What should a Muslim do during a solar or lunar eclipse?

The short answer

When the sun or moon is eclipsed, the Sunnah is to hurry to prayer, remember Allah, say takbir, make dua, ask forgiveness and give charity until it clears. The Prophet ﷺ taught that eclipses are signs of Allah, not caused by anyone's death or birth, and he led a special long prayer for them.

Evidence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Explanation

On the day the Prophet's ﷺ young son Ibrahim died, the sun was eclipsed, and people said it was because of his death. The Prophet ﷺ corrected them at once: the sun and the moon do not eclipse because of anyone's death or life, so when you see an eclipse, pray and call upon Allah 1. Even at a moment of personal grief, he refused to let a superstition spread.

He said the sun and moon are "two signs amongst the signs of Allah", and when you see an eclipse you should remember Allah, say takbir, pray and give sadaqah 2. Allah uses these signs to make His servants fear Him 3. Once, the Prophet ﷺ rose in alarm fearing it might be the Hour, and led the longest standing, bowing and prostration anyone had seen him do; then he told people to hurry to remember Allah, call on Him and seek His forgiveness 4. He also ordered people to free slaves during a solar eclipse 5.

How the prayer was done. Aisha described it: the Prophet ﷺ led the people, stood for a long time, bowed for a long time, stood again (a little shorter), bowed again, then prostrated, and did the same in the second rak'ah; by the time he finished, the eclipse had cleared. He then gave a sermon 2.

An eclipse is also a reminder of what is coming. The Quran describes the Day when "the moon darkens" and "the sun and the moon are joined" 6, and teaches us to prostrate to Allah, not to the sun or moon 7.

So next time an eclipse is announced, gather your family or go to the mosque, pray, make dua and give something in charity.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 1043
    Sahih Bukhari

    The sun eclipsed when Ibrahim died; the Prophet ﷺ said eclipses are not for anyone's death or birth.

    Narrated Al-Mughira bin Shu`ba:"The sun eclipsed in the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on the day when (his son) Ibrahim died. So the people said that the sun had eclipsed because of the death of Ibrahim. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The sun and the moon do not eclipse because of the death or life (i.e. birth) of someone. When you see the eclipse pray and invoke Allah

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هَاشِمُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ عِلاَقَةَ، عَنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ، قَالَ كَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمَ مَاتَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ، فَقَالَ النَّاسُ كَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ لِمَوْتِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِنَّ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ لاَ يَنْكَسِفَانِ لِمَوْتِ أَحَدٍ وَلاَ لِحَيَاتِهِ، فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ فَصَلُّوا وَادْعُوا اللَّهَ ‏"‏‏.‏

  2. 2
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 1044
    Sahih Bukhari

    The eclipse prayer with two bowings per rak'ah; remember Allah, say takbir, pray and give charity.

    Narrated `Aisha:In the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) the sun eclipsed, so he led the people in prayer, and stood up and performed a long Qiyam, then bowed for a long while. He stood up again and performed a long Qiyam but this time the period of standing was shorter than the first. He bowed again for a long time but shorter than the first one, then he prostrated and prolonged the prostration. He did the same in the second rak`a as he did in the first and then finished the prayer; by then the sun (eclipse) had cleared. He delivered the Khutba (sermon) and after praising and glorifying Allah he said, "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." The Prophet then said, "O followers of Muhammad! By Allah! There is none who has more ghaira (self-respect) than Allah as He has forbidden that His slaves, male or female commit adultery (illegal sexual intercourse). O followers of Muhammad! By Allah! If you knew that which I know you would laugh little and weep much

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ خَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَصَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالنَّاسِ، فَقَامَ فَأَطَالَ الْقِيَامَ، ثُمَّ رَكَعَ فَأَطَالَ الرُّكُوعَ، ثُمَّ قَامَ فَأَطَالَ الْقِيَامَ وَهْوَ دُونَ الْقِيَامِ الأَوَّلِ، ثُمَّ رَكَعَ فَأَطَالَ الرُّكُوعَ، وَهْوَ دُونَ الرُّكُوعِ الأَوَّلِ، ثُمَّ سَجَدَ فَأَطَالَ السُّجُودَ، ثُمَّ فَعَلَ فِي الرَّكْعَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ مِثْلَ مَا فَعَلَ فِي الأُولَى، ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ وَقَدِ انْجَلَتِ الشَّمْسُ، فَخَطَبَ النَّاسَ، فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ، وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ إِنَّ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ آيَتَانِ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ، لاَ يَنْخَسِفَانِ لِمَوْتِ أَحَدٍ وَلاَ لِحَيَاتِهِ، فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ ذَلِكَ فَادْعُوا اللَّهَ وَكَبِّرُوا، وَصَلُّوا وَتَصَدَّقُوا ‏"‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ يَا أُمَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَاللَّهِ مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ أَغْيَرُ مِنَ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَزْنِيَ عَبْدُهُ أَوْ تَزْنِيَ أَمَتُهُ، يَا أُمَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَاللَّهِ لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ مَا أَعْلَمُ لَضَحِكْتُمْ قَلِيلاً وَلَبَكَيْتُمْ كَثِيرًا ‏"‏‏.‏

  3. 3
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 1048
    Sahih Bukhari

    Allah makes His servants fearful through eclipses.

    Narrated Abu Bakra:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: "The sun and the moon are two signs amongst the signs of Allah and they do not eclipse because of the death of someone but Allah frightens His devotees with them

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ إِنَّ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ آيَتَانِ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ، لاَ يَنْكَسِفَانِ لِمَوْتِ أَحَدٍ، وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى يُخَوِّفُ بِهَا عِبَادَهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ لَمْ يَذْكُرْ عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ وَشُعْبَةُ وَخَالِدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَحَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ يُونُسَ ‏"‏ يُخَوِّفُ بِهَا عِبَادَهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَتَابَعَهُ مُوسَى عَنْ مُبَارَكٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو بَكْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ ‏"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى يُخَوِّفُ بِهِمَا عِبَادَهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَتَابَعَهُ أَشْعَثُ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ‏.‏

  4. 4
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 1059
    Sahih Bukhari

    The Prophet ﷺ feared it was the Hour and told people to hurry to dhikr, dua and seeking forgiveness.

    Narrated Abu Musa:The sun eclipsed and the Prophet (ﷺ) got up, being afraid that it might be the Hour (i.e. Day of Judgment). He went to the Mosque and offered the prayer with the longest Qiyam, bowing and prostration that I had ever seen him doing. Then he said, "These signs which Allah sends do not occur because of the life or death of somebody, but Allah makes His worshipers afraid by them. So when you see anything thereof, proceed to remember Allah, invoke Him and ask for His forgiveness

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى، قَالَ خَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ، فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَزِعًا، يَخْشَى أَنْ تَكُونَ السَّاعَةُ، فَأَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ، فَصَلَّى بِأَطْوَلِ قِيَامٍ وَرُكُوعٍ وَسُجُودٍ رَأَيْتُهُ قَطُّ يَفْعَلُهُ وَقَالَ ‏ "‏ هَذِهِ الآيَاتُ الَّتِي يُرْسِلُ اللَّهُ لاَ تَكُونُ لِمَوْتِ أَحَدٍ وَلاَ لِحَيَاتِهِ، وَلَكِنْ يُخَوِّفُ اللَّهُ بِهِ عِبَادَهُ، فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ شَيْئًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَافْزَعُوا إِلَى ذِكْرِهِ وَدُعَائِهِ وَاسْتِغْفَارِهِ ‏"‏‏.‏

  5. 5
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2519
    Sahih Bukhari

    The Prophet ﷺ ordered people to free slaves during solar eclipses.

    Narrated Asma' bint Abu Bakr:The Prophet (ﷺ) ordered us to free slaves at the time of solar eclipses

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، حَدَّثَنَا زَائِدَةُ بْنُ قُدَامَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتِ الْمُنْذِرِ، عَنْ أَسْمَاءَ بِنْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَتْ أَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالْعَتَاقَةِ فِي كُسُوفِ الشَّمْسِ‏.‏ تَابَعَهُ عَلِيٌّ عَنِ الدَّرَاوَرْدِيِّ عَنْ هِشَامٍ‏.‏

  6. 6
    Quran Al-Qiyaama · 75:7–9

    On the Last Day the moon darkens and the sun and moon are joined.

    فَإِذَا بَرِقَ ٱلۡبَصَرُ ۝٧ وَخَسَفَ ٱلۡقَمَرُ ۝٨ وَجُمِعَ ٱلشَّمۡسُ وَٱلۡقَمَرُ ۝٩

    7 So when vision is dazzled 8 And the moon darkens 9 And the sun and the moon are joined

  7. 7
    Quran Fussilat · 41:37

    The sun and moon are signs; prostrate to Allah who created them.

    وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِ ٱلَّيۡلُ وَٱلنَّهَارُ وَٱلشَّمۡسُ وَٱلۡقَمَرُۚ لَا تَسۡجُدُواْ لِلشَّمۡسِ وَلَا لِلۡقَمَرِ وَٱسۡجُدُواْۤ لِلَّهِۤ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَهُنَّ إِن كُنتُمۡ إِيَّاهُ تَعۡبُدُونَ ۝٣٧

    And of His signs are the night and day and the sun and moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or to the moon, but prostate to Allah, who created them, if it should be Him that you worship

This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24

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