10/3. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 904a — Paradise, Hell, and Eclipse Prayer
What Was Shown To The Prophet Of Paradise And Hell During The Eclipse Prayer
Paradise and Hell in the Eclipse Prayer Hadith
Sahih Muslim : 904a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 904a
وَحَدَّثَنِي يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الدَّوْرَقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ الدَّسْتَوَائِيِّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ كَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي يَوْمٍ شَدِيدِ الْحَرِّ فَصَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِأَصْحَابِهِ فَأَطَالَ الْقِيَامَ حَتَّى جَعَلُوا يَخِرُّونَ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ فَأَطَالَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ فَأَطَالَ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ فَأَطَالَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ فَأَطَالَ ثُمَّ سَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَنَعَ نَحْوًا مِنْ ذَاكَ فَكَانَتْ أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ وَأَرْبَعَ سَجَدَاتٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ " إِنَّهُ عُرِضَ عَلَىَّ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ تُولَجُونَهُ فَعُرِضَتْ عَلَىَّ الْجَنَّةُ حَتَّى لَوْ تَنَاوَلْتُ مِنْهَا قِطْفًا أَخَذْتُهُ - أَوْ قَالَ تَنَاوَلْتُ مِنْهَا قِطْفًا - فَقَصُرَتْ يَدِي عَنْهُ وَعُرِضَتْ عَلَىَّ النَّارُ فَرَأَيْتُ فِيهَا امْرَأَةً مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ تُعَذَّبُ فِي هِرَّةٍ لَهَا رَبَطَتْهَا فَلَمْ تُطْعِمْهَا وَلَمْ تَدَعْهَا تَأْكُلُ مِنْ خَشَاشِ الأَرْضِ وَرَأَيْتُ أَبَا ثُمَامَةَ عَمْرَو بْنَ مَالِكٍ يَجُرُّ قُصْبَهُ فِي النَّارِ . وَإِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ لاَ يَخْسِفَانِ إِلاَّ لِمَوْتِ عَظِيمٍ وَإِنَّهُمَا آيَتَانِ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ يُرِيكُمُوهُمَا فَإِذَا خَسَفَا فَصَلُّوا حَتَّى تَنْجَلِيَ " . وَحَدَّثَنِيهِ أَبُو غَسَّانَ الْمِسْمَعِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ قَالَ " وَرَأَيْتُ فِي النَّارِ امْرَأَةً حِمْيَرِيَّةً سَوْدَاءَ طَوِيلَةً " . وَلَمْ يَقُلْ " مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ " .
Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported: The sun eclipsed on one extremely hot day during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed along with his Companions. He prolonged his qiyam (standing posture in prayer) till they (his Companions) began to fall down. He then observed a long ruku'. He raised his head (and stood up for long) and then observed a long ruku'. He then raised (his head and stood up) for a long time and then made two prostrations. He then stood up and did like this and thus he observed four ruku's and four prostrations (in two rak'ahs) and then said: All these things were brought to me in which you will be made to enter. Paradise was brought to me till (I was so close to it) that if I (had intended) to pluck a bunch (of grapes) out of it. I would have got it, or he (the Holy Prophet) said: I intended to get a bunch (out of that) but my hand could not reach it. Hell was also brought to me and I saw in it a woman belonging to the tribe of Israel who was tormented for a cat whom she had tied, but did not give it food nor set it free to eat the creatures of the earth; and I saw Abu Thumama 'Amr b. Malik who was dragging his intestines in Hell. They (the Arabs) used to say that the sun and the moon do not eclipse but on the death of some great person; but (in reality) both these (the sun and the moon) are among the signs of Allah which are shown to you; so when there is an eclipse, observe prayer till it (the sun or the moon) brightens. This hadith has been narrated by Hisham with the same chain of transmitters except this" I saw a dark woman with a tail stature and loud voice," but he made no mention of" from among Bani Israel".
Reference : Sahih Muslim 904a, bIn-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 11USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1975
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 904a
This eclipse prayer hadith describes a very long prayer on a very hot day. The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) led his Companions, prolonged the standing and bowing, and completed four ruku's and four prostrations in two rak'ahs. After the prayer, he explained that Paradise and Hell had been brought before him. The hadith also mentions a woman punished because she tied up a cat without feeding it or letting it eat, and Abu Thumama 'Amr b. Malik being seen in Hell. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) corrected the idea that eclipses happen because of the death of a great person. He taught that the sun and moon are signs of Allah, and when they eclipse, people should pray until the light returns.
What we learn from this hadith
- The eclipse prayer was long and serious.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) corrected the belief that eclipses happen because of a great person's death.
- The hadith warns against cruelty to animals through the mention of the tied cat.
