What is Salat al Kusuf?
An astrological event, a total solar eclipse, will occur today Monday, the 29th of Ramadan, 1445, or April 8th, 2024. It will pass over a wide area of the United States. The path of totality will be through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Tiny parts of Michigan and Tennessee will also be able to witness totality if conditions are clear. So, if you live in those states, you must pray Salat al-Kusuf during the eclipse. While the timing of the longevity of the eclipse will vary from state to state- it’s said to last up to 4 minutes and 28 sec.
For Muslims, Eclipses are a time of Ibadah and seeking Allah’s forgiveness. And to have it occur on what would possibly be the last day of Ramadan- only increases its significance in terms of praying.
Read on to learn about what is an eclipse and how you can make the most of this celestial event as a Muslim.
What is in an eclipse?
An eclipse occurs when a planet or a moon gets in the way of the Sun's light.
What is the difference between a solar eclipse and a Lunar eclipse?
A Solar eclipse occurs when the moon blocks the sun, as seen from the Earth. In other words, the moon blocks the sun’s light from getting to Earth and the sun becomes dark- fully or partially.
A total eclipse is when the moon perfectly lines up between the Earth and the sun, thus covering the sun completely – causing it to get dark.
A lunar eclipse is when the moon enters into the Earth’s shadow; in other words, the Earth is between the sun and the moon, blocking the sun’s light from reaching the moon.
Is it okay to look at an eclipse with the naked eye?
No- looking at any eclipse without any protection is extremely dangerous and harmful to human eyes. It can cause “eclipse blindness” or retinal burns- known as Solar retinopathy.
Are eclipses signs from Allah(swt)?
Allah(swt) mentions the sun and the moon in various ways in the Quran.
Sun and moon are signs of Allah’s greatness:
And He is the One Who created the day and the night, the sun and the moon—each traveling in an orbit.
[Quran 21:33]
And means to worship Him alone-
Among His signs are the day and the night, the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or the moon, but prostrate to Allah, Who created them ˹all˺, if you ˹truly˺ worship Him ˹alone˺.”
[Quran 41:37]
And Allah(swt) mentions eclipses, especially as a sign of the day of judgment:
“I do swear by the Day of Judgment!... Still people want to deny what is yet to come. But when the sight is stunned, and the moon is dimmed, and the sun and the moon are brought together, on that Day one will cry, “Where is the escape?”
[Quran 75: 1, 6-10]
The Solar system- day and night are signs from Allah(swt) and nothing moves without His permission:
There is also a sign for them in the night: We strip from it daylight, then—behold!—they are in darkness.: The sun travels for its fixed term. That is the design of the Almighty, All-Knowing. As for the moon, We have ordained ˹precise˺ phases for it, until it ends up ˹looking˺ like an old, curved palm stalk. It is not for the sun to catch up with the moon,1 nor does the night outrun the day. Each is traveling in an orbit of its own.
[Quran 36:37- 40]
What is the time for solar eclipse prayer?
The time for salat al Kusuf is from the beginning of the eclipse until it's over.
Do you have to pray salat al Kusuf if you missed the eclipse?
No, you do not have to pray if you didn’t know there was an eclipse and missed it.
How do you pray Salat al-Kusuf?
As narrated by Hazrat Aisha(ra), The Prophet (PBUH) said that - if you learn that the sun is eclipsed, wholly or partly, then head to the masjid to become part of the congregation salat.
She continued on in describing how the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) led the people in prayer without an adhan or iqama, simply by standing in the front and letting people gather behind him.
And prayed:
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) began the salat with takbir- and then recited a lengthy recitation and did a lengthy ruku’, then he raised his head and said, Sami’a Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa lakal-hamd. While standing, he began reciting another lengthy recitation, shorter than the first. Then he said Allahu akbar and did another lengthy ruku’, shorter than the first. Then he said, Sami’a Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa lakal-hamd. Then he did two sujud. Then in the second rak’ah he did likewise, until he had completed four ruku’s and four sujuds, and the eclipse was over before he had finished. When he finished the prayer and The messenger of Allah (PBUH) said what Allah wished; and ordered the people to seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave.
Bukhari 1055
So, in simpler terms: the salah is 4 rakahs, with 4 ruku, and 4 sujud.
First recitation: The imam leads the people in prayer without either an adhan or an iqama. He recites silently a very long piece of the Qur'an, such as Surat al-Baqara. Then he goes into ruku' for the same amount of time. Then he stands upright again saying 'sami'a llahu liman hamidah.
2nd recitation: Then he recites another piece of Qur'an slightly shorter than the first. Then he goes into ruku' again for the same amount of time as he spent reciting. Then he once more stands upright saying, 'sami'a llahu liman hamidah.'
Then he does two full sujud.
After this he stands up again and recites another piece of Qur'an slightly shorter than the previous one and then goes into ruku' for the same length of time. Then as before he stands upright again and recites one more slightly shorter piece of Qur'an which is followed by ruku' for the same amount of time as the recitation. He stands back upright again and then does two sujud as before.
Finally, the Imam says the tashahhud and then the salam.
And this is repeated- till the end of the Solar eclipse.
Is there a khutba (sermon) after the payer for the Solar eclipse?
No, there is no formal kutbah or sermon after the prayer.
Hazrat Aisha(ra) narrated that Prohped Muhammed(PBUH) said that:
Do Dhikr,
فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ شَيْئًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَافْزَعُوا إِلَى ذِكْرِهِ وَدُعَائِهِ وَاسْتِغْفَارِهِ
“…so, when you see an eclipse, then hasten to remembrance (dhikr) of God, supplication (du`a) to God, and seeking God’s forgiveness (istighfar)...
give charity
فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ ذَلِكَ فَادْعُوا اللَّهَ وَكَبِّرُوا، وَصَلُّوا وَتَصَدَّقُوا
“...when you see an eclipse, then supplicate to God, declare God’s greatness, and give charity.”
[Bukhari]
and free a slave at the time of eclipse.
بِالْعَتَاقَةِ فِى كُسُوفِ الشَّمْسِ
“God’s Messenger commanded the freeing of slaves at the solar eclipse.”
[Bukhari]
Let us unite and seek forgiveness and protection from Allah(swt). This is a special time to increase our ibadah and charity.
