Lunar Eclipse Tonight

4 months ago

Indeed, earthquakes, the two eclipses, and terrifying winds are among the signs of the Hour. So when you see any of that, remember the coming of the Hour and hasten to your mosques. (Narrated from Imm a-diq (a), Wasail ash-Shah, v. 7, p. 487)

There will be a total lunar eclipse over the entire country on March 13th (Thursday night). Please note that the alat ul-yt should be offered when the moon is in the partial or total eclipse stage (not the penumbral stage), and when the eclipse is theoretically visible from your location. The timings for the eclipse are 10:09 pm to 1:47 am PT (it will end after Friday midnight). Out of precaution, one should wait at least 10 minutes from the start of the eclipse to perform the alat. It is best to recite it before the eclipse is at the maximum stage (11:58 pm).

Prayer Method for alat ul-yt:

1. Make the intention (Niyyah) of offering the prayer as "alat ul-yt".

2. Say Takbratul Irm: Allahu Akbar.

3. Recite Srah al-Ftiah and any other srah*.

4. Then perform ruk.

5. After ruk, stand and recite Srah al-Ftiah and any other srah and then perform another ruk.

6. Repeat this action five times (steps 3 & 4). When you stand after the fifth ruk, proceed to perform the two sajdah (as in the normal morning prayer), and then stand up to perform the second rakah in the same manner as was done in the first rakah (with the five ruks).

7. After performing the second set of sajdahs, recite tashahhud and end with salm to complete the prayer.

*Please note that a person is allowed to say Takbratul Irm, recite Srah al-Ftiah and then divide the verses of another srah into five parts, and recite one verse or more or less, and thereafter perform the ruk. Then stand and recite another part of the srah (without reciting Srah al-Ftiah) and then perform another ruk. This should be repeated and the srah must be finished before performing the fifth ruk.

However, the bismillah ar-rahman ar-rahim at the beginning of the srah does not count as a verse of its own for this purpose and should be joined with some portion of the rest of the srah.