Eclipses & the Prayer of the Eclipse (Ṣalāt al-Kusūf)
When the sun or moon is eclipsed, the Sunnah is not fear or superstition but prayer. Below are the upcoming eclipses, computed precisely, followed by how the Prophet ﷺ taught us to respond.
This whole page, in one pocket book
What an eclipse means in Islam, and how to pray Salat al-Kusuf — an A5 guide, cited to the two Sahihs.
- Signs of Allah, not omens
- The double-rukūʿ structure
- Duʿāʾ, takbīr, and ṣadaqah
- Step-by-step how to pray it
Upcoming eclipses
The Sunnah when an eclipse occurs
In the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ the sun eclipsed on the day his son Ibrāhīm died, and people said it had eclipsed for the boy's death. The Prophet ﷺ corrected them decisively — an eclipse is a sign from Allah to move hearts, not an omen tied to any person's life or death:
إِنَّ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ آيَتَانِ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ، لَا يَنْخَسِفَانِ لِمَوْتِ أَحَدٍ وَلَا لِحَيَاتِهِ، فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ ذَلِكَ فَادْعُوا اللَّهَ وَكَبِّرُوا وَصَلُّوا وَتَصَدَّقُوا
"The sun and the moon are two signs amongst the signs of Allah; they do not eclipse on the death or life of anyone. So when you see the eclipse, remember Allah and say Takbir, pray and give Sadaqa."
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1044 · Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 901Ṣaḥīḥ
This is the heart of the matter: the eclipse is a reminder, and the response is turning to Allah — not claiming it foretells events, and not the reverse error of treating it as merely mechanical and ignoring the call to worship.
How Ṣalāt al-Kusūf is prayed
The eclipse prayer is two rakʿah, prayed in congregation, but each rakʿah has two standings with recitation and two bowings (rukūʿ) before the two prostrations — a longer, weightier prayer than usual, as ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) described the Prophet's ﷺ prayer during the eclipse.
ʿĀʾishah said, of the Prophet ﷺ: "He said the Takbir (starting the prayer) and prolonged the recitation (from the Qur'an) and then said Takbir and performed a prolonged bowing; then he (lifted his head and) said, "Sami allahu liman hamidah" (Allah heard him who sent his praises to Him). He then did not prostrate but stood up and recited a prolonged recitation which was shorter than the first recitation. He again said Takbir and then bowed a prolonged bowing but shorter than the first one and then said, "Sami`a l-lahu Lyman hamidah Rabbana walak-lhamd, (Allah heard him who sent his praises to Him. O our Sustainer! All the praises are for You)" and then prostrated and did the same in the second rak`a; thus he completed four bowing and four prostrations. The sun (eclipse) had cleared before he finished the prayer."
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1046 · Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 901Ṣaḥīḥ
- Pray in congregation when the eclipse begins; there is no adhān or iqāmah — the caller announces "aṣ-ṣalātu jāmiʿah" (the prayer is gathering).
- First rakʿah: open, recite al-Fātiḥah and a long passage; bow long; rise (saying "samiʿa Allāhu li-man ḥamidah, rabbanā wa laka'l-ḥamd"); recite al-Fātiḥah and a passage again; bow a second time; then rise and make two prostrations.
- Second rakʿah: the same — two recitations and two bowings — then the two prostrations, the tashahhud and the salām.
- The imam then reminds and exhorts the people to fear Allah, give charity, free slaves (in its time), and seek forgiveness — as the Prophet ﷺ did.
Prayer Times
The five daily times for your location, and how they are determined.
🗓️Islamic Calendar
The Hijri months, moon phases, and the crescent-visibility tool.
🧭Qibla Finder
The direction to Mecca — and the sun-over-the-Kaʿbah check.
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