rakʿah contained three bowings.

2 – Ibn ʿAbbās directed the people to do the same, instructing them to perform this prayer whenever any cosmic sign that Allah causes in the universe appears—such as an earthquake, a flood, a violent wind, falling calamities, and the like.

3 – Shaykh al-Islam said, “A prayer is offered for every sign, as the Sunnah and the transmitted reports indicate.” The verifying scholars among the Hanbalis and others added, “This is a prayer of awe and fear, just as the Prayer of Seeking Forgiveness is one of hope and yearning; and Allah has commanded His servants to call upon Him in fear and in hope.”

Ibn al-Qayyim remarked, “The purpose of instilling fear is achieved only by what actually brings harm and dread, such as an earthquake or a raging wind.” He ﷺ said, “When you see a sign, then prostrate,” which shows that prostration has been legislated at the appearance of the signs.

Some scholars held that the Eclipse Prayer is not performed for lightning strikes, violent storms, terrifying thunder or lightning flashes, because such events occurred in the Prophet’s lifetime ﷺ and he did not pray for them; rather, he prayed only for an eclipse. The preferable course is therefore to confine oneself to what is authentically reported. Although inducing fear is undoubtedly a valid rationale, there is no analogy when a clear Sunnah exists, and refraining from an act when its cause is present and no impediment exists is itself a Sunnah.