This will be after every bowing (ruku‘) after which there is recitation, or after the last bowing of every unit (rak‘ah) after which there are prostrations (the tahmid will be said).

Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that during the blessed life of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), there was a solar eclipse, so he went to the mosque and stood up (for prayer) «‏‏‏‏اللهُ أَكْبَرُ» ‏‏‏‏ said. And the people formed rows behind him. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited a very long recitation. Then «‏‏‏‏اللهُ أَكْبَرُ» ‏‏‏‏ said and performed a long bowing (ruku). Then he raised his blessed head from the bowing and «‏‏‏‏سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ، رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الحَمْدُ» ‏‏‏‏ said. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood and recited for a long time, but it was less than the first recitation. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said «‏‏‏‏اللهُ أَكْبَرُ» ‏‏‏‏ and performed a long bowing, and this bowing was shorter than the first one. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said «‏‏‏‏سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ، رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الحَمْدُ» ‏‏‏‏. Then he performed the second rak'ah in the same manner. In this way, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) completed four bowings and four prostrations. Before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer with salam, the sun had already become bright. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood and delivered a sermon and praised and glorified Allah as is befitting to His majesty. Then he said: "Indeed, the sun and the moon are two signs among the signs of Allah. They do not eclipse due to the death or life of any person. Therefore, when you see an eclipse of either of them, hasten to perform prayer."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that when a solar eclipse occurred, Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) led the people in the eclipse prayer. He began the prayer and recited Surah «‏‏‏‏يٰس» ‏‏‏‏ or a similar surah, then he performed a bowing (ruku) as long as the length of the surah, then when he raised his head from ruku, he said «‏‏‏‏سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ» ‏‏‏‏, then he stood for a duration equal to the recitation of the surah, supplicating and saying takbeer. Then he performed another long ruku equal to his recitation. Then the rest of the hadith is mentioned, and he said: Then when he stood for the second rak’ah, he did all the actions as in the first rak’ah. Then he informed those present that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do likewise. Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that it is mentioned in this narration that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) performed four rukus in each rak’ah, as is mentioned in the narration of Tawus from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that during the blessed era of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), one day there was a solar eclipse. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up to pray; he stood (for so long) that it seemed as if he did not want to go into bowing (ruku‘). Then he bowed, remaining in ruku‘ for so long that it seemed as if he did not want to raise his head from ruku‘. Then when he raised his blessed head, he stood (for so long that it seemed) he did not want to go into prostration (sajdah). Then when he prostrated, it was as if he did not want to raise his head. Then when he raised his blessed head, he sat (for so long) that it seemed he did not want to prostrate again. Then when he prostrated, it was as if he did not want to raise his blessed head.

A long hadith is narrated from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) about the eclipse prayer of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and in this hadith it is mentioned that then the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed prostration, and it was a very long prostration, then the Prophet (peace be upon him) raised his blessed head. Then he performed a second prostration, which was shorter than the first prostration. Then the rest of the hadith was narrated.

The Imam, with the chain of narration from Hazrat Saeed bin Abdur Rahman, narrates from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). This narration has the same meaning as the previous narration.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that during the blessed era of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), one day there was a solar eclipse, so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up to pray. He stood for such a long time as if he did not wish to bow (ruku). Then he performed such a lengthy bowing as if he did not wish to raise his blessed head. Then he raised his blessed head (and stood for a long time) as if he did not wish to prostrate. Then he prostrated for so long as if he did not wish to raise his head. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was blowing (with his mouth) and weeping, supplicating: "O my Lord, did You not promise me that as long as I am among them, You will not punish them? O my Lord, did You not promise me that You will not punish them while we seek Your forgiveness?" Then, when he had led two rak‘ahs, the sun had become bright again. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood and praised and glorified Allah Almighty, and said: "Indeed, the sun and the moon are two signs among the signs of Allah. So when either of them is eclipsed, hasten to the remembrance of Allah Almighty." Then he said: "Paradise was shown to me, so much so that if I wished, I could have reached out and taken a bunch from its clusters. And Hell was also shown to me, so I began to blow (with my mouth), fearing that it might engulf you. And I began to supplicate: 'O my Lord, did You not promise me that You would not punish them as long as I am among them? O my Lord, did You not promise me that You would not punish them while they are seeking forgiveness for their sins?'" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I saw in Hell a black-skinned, tall woman from the tribe of Himyar who had kept a cat tied up; she neither fed it nor gave it water herself, nor did she set it free so that it could eat the insects of the earth (so it died of hunger and thirst). I saw that whenever she moved back, the cat would tear her flesh, and whenever she moved forward, the cat would also tear her flesh with its teeth. And I saw a man from the tribe of Bani Da'da‘ who wore Dusbati shoes, being pushed into Hell with a staff having two prongs. And I saw in Hell the one with the crooked staff, who used to steal the belongings of the pilgrims with his crooked staff, and he used to say, 'Indeed, I do not steal, it is my crooked staff that steals.' So I saw him in Hell leaning on his crooked staff."

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that during the blessed time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the sun was eclipsed, so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up (to perform prayer). He (peace and blessings be upon him) stood for a very long time until it was said that he would not bow (for ruku‘). Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) bowed and prolonged the bowing until it was said that he would not raise his head. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his head and stood for a long time until it was thought that he would not prostrate. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) prostrated and prolonged the prostration until it was thought that he would not raise his head. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his head and sat for a long time until it was thought that he would not perform (the second) prostration. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) prostrated. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and did the same in the second rak‘ah. Then the eclipse of the sun ended (and it became bright).

A man named Hanish narrates that once there was a solar eclipse, so Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) led the people in the eclipse prayer and then narrated the hadith further. Both of them said that when Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) stood for the second rak'ah, he performed it in the same manner as he had done in the first rak'ah, and then he sat in Tashahhud and began to turn towards Allah Almighty with devotion and supplication until the sun became bright again. Then he informed the people that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to do the same. The words of (narrator) Yusuf are that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also did the same.

Hazrat Urwah narrates from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) the incident of the solar eclipse and says that when the sun became bright again, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and addressed the people. He (peace be upon him) praised and glorified Allah, then said: "Indeed, the sun and the moon are two signs among the signs of Allah. They do not eclipse because of the death or life of any person. O Ummah of Muhammad, indeed Allah becomes greatly protective when any of His male or female servants commit adultery. O Ummah of Muhammad, by Allah, or by the One in Whose hand is my soul, if you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much. Beware, have I conveyed (the religion of Allah)?"