I came to `Aisha the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ) during the solar eclipse. The people were standing and
offering the prayer and she was also praying. I asked her, "What is wrong with the people?" She
beckoned with her hand towards the sky and said, "Subhan Allah." I asked her, "Is there a sign?" She
pointed out, "Yes." So I, too, stood for the prayer till I fell unconscious and later on I poured water on
my head. After the prayer, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) praised and glorified Allah and said, "Just now I have seen
something which I never saw before at this place of mine, including Paradise and Hell. I have been
inspired (and have understood) that you will be put to trials in your graves and these trials will be like
the trials of Ad-Dajjal, or nearly like it (the sub narrator is not sure of what Asma' said). Angels will
come to every one of you and ask, 'What do you know about this man?' A believer will reply, 'He is
Muhammad, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) , and he came to us with self-evident truth and guidance. So we accepted
his teaching, believed and followed him.' Then the angels will say to him to sleep in peace as they
have come to know that he was a believer. On the other hand a hypocrite or a doubtful person will
reply, 'I do not know but heard the people saying something and so I said the same.' "
Narrated by Narrated Asma' bint Abu Bakr:
Context
In this hadith, Asma' bint Abu Bakr describes a moment during a solar eclipse when the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) led the people in prayer. The collective response of the community reflects their awareness of divine signs and their commitment to worship. The Prophet's (ﷺ) subsequent remarks about the trials in the grave highlight the importance of faith and knowledge in the face of life's uncertainties.
Modern Application
This hadith illustrates the significance of prayer during extraordinary events, reminding Muslims today to remain steadfast in their faith and worship, especially when faced with natural phenomena that evoke a sense of awe and reflection.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Day of Judgment and Divine Revelation because it connects the act of prayer during a celestial event to the broader themes of faith and accountability in the afterlife.
And [remember] when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a statement; and when she informed [another] of it and Allah showed it to him, he made known part of it and ignored a part. And when he informed her about it, she said, "Who told you this?" He said, "I was informed by the Knowing, the Acquainted."
I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allah, and Satan has made their deeds pleasing to them and averted them from [His] way, so they are not guided,
And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, "My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You." [Allah] said, "You will not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me." But when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious. And when he awoke, he said, "Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and I am the first of the believers."
Certainly has Allah showed to His Messenger the vision in truth. You will surely enter al-Masjid al-Haram, if Allah wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and [hair] shortened, not fearing [anyone]. He knew what you did not know and has arranged before that a conquest near [at hand].