Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah: There was an eclipse of the sun in the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had died. The people began to to say that there was an eclipse on account of the death of Ibrahim. The Prophet ﷺ stood up and led the people in prayer performing six bowings and four prostrations. he said: Allah is most great, and then recited from the Quran and prolonged the recitation. He then bowed nearly as long as he stood. He then raised his head and recited from the Quran but it was less than the first (recitation). He then bowed nearly as long as he stood. He then raised his head and then recited from the Quran for the third time, but it was less than the second recitation. He then bowed nearly as long as he stood. he then raised his head and then recited from the Quran for the third time, but it was less than the second recitation. he then bowed nearly as long as he stood. Then he raised his head and went down for prostration. he made two prostrations. He then stood and made three bowings before prostrating himself, the preceding bowing being more lengthy than the following, but he bowed nearly as long as he stood. He then stepped back during the prayer and the rows (of the people) too stepped back along with him. Then he stepped forward and stood in his place, and the rows too stepped forward. he then finished the prayer and the sun had become bright. He said: O people, the sun and the moon are two of Allah's signs; they are not eclipsed on account of a man's death. So when you see anything of that nature, offer prayer until the sun becomes bright. The narrator then narrated the rest of the tradition.
Hadith Referenceسنن ابي داود / كتاب صلاة الاستسقاء / 1178
Hadith Gradingالألبانی:صحيح وساق بقية الحديث | زبیر علی زئی:صحيح مسلم (904)
Hadith Takhrij« صحیح مسلم/الکسوف 3 (904)، سنن النسائی/الکسوف 12 (1477)، (تحفة الأشراف: 2438)، وقد أخرجہ: مسند احمد (3/274، 382) (صحیح) » (چھ رکوع والی بات شاذ ہے، صحیح ’’چار رکوع‘‘ ہے)
1؎: This narration is also shaadh (anomalous); the authentic narration is of two bowings (ruku‘), as is found in the subsequent narration of Jabir radi Allahu anhu himself.
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
1178. Commentary: ➊ The connection of this hadith to the chapter is not clear, except that in the eclipse prayer (salat al-kusuf), each first standing (qiyam) and bowing (ruku) should be long, and the second should be shorter than the first. ➋ The reason the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) moved forward from his prayer mat was due to witnessing Paradise, and his stepping back was because Hell was shown to him. ➌ According to Shaykh al-Albani (rahimahullah), the wording mentioning six bowings (ruku) in this narration is anomalous (shadh). The preserved wording is of four bowings, as is mentioned in the next hadith.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 1178
´It was narrated that Jabir bin 'Abdullah said:` "The sun eclipsed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on a very hot day. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led his companions in prayer, and he stood for so long that they started to fall over. Then he bowed for a long time, then he stood up (and remained standing) for a long time. Then he bowed again for a long time, then he stood up (again) and (remained standing) for a long time. Then he prostrated twice, then he stood up and did the same again. He started to move forward, then he started to step back. He bowed four times and prostrated four times. They used to say that eclipses of the sun and moon only happened when one of their great men died, but they are two of the signs of Allah (SWT) that He shows to you, so when an eclipse happens, pray until it is over."
Hafiz Muhammad Ameen
1479. Commentary: For benefits, see narration: 1473.
Source: Sunan Nasa'i: Translation and Benefits by Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Amin Hafizullah, Page: 1479