Prayer TimesA solar eclipse is called "kusuf", and a lunar eclipse is called "khusuf".
When a solar eclipse occurs in a country, the imam of that country leads a two-rak‘ah prayer publicly with the congregation, without giving the adhan or iqamah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) during a solar eclipse stood for a long time in qiyam and performed two rak‘ahs, after which he said:
“These phenomena are signs of Allah’s greatness. Allah instills awe in His servants through such events. If you witness an eclipse, then perform prayer as if it were your last obligatory prayer.” [1].
Regarding the Moon and the Sun, Allah says:
“And among 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, if it is Him you worship.” [2]
The command to “prostrate” in this verse refers to performing prayer during lunar and solar eclipses. It is recommended to perform the prayer in the mosque, but it is also permissible to pray elsewhere. After the prayer, the imam turns to the congregation and makes du‘a until the sun reappears. Then the congregation says: “Amin.”
[1] Bukhari, Kusuf, 1, 17
[2] Fussilat, 41/37.
This content was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor.