Salat al-Kusuf: The Eclipse Prayer

What Is Salat al-Kusuf?

Salat al-Kusuf is a congregational prayer performed during a solar eclipse. A parallel prayer, Salat al-Khusuf, is performed during a lunar eclipse. Both are established by the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) and reflect the Islamic understanding of natural phenomena as signs (ayat) of Allah's power, not as portents tied to human events. The Quran states: "And of His signs are the night and the day and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or to the moon, but prostrate to Allah, who created them" (41:37).

Historical Context and the Prophet's Clarification

The eclipse prayer was established on the day Ibrahim, the son of the Prophet (PBUH), died. Some companions attributed the solar eclipse to mourning for Ibrahim. The Prophet (PBUH) corrected them firmly, saying: "The sun and moon are two signs from among the signs of Allah. They do not eclipse for the death or life of anyone. When you see them, hasten to remember Allah, to make du'a, and to pray" (Bukhari and Muslim). This correction is foundational: Islamic worship is directed to Allah alone, not tied to human events or superstitions.

How the Prayer Is Performed

Salat al-Kusuf differs from the regular two-rak'ah structure. It consists of two rak'ahs, but each rak'ah contains two standings (qiyam), two bows (ruku), and a prostration. Specifically: the imam recites a long passage from the Quran, goes into ruku, rises from ruku, recites again (a shorter passage), goes into ruku again, then rises and prostrates twice. This gives each rak'ah two ruku. The prayer is performed in congregation, and the imam recites aloud according to the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools. This structure is established in the hadith of Aisha (RA) in Bukhari and Muslim.

Differences Between the Madhabs

The Hanafi school holds that the eclipse prayer consists of two rak'ahs like a normal nafl prayer — with one ruku per rak'ah — performed in congregation without a sermon afterward. The Maliki school agrees with this simpler form for most cases. The Shafi'i and Hanbali schools follow the longer form with two bows per rak'ah, citing the stronger chain of narrations from Aisha (RA) and others. All four schools agree that the prayer is Sunnah mu'akkadah and should be performed promptly upon the eclipse's appearance.

The Khutbah After the Prayer

The Shafi'i and Hanbali schools hold that two sermons (khutbahs) are delivered after the prayer, similar in structure to the Jumu'ah khutbah. The Prophet (PBUH) addressed the companions after the eclipse prayer, reminding them of the reality of the eclipse and exhorting them to worship and remember Allah. The Hanafi and Maliki schools do not consider the khutbah part of the established Sunnah for the eclipse prayer, holding it was specific to that occasion.

What Should Be Done During an Eclipse

Beyond the formal prayer, the Prophet (PBUH) urged multiple acts of worship during an eclipse: remembrance of Allah (dhikr), supplication (du'a), seeking forgiveness (istighfar), giving charity (sadaqah), and freeing slaves (in the historical context). These acts reflect that the eclipse is a moment for increased awareness of Allah's majesty and one's own need for His mercy. The scholars note that the eclipse serves as a reminder that the universe operates under divine control and that events of cosmic scale should direct the heart toward God.

Salat al-Khusuf: The Lunar Eclipse Prayer

The same principles apply to the lunar eclipse. Most schools hold it should be prayed in congregation, though the Hanafi school traditionally holds that the lunar eclipse prayer is prayed individually or in small groups without congregation, while the Shafi'i school applies the same congregational structure with the two-ruku format. The broader point — that eclipses are occasions for increased worship and reminder of Allah's power — applies equally to both solar and lunar events.