak'ahs and four prostrations and the sun became bright before he deported.He then stood up and addressed people, after lauding Allah as He deserved, and then said: The sun and the moon are two signs among the signs of Allah These do not eclipse either on the death of anyone or on his birth. So when you see them, hasten to prayer. He also said this: Observe prayer till Allah dispels the anxiety (of this extraordinary phenomenon) from you.The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: I saw in my place everything which you have been promised. I even saw myself desiring to pluck a bunch (of grapes) from Paradise (and it was at the time) when you saw me moving forward. And I saw Hell and some of its parts crushing the others, when you saw me moving back; and I saw in it Ibn Luhayy and he was the person who made the she-camels loiter about.In the hadith transmitted by Abu Tahir the words are:" He hastened to prayer," and he made no mention of what follows.
[1] As-Sâ'ib : This refers to a custom of the Jâhiliyyah whereby a she-camel was set free for the gods and was not to be used for carrying loads or ridden. See Sûrat Al-Mâ'idah (5:103).Reference : Sahih Muslim 901cIn-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 3USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1968
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 901c
This eclipse prayer hadith teaches that a solar eclipse is not linked to the death or birth of any person. The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) corrected this idea clearly and taught that the sun and moon are signs among the signs of Allah. When the eclipse happened, he went to the mosque, led the people in prayer, recited for a long time, bowed for a long time, and addressed the people after the sun became bright again. The main lesson is simple: when people see an eclipse, they should turn to prayer, praise Allah, and remember Him until the fear and anxiety pass. The hadith also mentions Paradise and Hell being shown to him during that prayer, making the event a serious reminder of the Hereafter.
What we learn from this hadith
- The sun and moon do not eclipse because of anyone's death or birth.
- Seeing an eclipse should move believers toward prayer and remembrance of Allah.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used the moment to correct false beliefs and guide people to worship.
