Rulings on the Lunar Eclipse and the Solar Eclipse and Matters related to Them

Question :

1. Revered Shaikh, we read in the newspapers an article, the essence of which was: "... that the moon would be totally eclipsed a little after sunset." That was three days before the eclipse occurred. The writer explained the reasons for its occurrence, its start and its end, which caused one to ask oneself a number of questions, bearing in mind the following facts:

1. That the lunar eclipse and the solar eclipse are natural occurrences, because the scholars of astronomy know of their occurrence a number of days beforehand and are able to predict their extent, their beginning and their end precisely.

2. That the Messenger ordered us in a Hadith narrated by Muslim, on the authority of 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, to pray at the time when an eclipse occurs, saying:

"Pray, so that Allah may relieve you."

3. And Al-Bukhari narrated, on the authority of Asma' bint Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with them both, that she said: "We were ordered to release slaves at the time of the eclipse."

4. It has been reported in Fathul-Bari that:

"The sun and the moon are two of the Signs of Allah by which Allah causes fear to His servants."

But why are the servants afraid, when the eclipse is something natural and well known before it happens?

Answer:

1. It has been authentically reported from the Prophet that he said that solar and lunar eclipses occur as something fearful from Allah to His servants, in order to encourage them to respect the Signs of Allah and to fear Him, the Almighty, the All-Powerful and to resort to remembrance of Him and obedience towards Him. He said that they are not eclipsed for the death of any person, nor for his birth and that they are only two Signs from among the Signs of Allah by which Allah causes fear to His servants. He said:

"If you observe an eclipse, then seek protection in remembrance of Him and supplicate Him.

He also said:
"If you see it, then pray and supplicate until He relieves you of what afflicts you.

And he ordered us in these circumstances to make Takbir, to free slaves and to give charity. All of this is prescribed at the time of an eclipse: prayer, remembrance, seeking forgiveness, giving charity, freeing slaves, fear of Allah - the Almighty, the All-Powerful - and to make them beware of His punishment.

That it is a Sign whose occurrence is known through calculation does not negate that it is a cause for invoking fear of Allah the Almighty and a means of making people beware of Him, the Most Glorified, Most High. For it is He Who makes the Signs and organizes their causes, like the rising and setting of the sun at specific times and likewise the moon and the stars which are Signs from among the Signs of Allah, the Most Glorified, the Most High. The fact that Allah has made causes for them, as mentioned by the astronomers, by which they know when eclipses will occur, does not negate them being means of invoking fear and warning of (the punishment of) Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Likewise, all of His clear Signs, such as the sun, the moon, the stars, the heat, the cold - all of them are Signs in which there is fear and warning against disobeying Allah after He has given. these Blessings. And people are encouraged to beware of Him (i.e. His punishment) and to fear Him, the Most Glorified, so that they remain steadfast in obedience to His Commands and avoid what He has forbidden.

The presence of these Signs in the heavens, such as the eclipse of the moon and the sun and others, and the fact that the astronomers and those who calculate (the movements of celestial bodies) know the causes of such things in most cases does not obviate their being Signs. And the calculator could be mistaken, as could the astronomer at times or they could be right, although in most cases provided he is sure of his calculations he gets it right. This is not knowledge of the unseen, because it has known causes which are explored by the calculators through the movements of the sun and moon and they know the phases of the sun and the moon, including the phases in which lunar and solar eclipses will occur, and this does not negate the fear of Allah or the charity or other things that were commanded by Allah through His Messenger - all of this is for the benefit of the worshippers, so that they may fear, beware (of sin) and remain steadfast. The fact that they are known through calculation does not negate this.

Question :

2. Does not the spread of such information diminish the importance of the eclipse (i.e. in the eyes of the people)?

Answer:

2. If the news of it was not spread, it would be better, so that eclipses would come upon the people without warning, as this would be more likely to inspire fear in them and make them more active in obeying Allah, the Most Glorified, Most High. But some of these calculators consider that this information causes people to be more prepared and reduces ignorance of them, because it could take the people unawares, so they do not realize it or notice it. So if this information is disseminated in the newspapers, the people will take note of this thing and be ready for it when it occurs - this is what is intended by spreading such information in most cases.

Question :

3. Is not the forecasting of things such as lunar and solar eclipses a form of predicting events before they occur and a violation of the legal evidences, may Allah preserve you and protect you?

Answer:

3. No ... the scholars say that it is not from among the matters of the unseen and that it is known through calculation, as Shaikh Al-Islam, Ibn Taimiyyah, Ibn Al-Qayyim and other early scholars have said. And the phases of the sun and moon are known to the astronomers and calculators through their investigations which they have studied and understood, and not from knowledge of the unseen.

Source:
Ibn Baz
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 2 Pages 37-308-309-310-311