16/20. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 1496 — Eclipse Prayer and Hell Shown
What to say when prostrating during the eclipse prayer
Eclipse Prayer Hadith: Paradise, Hell, and Hasten to Remember Allah
Sunan an-Nasai : 1496
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 1496
أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْمِسْوَرِ الزُّهْرِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ كَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَصَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَطَالَ الْقِيَامَ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ فَأَطَالَ الرُّكُوعَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ فَأَطَالَ - قَالَ شُعْبَةُ وَأَحْسَبُهُ قَالَ فِي السُّجُودِ نَحْوَ ذَلِكَ - وَجَعَلَ يَبْكِي فِي سُجُودِهِ وَيَنْفُخُ وَيَقُولُ " رَبِّ لَمْ تَعِدْنِي هَذَا وَأَنَا أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لَمْ تَعِدْنِي هَذَا وَأَنَا فِيهِمْ " . فَلَمَّا صَلَّى قَالَ " عُرِضَتْ عَلَىَّ الْجَنَّةُ حَتَّى لَوْ مَدَدْتُ يَدِي تَنَاوَلْتُ مِنْ قُطُوفِهَا وَعُرِضَتْ عَلَىَّ النَّارُ فَجَعَلْتُ أَنْفُخُ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَغْشَاكُمْ حَرُّهَا وَرَأَيْتُ فِيهَا سَارِقَ بَدَنَتَىْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَرَأَيْتُ فِيهَا أَخَا بَنِي دُعْدُعٍ سَارِقَ الْحَجِيجِ فَإِذَا فُطِنَ لَهُ قَالَ هَذَا عَمَلُ الْمِحْجَنِ وَرَأَيْتُ فِيهَا امْرَأَةً طَوِيلَةً سَوْدَاءَ تُعَذَّبُ فِي هِرَّةٍ رَبَطَتْهَا فَلَمْ تُطْعِمْهَا وَلَمْ تَسْقِهَا وَلَمْ تَدَعْهَا تَأْكُلُ مِنْ خَشَاشِ الأَرْضِ حَتَّى مَاتَتْ وَإِنَّ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ لاَ يَنْكَسِفَانِ لِمَوْتِ أَحَدٍ وَلاَ لِحَيَاتِهِ وَلَكِنَّهُمَا آيَتَانِ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَإِذَا انْكَسَفَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا - أَوْ قَالَ فَعَلَ أَحَدُهُمَا شَيْئًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ - فَاسْعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ " .
'Abdullah bin 'Amr Narrated from:
The sun eclipsed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed and stood for a long time, then he bowed for a long time, then he stood up and (remained standing) for a long time." (One of the narrators) Shu'bh said: "I think he said something similar concerning prostration."- "He started weeping and blowing during his prostration and said: 'Lord, You did not tell me that You would do that while I am asking You for forgiveness; You did not tell me that You would do that while I was still among them.'When he finished praying he said: "Paradise was shown to me, and if I had stretched forth my hand I could have taken some of its fruits. And Hell was shown to me, so I started blowing for fear that its heat might overwhelm you.I saw therein the thief who stole the two camels of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ); and I saw therein the brother of Banu As-Du'du; the thief who stole from the pilgrims, and when he was caught he said: The crooked stick did it; and I saw therein a tall black woman who was being punished because of a cat she tied up and did not feed or give it water, and she did not let it eat of the vermin of the earth, until it died.Then sun and the moon do not become eclipsed for the death or birth of anyone, but they are two of the signs of Allah. If one of them becomes eclipsed'- or he said: 'if one of them does anything like that'- 'then hasten to remember Allah, the Mighty and Sublime.'"
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1496In-book reference : Book 16, Hadith 38English translation : Vol. 2, Book 16, Hadith 1497
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 1496
This Hadith about eclipse prayer and warning is narrated by Abdullah bin Amr. When the sun eclipsed, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم prayed with long standing and long bowing. During his prostration, he wept and blew, asking Allah while mentioning forgiveness and his being among the people. After the prayer, he said Paradise had been shown to him, and if he had stretched out his hand, he could have taken some of its fruits. Hell was also shown to him, and he blew because he feared its heat might reach the people. The narration mentions a thief, a man who stole from pilgrims with a crooked stick, and a woman punished because of a cat. It ends by saying the sun and moon are signs of Allah, so hasten to remember Him.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم prayed with deep humility during the eclipse.
- The narration teaches haste toward remembering Allah.
- The examples shown in Hell warn against theft and cruelty.
- The sun and moon do not eclipse for death or birth.
