How to Pray Salat Kusoof?
The way in which the eclipse prayer is performed is as follows:
The worshipper recites the opening takbeer (takbeerat al-ihram) and the opening supplication (du‘aa’ al-istiftaah), then he seeks refuge with Allah.
Then he recites al-Faatihah, followed by a lengthy recitation.
Then he bows, making it lengthy.
Then he rises from bowing and says: Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa laka al-hamd (Allah hears those who call upon him; our Lord, to You be praise).
Then he recites al-Faatihah again, followed by another lengthy recitation but it is not as long as the first recitation.
Then he bows again, making it lengthy but not as long as the first time.
Then he rises from bowing and says: Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa laka al-hamd (Allah hears those who call upon him; our Lord, to You be praise), and stands for a long time.
Then he prostrates twice, making each prostration lengthy, and sits for a long time between the two prostrations.
Then he gets up for the second rak‘ah, and does the same as he did in the first rak‘ah, bowing twice and so on, but each action is not as long as in the first. Then he recites the tashahhud and the tasleem.
Narrated Abu Bakra:
We were with Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) when the sun eclipsed. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) stood up dragging his cloak till he entered the Mosque. He led us in a two-rak`at prayer till the sun (eclipse) had cleared. Then the Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, “The sun and the moon do not eclipse because of someone’s death. So whenever you see these eclipses pray and invoke (Allah) till the eclipse is over.”
| Reference | : Sahih al-Bukhari 1040 |
| In-book reference | : Book 16, Hadith 1 |
| USC-MSA web (English) reference | : Vol. 2, Book 18, Hadith 150 |
| Sunnah.com reference | : Book 2, Hadith 436 |
| English reference | : Book 2, Hadith 504 |
| Arabic reference | : Book 2, Hadith 506 |
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The sun and the moon do not eclipse because of someone’s death or life (i.e. birth), but they are two signs amongst the Signs of Allah. So, if you see them (i.e. eclipse) offer the (eclipse) prayer.
| Reference | : Sahih al-Bukhari 3201 |
| In-book reference | : Book 59, Hadith 12 |
| USC-MSA web (English) reference | : Vol. 4, Book 54, Hadith 423 |
Narrated Abu Bakra:
In the lifetime of the Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) the sun eclipsed and he went out dragging his clothes till he reached the Mosque. The people gathered around him and he led them and offered two rak`at. When the sun (eclipse) cleared, he said, “The sun and the moon are two signs amongst the signs of Allah; they do not eclipse because of the death of someone, and so when an eclipse occurs, pray and invoke Allah till the eclipse is over.” It happened that a son of the Prophet (ﷺ) called Ibrahim died on that day and the people were talking about that (saying that the eclipse was caused by his death).
| Reference | : Sahih al-Bukhari 1063 |
| In-book reference | : Book 16, Hadith 22 |
| USC-MSA web (English) reference | : Vol. 2, Book 18, Hadith 170 |