One Eclipse, Four Schools
A Comparative Fiqh Analysis of the Solar Eclipse Prayer (Ṣalāt al-Kusūf) Across the Four Sunnī Madhāhib
Author: Rashad Ali
The Solar Eclipse Prayer (Ṣalāt al-Kusūf) is a highly emphasised prophetic practice (Sunnah Muʾakkadah) universally recognized by all four major schools of Sunnī jurisprudence: the Ḥanafī, Mālikī, Shāfiʿī, and Ḥanbalī schools. While the schools agree on its overall spiritual importance as a response to a divine sign, they differ significantly regarding its physical structure, the volume of recitation, and the requirement of a post-prayer sermon. These differences stem from how each school interprets, harmonizes, or prioritises various authentic prophetic practices (Aḥādīth) recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, and the Sunan collections.
With the upcoming partial solar eclipse in the UK region on Wednesday 12th August, Rashad Ali has shared a comparative study of this prayer for the benefit of people.
