Eclipse prayer

Kusuf is the loss of the light of one of the two luminaries — sun or moon — in whole or part; it is commonly said kusuf for the sun and khusuf for the moon. The eclipse prayer is performed in a specified manner when either luminary darkens. ¹

Prayer at a solar eclipse is a confirmed sunna for all jurists — in one Hanafi position, obligatory; prayer at a lunar eclipse is a confirmed sunna for the Shafi'is and Hanbalis, meritorious for the Hanafis, mandub for the Malikis. The basis is the hadith in the two Sahihs: "the sun and moon are two of God's signs; they do not eclipse for anyone's death or life — when you see them, supplicate God and pray until it clears". ^{1 2}

Its time runs from the eclipse's appearance until it clears — "supplicate God and pray until it clears" — since it was legislated to seek the return of the blessing of light. It lapses when the sun fully clears or its time passes. ^{2 3}

The Hanafis, the apparent Hanbali position, and one report from Malik held it is not prayed in the times when prayer is forbidden — tasbih, tahlil and istighfar take its place; the Shafi'is, with another report from Malik and Ahmad, held it is prayed at all times like other prayers that have a cause. ²