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A
total solar eclipse, as is going to take place this Sunday, 23
Nov. – 28 Ramadaan, is impressive but amazing and even
alarming. What happens is that the clouds darken, the air
chills, and the sky turns gloomy and murky. Animals are clearly
frightened, and birds go into shelter. A cold darkness
descends, and the black shadows of the moon, like an ominous
thundercloud advances to cover the sky. Just before the last
rays of the sun are obscured, fast moving lines of light and
shade pursue one another on the ground.
Then
the day suddenly becomes night. As the eye becomes accustomed
to the dark, objects are seen with eerie appearances. This
makes one feel that some impending calamity is about to take
place. The sun is blotted out, with irregular beads of light
from the edge of the sun's disc breaking through. Many are
terrified by the sudden darkening of the sky, and many
superstitions have spread as a result.
THREE:
THE SOLAR ECLIPSE IN THE TIME OF RASUL'ULLAH
[SAW]
During
the course of 8 A.H. Mariah Qibtiah gave birth to a son to
RASUL'ULLAH [SAW] whom he named Ibrahim. Ibrahim lived for only
18 months and passed away. A solar eclipse occurred the day he
passed away, and rumour did the rounds of Madina, people
saying:
“The
sun has eclipsed because of the death of Ibrahim [the son of
the Prophet]”
RASUL'ULLAH [SAW] heard these talks, and called an assembly in
the Masjid. He ascended the minbar and delivered the following
khutbah:
“VERILY, THE SUN AND MOON ARE FROM THE SIGNS OF ALLAH.
THEY DO NOT ECLIPSE AS A SIGN OF DEATH OR BIRTH OF ANYONE. SO,
WHEN YOU DO EXPERIENCE AN ECLIPSE, CALL UPON ALLAH, RECITE
TAKBEER, SEND SALUTATIONS AND PEACE GREETINGS TO ME, AND GIVE
CHARITY.”
“O
UMMAH OF MUHAMMAD! BY ALLAH! NO ONE IS MORE INFURIATED AND
ANGERED THAN ALLAH TO SEE ONE OF HIS MALE SLAVES COMMIT
FORNICATION [ZINA], OR THAT ONE OF HIS FEMALE SLAVES COMMIT
FORNICATION. O UMMAH OF MUHAMMAD! BY ALLAH! HAD YOU KNOWN WHAT
I KNOW, YOU WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY LAUGHED LITTLE AND WEPT
MUCH!”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
In
another Hadith it is stated that during the time of RASUL'ULLAH
[SAW] there was a solar eclipse. He called the people and then
together observed a prolonged Salaat-ul Ku'soof, and then
addressed them all as follows:
“O
PEOPLE! VERILY THE SUN AND MOON ARE TWO SIGNS OF THE SIGNS OF
ALLAH. THESE BODIES DO NOT ECLIPSE FOR THE DEATH OR BIRTH OF
ANYONE, BUT WHEN SUCH AN ECLIPSE OCCURS, REMEMBER ALLAH MUCH!”
THE PEOPLE ASKED: “YA RASUL'ULLAH! WE SAW YOU MOVE FORWARD AND
THEN STEP BACK! [WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?] RASUL'ULLAH [SAW]
EXPLAINED: “VERILY, I SAW PARADISE AND INTENDED PICKING A BUNCH
OF GRAPES. HAD I PLUCKED IT, YOU WOULD HAVE EATEN OF IT AS LONG
AS THIS WORLD LASTS. THEREAFTER I SAW THE FIRE [OF HELL], AND
NEVER HAVE I SEEN SUCH A SPECTACLE. I NOTED THAT MOST OF ITS
INHABITANTS WERE WOMEN.” THE PEOPLE ASKED: “WHY O MESSENGER OF
ALLAH!” HE SAID: – “DUE TO THEIR
UNGRATEFULNESS!”
THEY
ASKED HIM FURTHER: “WERE THEY UNGRATEFUL TO ALLAH?” RASUL'ULLAH
[SAW] ANSWERED: “THEY WERE UNGRATEFUL [UNAPPRECIATIVE] TO THEIR
KINSFOLK, AND THEY DENIED ANY GOOD TURNS. FOR IF SOMEONE HAD
BEEN KIND-HEARTED AND WELL-DISPOSED TOWARDS THEM ALL THE TIME
AND THEN DOES SOMETHING UNFAVOURABLE OR UNSUITABLE, THEY WILL
SAY: “I NEVER RECEIVE ANY GOOD FOM YOU.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
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