And it seems that some people thought the sun had become eclipsed because Ibrāhīm had died. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, therefore addressed them, saying:

“The sun and the moon are two of Allah’s signs. They do not become eclipsed because of anyone’s death or life. When you see them eclipsed, hasten to prayer.”

Another version in the Sahīh reads:

“Rather, they are two of Allah’s signs through which He strikes fear into His servants.”

This makes clear that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, regarded the two eclipses as a cause for punishment to befall people. Allah strikes fear into His servants only through what they fear when they disobey Him and His messengers, and people fear only what harms them. Were there no possibility of harm befalling people during an eclipse, it would not serve to frighten them. Allah Most High says:

“And We gave Thamūd the she-camel as a clear sign, but they wronged her. We send signs only as a warning.”

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, commanded actions that dispel fear: prayer, supplication, seeking forgiveness, charity and freeing slaves, until what afflicts people is removed. He led the Muslims in a lengthy prayer during the eclipse.

Various forms of the eclipse prayer have been reported. However, the form widely reported among those knowledgeable about the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and narrated by al-Bukhārī and Muslim through several routes—and which most scholars, including Mālik, al-Shāfi'ī and Ahmad, considered preferable—is that he led them in two units of prayer, with two bowings in each unit. He recites at length, then bows for a long time, though less than the time spent reciting. He then stands and recites at length, though less than in the first recitation, then bows for less time than in the preceding bowing