Partial Lunar Eclipse – September 17-18, 2024

September 17, 2024

There will be a partial lunar eclipse that will be visible over North America beginning in the evening on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, wherein Salat al-Ayat is obligatory (wajib). To see when the lunar eclipse will occur in your respective area, please click here.

Religious obligation:

During a solar or lunar eclipse, it is obligatory (wajib) to perform a stipulated prayer called Salat al-Ayat. The prayer becomes wajib even if the moon or the sun are partially eclipsed, and even if they do not engender any fear.

When should I perform Salat al-Ayat?

The time of Salat al-Ayat sets in as the eclipse starts, and remains till the eclipse is over. The best time to pray Salat al-Ayat is when the eclipse is at its maximum.

How to perform the prayer

Note that Salat al-Ayat is not required of a woman who is in her menses (hayd) or postpartum bleeding (nifas), nor would she be required to make up the prayer (qada).

How to perform Salat al-Ayat, a two-unit (rak‘a) prayer with five ruku‘ in each unit:

1.  Make the intention (niyya) of offering the prayers as Salat al-Ayat.
2.  One should say takbirat al-Ihram, “Allahu Akbar”, to start the prayer
3.  Recite Surat al-Fatiha and any other sura*
4.  Then perform ruku‘.
5.  After ruku‘, then stand and recite Surat al-Fatiha and any other Sura and then perform another ruku‘.
6. One should repeat this action (steps 3 & 4) five times, and when one stands after the fifth Ruku, one should then proceed to perform the two sajda (as in the normal fajr prayer). Then stand up to perform the second rak‘a in the same manner as was done in the first rak‘a (with the five ruku‘).
7.  After performing the second set of sajdas, one should recite tashahhud and end the prayer with salam to complete it.

*Please note that a person is allowed to say takbir and recite Surat al-Fatiha and then divide the verses of another Surah into five parts, and recite one verse or more or less, and thereafter perform the Ruku. One should then stand up and recite another part of the sura (without reciting Surat al-Fatiha) and then perform another ruku‘. This should be repeated and the sura must be finished before performing the fifth ruku‘. For more details see the Islamic Law Book by clicking here.