two rak‘ahs, with two bowings and two prostrations in each rak‘ah. This is authentically reported from Aishah and others from the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, but the prayer should be lengthy.

The apparent meaning of his words is that no sermon is prescribed for it, since he did not mention one. This is the well-known position in the Hanbali school.

Some scholars held instead that two sermons should be delivered after it, because it is a prayer prompted by fear, and thus two sermons are prescribed for it, just as in the prayer for rain. However, this analogy is unsound, because the prayer for rain has only one sermon—except according to the view of some scholars who held that it is like the Eid prayer, as will come, if Allah wills. Nor is it valid to compare it to the two Eid prayers, for the Eid prayers are prayers of joy and celebration.

Other scholars held that one sermon is recommended for it. This is the position of al-Shafi‘i, and it is the correct view.

This is because, when the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, had finished the eclipse prayer, “he stood, praised Allah and extolled Him, then said: To proceed, and then admonished the people” (1). These are the characteristics of a sermon.

As for their claim that this was merely an incidental admonition, we say: Yes—had an eclipse occurred again during the Prophet’s lifetime and he had not delivered a sermon, we would have said that it is not a sunnah. But it occurred only once, and it was followed by this great sermon, which he delivered standing: he praised Allah and extolled Him, said, “To proceed,” and then admonished the people. Moreover, this occasion is a particularly powerful one for a sermon: it reminds people, softens their hearts, and alerts them to this grave and momentous event.