Musnad Humaydi

Benefit:
At the time of a solar or lunar eclipse, one should seek forgiveness (istighfar) and give charity and alms (sadaqah wa khayrat), and the prayer of eclipse (salat al-kusuf) should be performed. Its details are present in al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Hadith Commentary:
From this hadith, it is understood that the time for the eclipse prayer (salat al-kusuf) is precisely when the eclipse occurs, regardless of the time. The Hanafis have made an exception for the disliked times (awqat makruhah), and this is also the well-known narration from Imam Ahmad. According to the Malikis, the time is from sunrise until the sun begins to decline (zawal). The Ahl al-Hadith have adopted the first opinion, and that is the preferred (rajih) view.
(Wahidi)

Hadith Commentary:
Apart from Abu Mas’ud (radi Allahu anhu), this narration is transmitted from numerous other Companions (radi Allahu anhum).

From Jabir bin Abdullah (radi Allahu anhu) in Sahih Muslim; from Abdullah bin Amr (radi Allahu anhu), Nu’man bin Bashir (radi Allahu anhu), Qabeesah Hilali (radi Allahu anhu), and Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) in Sunan an-Nasa’i; from Abdullah bin Mas’ud (radi Allahu anhu), Samurah bin Jundub (radi Allahu anhu), and Mahmood bin Labeed (radi Allahu anhu) in Musnad Imam Ahmad; and from Uqbah bin Amir (radi Allahu anhu) and Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) in Mu’jam Tabarani, the aforementioned words of the hadith are narrated.

From these narrations, it is established with certainty that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) spoke a statement based on reality.

These words prove the falsehood of those who claim that the occurrence of a solar or lunar eclipse is connected to someone’s death or life.

(Fath al-Bari: 2/703)

Benefits and Issues:

➊
The sun and the moon are among the great creations of Allah.
So much so that some polytheist nations worship them.
But they too are powerless before the command of Allah.
Whenever Allah wills, He can take away their light.
Upon the manifestation of this sign of Allah’s greatness, Muslims should perform prayer to express their humility and submissiveness before Allah.

➋
On the Day of Resurrection, the light of the sun and the moon will be extinguished.
An eclipse reminds us of the Day of Resurrection,
which is a very severe day.
Sinners should remember the terrors of the Resurrection and humble themselves before Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins.
Therefore, it is Sunnah to perform a lengthy prayer on this occasion,
the method of which is mentioned in detail in other ahadith (for example, see: Hadith 1265, 1263).

➌
In the Age of Ignorance, it was commonly believed that an eclipse occurs
when a great person dies or a great person is born.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam refuted this, saying:
“The sun and the moon are two signs among the signs of Allah.
They do not eclipse because of anyone’s death.
Rather, Allah causes His servants to fear through them.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Kusuf, Chapter: The Statement of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam ‘Allah frightens His servants with the eclipse’, Hadith: 1048)
In another narration, these words are mentioned: “These are two signs among the signs of Allah.
They do not eclipse because of anyone’s death,
nor because of anyone’s life. When you see them (in eclipse),
turn your attention to prayer.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Kusuf, Chapter: Should one say ‘the sun has eclipsed’ or ‘the sun has lost its light’? Hadith: 1047)