وَعَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ
قَالَ: كَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَجَعَلَ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَيَسْأَلُ عَنْهَا حَتَّى انْجَلَتِ الشَّمْسُ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ. وَفِي رِوَايَةِ النَّسَائِيِّ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَلَّى حِينَ انْكَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِثْلَ صَلَاتِنَا يَرْكَعُ وَيَسْجُدُ وَلَهُ فِي أُخْرَى: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَرَجَ يَوْمًا مُسْتَعْجِلًا إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ وَقَدِ انْكَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَصَلَّى حَتَّى انْجَلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «إِنَّ أَهْلَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ كَانُوا يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ لَا يَنْخَسِفَانِ إِلَّا لِمَوْتِ عَظِيمٍ مِنْ عُظَمَاءِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ وَإِنَّ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ لَا يَنْخَسِفَانِ لِمَوْتِ أَحَدٍ وَلَا لِحَيَاتِهِ وَلَكِنَّهُمَا خَلِيقَتَانِ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ يُحْدِثُ اللَّهُ فِي خَلْقِهِ مَا شَاءَ فَأَيُّهُمَا انْخَسَفَ فَصَلُّوا حَتَّى ينجلي أَو يحدث الله أمرا»
When a solar eclipse took place in the time of God’s Messenger he began to pray a series of pairs of rakas, making requests at the end of them till the sun became clear. Abu Dawud transmitted it.
In a version by Nasai it says that when the sun was eclipsed the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) prayed as Muslims normally do, bowing and prostrating himself.
Another version by him says that when a solar eclipse took place one day the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) went out quickly to the mosque and prayed till it cleared.
Then he said, “The people in pre-Islamic times used to say that the sun and moon were eclipsed only on account of the death of a great man, but the sun and moon are not eclipsed on account of anyone’s death or on account of his birth, but they are two of God’s creatures. God produces in His creation what He wills; so when either of them is eclipsed pray till it clears or till God produces something.”