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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Whose watching the eclipse? |
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| Caraj |
| 10/27/04 at 22:52:59 |
| I have been outside feeding the horses. I use a golf cart cause there are many pastures to take hay and grain out to. I also feed 3 barns of horses, but I love riding around the property feeding the outside horses. I have been watching the eclipes, so thankful it is clear. Washington State is usually cloudy and raining so we miss out on things like meteroite showers and such. It's so cool, I'm inside now and can see it from the desk window where the pc is Heading back out to see it and listen to the coyotes howl. Who else is watching it? I started feeding about the time it began which was cool. |
| 10/28/04 at 00:33:14 |
| jannah |
| Re: Whose watching the eclipes? |
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| lala |
| 10/27/04 at 23:02:25 |
| salaams, here's one of the pics I took..if i had a stronger digital zoom...it would have been clearer!! but amazing...beautiful clear night here in NYC...and i have to contend with street lights..you all in non lit areas are blessed..but hey..we are all blessed...the grandeur of Allah swt... amazing... |
| http://www.jannah.org/board/attachments/moonred.jpg |
| moonred.jpg |
| Re: Whose watching the eclipes? |
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| nida |
| 10/27/04 at 23:40:27 |
| [slm], Wow....I just saw it from my window. Its truly fascinating. One of the obvious signs of Allah(swt). :) Isn't there a dua to read during the eclipse?Does anyone know? |
| Re: Whose watching the eclipse? |
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| jannah |
| 10/28/04 at 00:35:09 |
| [wlm] Here's a nice article about eclipses.. down below it has the directions on how to do the eclipse prayer.. go do it before its over@@@!! Most of the area mosques did the prayer in congregation today I'm so sad I had to work.. I woulda even went late if I knew they were doing it... It was so clear in front of my house too I'm downloading my pics as we speak and am going to put mine up.. nice shot lala ;) ---------------------------------------------------- The Sunnah concerning the Solar Eclipse In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful &jbsp;"And among His Signs are the night and the day, the sun and the moon. Prostrate neither to the sun nor to the moon, but prostrate to Allah who created them, if it is truly Him you worship." (Fussilat 41:37) Islam and the Solar Eclipse "The Sun and the Moon are two of the Signs (Ayat) of Allah: they do not darken for the death or birth of any person, but Allah strikes fear into His servants by means of them. So when you see them darken, remember and mention Allah, declare His Greatness, offer prayer, give in charity, and supplicate to Him and seek His forgiveness." (Bukhari) These were the words of Muhammad, Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when a solar eclipse took place on the very day that his infant son Ibrahim passed away: 29th Shawwal 10 H / 27th January 632 C.E. A false prophet would undoubtedly have claimed that such a magnificent celestial event was a sign of heavenly mourning for the loss of his loved one, but not so the final Messenger of God, who led the community of Muslims in prayer for as long as the eclipse lasted, then admonished them regarding their reckoning with their Lord on the Day of Judgment. The Muslim reaction to lunar and solar eclipses in general can be summarized as follows: 1. Solar and lunar eclipses are reminders of the Day of Judgment, when the sun, moon and stars will all lose their light. "When the sight is dazed, and the moon is buried in darkness, and the sun and moon are joined together: Man will say on that day, Where is the refuge?." (Surat al-Qiyamah, the Resurrection) 2. Being a reminder of the Last Day, the eclipse is a time for prayer, charitable acts, freeing slaves and generally remembering Allah and seeking His forgiveness. 3. To have belief in heavenly bodies (sun, moon, planets, stars) as having power over events and people's fates and fortunes is to reject Allah by ascribing partners to Him. "And among His Signs are the night and the day, the sun and the moon. Prostrate neither to the sun nor to the moon, but prostrate to Allah who created them, if it is truly Him you worship." (Surat Fussilat, the Signs Explained) Thus one cannot worship God by worshipping creation, whether the devotions are offered to Nature, heavenly bodies, idols or human beings. Creation-worship, despite its many forms, is the underlying error of many groups, from pagan druids and other "New Age" cultures (for whom the eclipse is a sacred event) to the numerous Christian denominations. The popular but false, empty faith in astrology, so widespread in the newspapers, is also condemned in Islam, which teaches people to constantly turn to the Source of all events: Allah. Salat al-Kusuf (The Eclipse Prayer) Ruling: Most of the people of knowledge ('ulama) regard it as an important sunnah (mu'akkadah); Imam Abu Hanifah said it was obligatory (wajib), whilst Imam Malik regarded it as equal to Salat al-Jumu'ah (Friday Prayer) in importance. Format: The eclipse prayer consists of two rak'at. Various forms of the rak'at have been narrated, but the most authentic ahadith indicate that each rak'a has two standings (qiyam), two instances of recitation from the Qur'an (qira'ah), two bowings (ruku') and two prostrations (sujud). This is the view of the majority of the people of knowledge, including Imams Malik, Shafi'i and Ahmad. The number of ruku' in each rak'a has also been narrated as three, four or five; the Hanafi 'ulama prefer only one ruku', just as for the daily prayers. However, the most authentic ahadith (Bukhari & Muslim) support the majority view, given above. Congregation: The Sunnah is for the prayer to be held in congregation in the masjid, although individuals who cannot reach the congregation may pray alone. Women may attend the congregation or pray at home individually. Khutbah (Sermon): This is given by the Imam after the congregational prayer, based on the admonition of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, part of which is quoted at the beginning of this article. The khutbah is recommended (mustahabb) according to Imam al-Shafi'i and the majority of the other Imams of Hadith, whilst the Hanafi 'ulama say that the khutbah is not part of the eclipse prayer and they regard the Messenger's admonition as a general reminder and not a formal sermon. If delivered, the khutbah should contain praise of Allah, the two testifications of faith (shahadatayn) and reminders about Paradise and the Fire. The Prophet's admonition also included warnings about unlawful sexual relations and general frivolity about life, and special advice to women regarding ingratitude to their husbands. Timing of the prayer: The time for the eclipse prayer lasts throughout the eclipse. The prayer must be started during the eclipse, although it can end after the eclipse is over. The khutbah is delivered after the prayer, whether or not the eclipse is still in progress. Once the eclipse is over, the requirement and time for the prayer no longer exists and therefore it is invalid to pray Salat al-Kusuf outside the time of the eclipse. Imams Abu Hanifah and Ahmad have stipulated that the eclipse prayer cannot be held during times when prayer is normally discouraged (makruh), i.e. when the sun is rising or setting over the horizon, or when it reaches its zenith; other Imams say that the recommendation of the eclipse prayer takes precedence over these discouraged times. Length of the prayer: The eclipse prayer should be longer than normal daily, weekly or annual prayers. The eclipse prayer performed by the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was extremely long: it started soon after the beginning of the eclipse and ended after the eclipse was over (i.e. two rak'at lasting perhaps 2-3 hours!). His prayer included four instances of recitation from the Qur'an, with the first and longest of them being reckoned as about as lengthy as Surat al-Baqarah. Further, the qiyam, ruku' and sujud were described as longer than any others seen performed by him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. However, the Imam should as always bear in mind the capabilities of his congregation, and the prayer should not be prolonged excessively for the old and weak amongst them. There is no requirement to prolong the prayer throughout the eclipse, nor to pray extra rak'at: the two-rak'at prayer is made as long as is reasonable, and the remainder of the eclipse is spent in supplication (du'a), general mention and remembrance of Allah (dhikr, including recitation of the Qur'an) and giving charity. Detailed description of the prayer (salat al kusuf) 1. There is no adhan or iqamah for the prayer, although the prayer can be announced by calling, "As-salat jami'ah" ("The congregation is gathering for prayer"). 2. The congregation line up in straight rows, filling all gaps and facing the qiblah, as usual. 3. The imam begins the prayer with takbir, as usual, followed by recitation of Surat al-Fatihah and one or more further surahs. The recitation may be loud or quiet, but the stronger view based on the authentic ahadith is that it should be loud, just as for 'Eid prayer. 4. The imam goes into ruku' with takbir, as usual. 5. The imam rises from ruku' saying "Sami'a Allahu li man hamidahu" ("Allah has heard those who have praised Him"), followed by the usual dhikr. 6. Remaining in the standing posture, the imam begins to recite again: Surat al-Fatihah and one or more further surahs. 7. The imam goes into ruku' with takbir. 8. The imam rises from ruku' saying "Sami'a Allahu li man hamidahu" ("Allah has heard those who have praised Him"), followed by the usual dhikr. 9. The imam performs the two sujud as usual, except that the prostrations should be lengthy, as should be the sitting in between them. 10. The imam rises for the second rak'a, which is performed in the same manner as the first. 11. Hence there are a total of four of each of the following: qiyam (with recitation), ruku' and sujud. The Sunnah is for each qiyam, ruku' and sajdah to be shorter than the previous one. General issues DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN ! It is dangerous to look directly at the sun for prolonged periods of time, whether during the eclipse or at any other time, for this may cause complete or partial blindness by the will of Allah. This applies to sunglasses and cameras and especially to binoculars and telescopes. The safest way to view the progress of the eclipse is by projection using a pinhole camera or other lens (e.g. binoculars, telescope). "Eclipse glasses" are not 100% safe, although ones with Mylar filters are better than most. Mylar filters may also be used with cameras. Many of the cheap eclipse glasses (cardboard with plastic filters) are dangerous: always check for a trusted safety inspection mark. Even officially "safe" glasses can be dangerous, since a tiny scratch can allow in enough solar radiation to burn the retina. Be very careful, especially with children. Perhaps one of the numerous wisdom behind the lengthy eclipse prayer is the minor side-benefit of people not risking their eyesight. This is also a reminder that just as the sun is too bright for the eyes, creation has to be veiled from Allah, otherwise the Divine Light would burn and consume all of existence. References 1. Sahih al-Bukhari with Fath al-Bari by Ibn Hajr. 2. Bulugh al-Maram by Ibn Hajr, with commentaries by Safi ar-Rahman Mubarakpuri and al-Amir al-San'ani (Subul as-Salam). By Usama Abu Zayd. |
| 10/28/04 at 00:35:41 |
| jannah |
| Re: Whose watching the eclipse? |
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| Caraj |
| 10/28/04 at 00:44:17 |
| I was reading there won't be another luner eclipes until 2007 Wasn't there one last Ramadan also? It is almost over, nearly 10 pm here on the west coast. Jannah, hurry and post those pics Sis :) pretty please oh and awesome post, I learned a lot from your post above. |
| 10/28/04 at 00:46:10 |
| Caraj |
| Re: Whose watching the eclipse? |
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| jannah |
| 10/28/04 at 00:52:24 |
| yeah that's sad there'll be no lunar eclipses for awhile :( remember last year when we had a lunar eclipse AND a solar eclipse in ramadan.. that was cool here's the pic i took from my front porch... i wish i could do time elapsed photography.. maybe next time ;) heres the article the AP has too: ----------- Stargazers Enjoy Total Lunar Eclipse 1 hour, 52 minutes ago Science - AP By SARAH BRUMFIELD, Associated Press Writer BALTIMORE - Astronomy buffs and amateur stargazers turned out to watch a total lunar eclipse Wednesday night — the last one Earth will get for nearly two and a half years. Tony and Carline Cazeau of Columbia brought their two daughters, Gabrielle, 12, and Valerie, 8, to the Maryland Science Center for the educational experience. "It looks like chocolate," Valerie said. With the Earth passing directly between the sun and the moon, the only light hitting the full moon was from the home planet's sunrises and sunsets, resulting in an orange and red hue. Jim O'Leary, senior director of technology, IMAX, at the Science Center's Davis Planetarium, said there are usually two or three lunar eclipses a year, but there won't be any in 2005 or 2006. "This one is a particularly long one," he said of the eclipse, which began about 9:15 p.m. Eastern time and was expected to last around three hours and 20 minutes. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, total lunar eclipses give scientists a chance to assess the quality of Earth's atmosphere. Ash from volcanic eruptions, for example, can make an eclipsed moon look much darker. The recent eruptions of Mount St. Helens in Washington were not expected to affect the eclipse because they consisted of far more steam than ash. The last total lunar eclipse was May 4, but it wasn't visible from North America, NASA (news - web sites) said. The next total eclipse of the moon will not be until March 2007. |
| http://www.jannah.org/board/attachments/eclipseoct28_2004.jpg |
| eclipseoct28_2004.jpg |
| Re: Whose watching the eclipse? |
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| lala |
| 10/28/04 at 00:58:44 |
| salaams, yep two ramadans in a row..and around october as well.. i have the pictures:) well, i even brought out my telescope for this one..took me about an hour to get it working though (lets say I havent used it in a while). Nice pic Jannah.... u know they say...'whennn the moon hits ur eye..like a big pizza pie...thats amore'..... enjoy stargazing..I can sleep now that I saw your picture!!! peace n love |
| Re: Whose watching the eclipse? |
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| Caraj |
| 10/28/04 at 01:03:54 |
| Thank you Jannah and Marcy for the pics. I wish I had a camera that could take night pics, I messaged my son and he said he went ouside and took a picture for me. :) Such a good kid ;) I'm such a star gazer, I love meteorite showers, eclipse and comets and such. I love taking a blanket and laying out in the back of my pick-up truck and watching the sky. Looking for satelites (sp) Is there anything in the Quran that talks about space? That old question is there life on other planets? I mean we would be soooo erragant(sp) to think that The one and only Almighty could of made just us here on earth. I mean he can do anything he wishes and wants. Unless is says so in the Quran. Oh and yeah it was cool having the solar and lunar eclipse last year |
| 10/28/04 at 01:06:15 |
| Caraj |
| Re: Whose watching the eclipse? |
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| hussaia |
| 10/28/04 at 02:53:21 |
| Salam Alaykum, I just love Jannah for the wonderfull peoples it has. Sometime i feel like packing all my belongings just to remain in the cyberspace for sake of my good cyber freinds. ;D :-/ Peace. |
| Re: Whose watching the eclipse? |
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| Ruqayyah |
| 10/28/04 at 18:41:18 |
| [slm] I went to a different masjid last night for taraweeh and they decided to do the eclipse prayer- I didn't even know there was going to be a lunar eclipse! The moon was so beautiful and round when i walked into the masjid and i remember thinking what a beautiful sight! So this masjid is hard core, and even the taraweeh was longer than i was accustomed to, but mashallah the imam did a beautiful job reciting, making sure to give each leter it's due time. the salat ul kasoof was 2 rakah like it says in the previous post and it lasted an hour and a half! subhanallah, i've never prayed for that long outside of taraweeh before.....and truthfully it was really difficult for me :( I just remember thinking, "is this what forever feels like?" and it made me think of jannah and Hell and how it just never ends. ever. i was sooo tired and it took everything in me to resist sitting down or even leaving. Afterwards, they had a little khutbah and the imam talked about the Day of Judgement. He spoke about how everyone will be so concerned for themselves, so much so that moms will leave their children. It made me think of my own mom and how i could never imagine her doing that. He also talked about how long that day will be. He also said that the people who feared Allah now would have security in the after life and those who felt secure now would come to fear Allah in the afterlife. Subhanallah it was one of those experiences that was really hard and one I had to struggle through but at the end I felt like I was able to taste a little of what that day might be like. Inshallah i hope it continues to serve as a reminder for me :-) |
| Re: Whose watching the eclipse? |
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| jannah |
| 11/01/04 at 10:10:35 |
| wlm, u know what would be cool lala.. if u did ur ramadan journal with pictures, real scenes of islam in ramadan from nyc!! |
| Re: Whose watching the eclipse? |
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| lala |
| 11/02/04 at 00:07:32 |
| salaams, Jannah if i had the time I would...really! Plus i feel funny taking pictures of people praying..wouldnt i need their permission:) ?? Oh and I like to go to prayers w/o hang bags etc... seems things get stolen at the masjid ::) gangsta living nyc style.. but maybe I'll think about it..didjt see that many cabbies today ;-) peace n love yall |
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