10/3. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 906a — Long Standing in Eclipse Prayer
What Was Shown To The Prophet Of Paradise And Hell During The Eclipse Prayer
Long Standing in the Eclipse Prayer Hadith
Sahih Muslim : 906a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 906a
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ حَبِيبٍ الْحَارِثِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، حَدَّثَنِي مَنْصُورُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أُمِّهِ، صَفِيَّةَ بِنْتِ شَيْبَةَ عَنْ أَسْمَاءَ بِنْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ فَزِعَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمًا - قَالَتْ تَعْنِي يَوْمَ كَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ - فَأَخَذَ دِرْعًا حَتَّى أُدْرِكَ بِرِدَائِهِ فَقَامَ لِلنَّاسِ قِيَامًا طَوِيلاً لَوْ أَنَّ إِنْسَانًا أَتَى لَمْ يَشْعُرْ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَكَعَ مَا حَدَّثَ أَنَّهُ رَكَعَ مِنْ طُولِ الْقِيَامِ .
Asma' bint Abu Bakr Narrated from:
The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) was one day (i. e. on the day when the sun eclipsed) so perturbed that he (in haste) took hold of the outer garment (of a female member of his family) and it was later on that his (own) cloak was sent to him. He stood in prayer along with people for such a long time that if a man came he did not realise that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had observed ruku', as it has been narrated about ruku' in connection with long qiyam.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 906aIn-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 15USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1979
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 906a
This hadith from Asma' bint Abu Bakr focuses on the Prophet's serious and urgent response on the day of the solar eclipse. He was so perturbed that, in haste, he took hold of an outer garment belonging to a female member of his family until his own cloak was brought to him. Then he stood in prayer with the people for a very long time. The standing was so long that if someone came later, he would not have realised that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had already bowed, because the long qiyam made the prayer appear continuous. The hadith teaches that the eclipse prayer was treated as a serious act of worship, marked by long standing and a strong turning to Allah.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) responded to the eclipse with urgency and prayer.
- The standing in the eclipse prayer was very long.
- The length of qiyam made it hard for a latecomer to notice that ruku' had already happened.
