16/16. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 1487 — Pray Until Eclipse Ends
Another version
Pray Until the Eclipse Ends: A Hadith on Allah's Creation
Sunan an-Nasai : 1487
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 1487
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذٌ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ - قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي قِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ قَبِيصَةَ الْهِلاَلِيِّ، أَنَّ الشَّمْسَ، انْخَسَفَتْ فَصَلَّى نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَكْعَتَيْنِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ حَتَّى انْجَلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ " إِنَّ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ لاَ يَنْخَسِفَانِ لِمَوْتِ أَحَدٍ وَلَكِنَّهُمَا خَلْقَانِ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُحْدِثُ فِي خَلْقِهِ مَا شَاءَ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِذَا تَجَلَّى لِشَىْءٍ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ يَخْشَعُ لَهُ فَأَيُّهُمَا حَدَثَ فَصَلُّوا حَتَّى يَنْجَلِيَ أَوْ يُحْدِثَ اللَّهُ أَمْرًا " .
Qabisah Al-Hilali Narrated from:
There was an eclipse of the sun and the Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) prayed two rak'ahs until it ended. Then he said: "The sun and the moon do not become eclipsed for the death of anyone, but they are two of His creations. Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, causes whatever He wants to happen in His creation. If Allah (SWT), the Mighty and Sublime, manifests Himself to any of His creation, it humbles itself before Him, so if either of them (solar or lunar eclipse) happens, pray until it is over or until Allah causes something to happen."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1487In-book reference : Book 16, Hadith 29English translation : Vol. 2, Book 16, Hadith 1488
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 1487
This Hadith about praying until the eclipse ends comes from Qabisah Al-Hilali. It says that the sun eclipsed and the Prophet of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم prayed two rak'ahs until it ended. After that, he explained that the sun and moon do not eclipse because anyone has died. Rather, they are two creations from Allah's creation. Allah causes whatever He wills to happen in His creation. The narration also says that when Allah manifests Himself to any of His creation, it humbles itself before Him. The instruction is to pray when either a solar or lunar eclipse happens, and to continue until it is over or until Allah causes something to happen. The message is worship, humility, and trust in Allah's control.
What we learn from this hadith
- The sun and moon are creations of Allah.
- An eclipse is not caused by someone's death.
- Muslims are told to pray until the eclipse is over.
- Allah causes what He wills to happen in His creation.
