Eclipses & Salat al-Ayat
Upcoming solar and lunar eclipses — when they occur, where they can be seen, and the prayer they call for.
Salat al-Ayat
In Shia fiqh, Salat al-Ayat (the prayer of signs) becomes obligatory when a solar or lunar eclipse occurs at your location — even a partial one. It is due from the start of the eclipse and should not deliberately be delayed past its end.
How it is prayed
- Two rak'ahs, each containing five ruku' — ten in all.
- In each rak'ah: recite Surah al-Hamd and a full surah, then bow; rise and repeat this five times.
- You may instead split one surah into five parts, reciting al-Hamd once and one part before each ruku'.
- After the fifth ruku' of each rak'ah, perform the two sajdahs; finish the second rak'ah with tashahhud and salam.
Details differ between the maraji' — for instance whether a penumbral eclipse counts (it is generally not treated as an eclipse for this ruling) and the exact time limits. Consult your marja's rulings.