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The distress caused by some signs is more severe than the distress caused by an eclipse.
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What is narrated from Ibn Abbas and Ali (1)—may Allah be pleased with them—indicates that this is not restricted to eclipses; rather, prayer is performed for everything that inspires fear.
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The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would turn to prayer whenever a matter distressed him (2)—that is, whenever it troubled or concerned him. Although the hadith is weak, its meaning is supported by Allah’s saying:
“Seek help through patience and prayer.” [Al-Baqarah 2:45]
As for the claim that storms and crashing thunder occurred during the Prophet’s lifetime, this does not disprove what we have said, for such winds may have been customary. Something customary does not inspire fear, even if it is severe. For example, during the summer people are accustomed to strong and frequent winds, and they do not regard this as something frightening.
It is true that at times there may be tremendous, successive thunderbolts that frighten people. But can anyone establish that the thunderbolts which occurred during the Prophet’s lifetime were of this kind? No one can prove that there were thunderbolts in the Prophet’s time that departed from what was customary. Yet if tremendous, successive thunderbolts were to occur, people would undoubtedly be afraid; in that case, they would turn in alarm to their Lord, Most High, through prayer.
This latter view is the choice of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah—may Allah have mercy on him—and it has great strength. It is the preponderant view.