Recitation in Solar and Lunar Eclipse Prayers – Loud or Silent?
Source: Fatāwā Amanpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri
❖ Question:
In the prayer of solar and lunar eclipses, should the recitation be loud (jahr) or silent (sirr)?
❖ Answer:
In the prayer of solar and lunar eclipses, it is better to recite loudly. However, silent recitation is also authentically established.
✿ Evidences from Hadith
① Narration of Sayyidah Aishah (RA):
إن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم جهر فى صلاة الخسوف بقرائته، فصلى أربع ركعات فى ركعتين وأربع سجدات.
The Prophet ﷺ recited loudly in the eclipse prayer, performing four bowings in two rak‘ahs and four prostrations.
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1065, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 901)
② Narration of Sayyiduna Jabir bin Samurah bin Jundub (RA):
صلى بنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى كسوف الشمس ركعتين، لا نسمع له فيهما صوتا.
The Prophet ﷺ led us in two rak‘ahs of prayer during a solar eclipse, and we did not hear his voice in them.
(Musnad Aḥmad: 4/16, Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1184, Sunan al-Nasā’ī: 1484, Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 562 – Ḥasan Ṣaḥīḥ Gharīb, Sunan Ibn Mājah: 1264; chain: Ḥasan)
- Imām Ibn Khuzaymah (1397) and Imām Ibn Ḥibbān (597) declared it Ṣaḥīḥ.
- Imām al-Ḥākim (1/329) graded it authentic on the conditions of Bukhārī and Muslim, and Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī agreed.
- Imām al-Nawawī graded the chain as Ḥasan. (Khulāṣat al-Aḥkām: 2/891)
- Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar declared the chain strong. (Natā’ij al-Afkār, p. 412)
③ Narration of Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbās (RA):
انخسفت الشمس علىٰ عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فصلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقام قياما طويلا نحوا من قرائة سورة البقرة.
During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the sun was eclipsed. The Prophet ﷺ performed the prayer, standing for a very long time, approximately equal to the recitation of Sūrah al-Baqarah.
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1052, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 907)
④ Narration of Sayyidah Aishah (RA):
كسفت الشمس علىٰ عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فخرج رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فصلى بالناس، فقام فحزرت قرائته، فرأيت أنه قرأ بسورة البقرة، ثم سجد سجدتين، ثم قام فأطال القرائة، فحزرت قرائته أنه قرأ بسورة آل عمران.
In the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the sun was eclipsed. The Prophet ﷺ came out and led the people in prayer. He stood for a long time, and I estimated that he recited Sūrah al-Baqarah. Then he performed two prostrations. After that, he stood again and recited for a long time, and I estimated that he recited Sūrah Āl ‘Imrān.
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1187, chain: Ḥasan)
Imām al-Ḥākim (1/334) graded it authentic according to the conditions of Muslim.
Conclusion: Both loud and silent recitation are established in the eclipse prayers. However, reciting loudly is preferable.