10/1. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 901f — Remember Allah During Eclipse
The Eclipse Prayer
Remember Allah During Eclipse: A Clear Hadith Lesson
Sahih Muslim : 901f
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 901f
وَحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَكْرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَطَاءً، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ عُبَيْدَ بْنَ عُمَيْرٍ، يَقُولُ حَدَّثَنِي مَنْ، أُصَدِّقُ - حَسِبْتُهُ يُرِيدُ عَائِشَةَ - أَنَّ الشَّمْسَ انْكَسَفَتْ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَامَ قِيَامًا شَدِيدًا يَقُومُ قَائِمًا ثُمَّ يَرْكَعُ ثُمَّ يَقُومُ ثُمَّ يَرْكَعُ ثُمَّ يَقُومُ ثُمَّ يَرْكَعُ رَكْعَتَيْنِ فِي ثَلاَثِ رَكَعَاتٍ وَأَرْبَعِ سَجَدَاتٍ فَانْصَرَفَ وَقَدْ تَجَلَّتِ الشَّمْسُ وَكَانَ إِذَا رَكَعَ قَالَ " اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ " . ثُمَّ يَرْكَعُ وَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ قَالَ " سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ " . فَقَامَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ " إِنَّ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ لاَ يَكْسِفَانِ لِمَوْتِ أَحَدٍ وَلاَ لِحَيَاتِهِ وَلَكِنَّهُمَا مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ يُخَوِّفُ اللَّهُ بِهِمَا عِبَادَهُ فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ كُسُوفًا فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ حَتَّى يَنْجَلِيَا " .
Ata' reported: I heard 'Ubaid b. 'Umair say: It has been narrated to me by one whom I regard as truthful, (the narrator says: I can well guess that he meant 'A'isha) that the sun eclipsed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he stood up (in prayer) for a rigorously long time. He then bowed and then stood up and then bowed and then stood up and then bowed, thus observing three ruku's in two rak'ahs and four prostrations. He then departed and the sun brightened. He pronounced" Allah is the Greatest" while bowing. He would then bow and say:" Allah listened to him who praised Him" while lifting up his head. He then stood up, and praised Allah and lauded Him, and then said: The sun and the moon do not eclipse on the death of anyone or on his birth. But both of them are among the signs of Allah with which Allah terrifies His servants. So when you see them under eclipse, remember Allah till they are brightened.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 901fIn-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 7USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1972
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 901f
This eclipse prayer hadith shows the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) standing for a very long time during a solar eclipse, bowing repeatedly, and making four prostrations. After the sun became bright, he praised Allah and explained that the sun and moon do not eclipse because of anyone's death or birth. They are signs of Allah, and Allah uses them to make His servants aware and fearful in a way that turns them back to Him. The key instruction in this report is to remember Allah until the eclipse clears. The hadith gives a simple response to an unusual event: do not attach it to people, rumours, or superstition. Turn to Allah with prayer, takbir, praise, and remembrance.
What we learn from this hadith
- The sun and moon are signs of Allah, not omens for a person's death or birth.
- During an eclipse, believers should remember Allah until it clears.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) combined long prayer with clear teaching after the eclipse.
