Salah (Prayer) For Eclipses

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّهُ لَمَّا قُبِضَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص جَرَتْ فِيهِ ثَلَاثُ سُنَنٍ أَمَّا وَاحِدَةٌ فَإِنَّهُ لَمَّا مَاتَ انْكَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَقَالَ النَّاسُ انْكَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ لِفَقْدِ ابْنِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَصَعِدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص الْمِنْبَرَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَ أَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ الشَّمْسَ وَ الْقَمَرَ آيَتَانِ مِنْ آيَا

‘When Ibrahim son of the Messenger of Allah passed away three traditions were established. One tradition is that on that day a sun eclipse took place and people said that it is because of the death of the son of the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah went on the pulpit, praised Allah and glorified Him, then sai

عَشْرُ رَكَعَاتٍ وَ أَرْبَعُ سَجَدَاتٍ تَفْتَتِحُ الصَّلَاةَ بِتَكْبِيرَةٍ وَ تَرْكَعُ بِتَكْبِيرَةٍ وَ تَرْفَعُ رَأْسَكَ بِتَكْبِيرَةٍ إِلَّا فِي الْخَامِسَةِ الَّتِي تَسْجُدُ فِيهَا وَ تَقُولُ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ وَ تَقْنُتُ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ الرُّكُوعِ وَ تُطِيلُ الْقُنُوتَ وَ الرُّكُوعَ عَلَى قَدْرِ الْقِرَاءَةِ وَ الرُّكُوعِ وَ السُّجُودِ[1] فَإِنْ فَرَغْتَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَنْجَلِيَ فَاقْعُدْ

“We once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about Salah (prayer) because of eclipse. How many Rak‘at has it and how we perform it? He (the Imam) said, ‘It has ten Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) and four Sajadat (prostrations). Salah (prayer) commences with Takbir (Allah is great beyond description), Ruku‘ is performed with T

كُلُّ أَخَاوِيفِ السَّمَاءِ مِنْ ظُلْمَةٍ أَوْ رِيحٍ أَوْ فَزَعٍ فَصَلِّ لَهُ صَلَاةَ الْكُسُوفِ حَتَّى يَسْكُنَ.

“We once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the wind and darkness that at certain times come, is there any Salah (prayer) because of it? He (the Imam) said, ‘When anything frightening from the sky in the form of darkness, wind or noise takes place, perform Salah (prayer) like that of eclipse until it clears out.’”

قَالَ: وَقْتُ صَلَاةِ الْكُسُوفِ فِي السَّاعَةِ الَّتِي تَنْكَسِفُ عِنْدَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَ عِنْدَ غُرُوبِهَا قَالَ وَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع هِيَ فَرِيضَةٌ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the time of Salah (prayer) because of eclipse at sunrise and sunset if it can be performed at such time. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘It is obligatory.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ صَلَاةِ الْكُسُوفِ فِي وَقْتِ الْفَرِيضَةِ فَقَالَ ابْدَأْ بِالْفَرِيضَةِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ فِي وَقْتِ صَلَاةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ صَلِّ صَلَاةَ الْكُسُوفِ قَبْلَ صَلَاةِ اللَّيْلِ.

“I once asked one of the two Imam, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, about performing Salah (prayer) because of eclipse at the time of obligatory Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) said, ‘Begin with obligatory Salah (prayer).’ He (the Imam) was asked, ‘Can it be performed in the time of nightly optional Salah (prayer)?’ He (the Imam) said

إِذَا انْكَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ كُلُّهَا وَ احْتَرَقَتْ وَ لَمْ تَعْلَمْ ثُمَّ عَلِمْتَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَعَلَيْكَ الْقَضَاءُ وَ إِنْ لَمْ تَحْتَرِقْ كُلُّهَا فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ قَضَاءٌ. - وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى‌ إِذَا عَلِمَ بِالْكُسُوفِ وَ نَسِيَ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ فَعَلَيْهِ الْقَضَاءُ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِهِ فَلَا قَضَاءَ عَلَيْهِ هَذَا إِذَا لَمْ يَحْتَرِقْ كُلُّهُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When a total sun eclipse takes place but you do not notice it and come to know about it later, you must perform Qada’ (compensatory prayer for) such Salah (prayer), but if it is not a total eclipse, you are not required to perform anything.’”

كَتَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ‌[1] إِذَا انْكَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ أَوِ الْقَمَرُ وَ أَنَا رَاكِبٌ لَا أَقْدِرُ عَلَى النُّزُولِ قَالَ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مَرْكَبِكَ الَّذِي أَنْتَ عَلَيْهِ.[2]

“I once wrote to him (the Imam), Alayhi al-Salam, asking, ‘If a sun or moon eclipse takes place and I am riding and unable to dismount what must I do?’ He (the Imam) wrote to me, ‘Perform Salah (prayer) on your stumper which you ride.’”