Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamualikum,

A woman I know is pregnant and she has heard from many people about eclipse of moon or sun effects the pregnent ladies and their children.

She was told that a pregnent woman tore a page during eclipse and the child was born with torn lips. One of her relative ate too much of round peper during an elipse and the child was born with a round black mark on her lip. Her mother-in-law is not superstitous but she told her that there are forces produced due to eclpise just like force prodeuced due to full moon that attracts waves in oceans towards it. So we were thinking that may be scientifically there are some forces that do effect in such a way that whtever the woman durind eclipse it effects the child.

Would you please inform me what Islam says about eclipse? Does it really effects pregnant women or is it just superstitions? Are these happenings just coincience or there are some forces? How to know what a woman should do during an eclipse or what she should not do to save her child from the harmful effects?

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Answer:

Eclipse and superstitions

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

First and foremost, we as believers, must try to understand and comprehend that Allah Subhanah did not send Prophet Mohamed (saws) to teach or guide mankind towards the sciences and technical expertise in medicine, or astronomy, or agriculture, or chemistry, or architecture, etc. These are amongst the knowledge of the physical world which man has the capability and the ability to learn from his own experiences and experiments.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) was sent by Allah Subhanah as a spiritual guide, to invite and teach mankind how to live a life that would win the approval and Mercy of the Creator. He (saws) was sent to invite mankind to come out of their spiritual darknesses, and come to the spiritual light of living a life in submission to the Will of the One and Only Lord and Creator of the Worlds.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 61 Surah Saff verse 9: It is Allah Who has sent His Messenger with the Guidance, and the Religion of Truth so that He may cause it to prevail over all other religions; much as the ‘mushriks’ may detest it!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraat verse 157: (So, now mercy has been assigned to those) who follow this Messenger, the Gentile Prophet, whose mention they shall find in the Torah and the Gospel with them. He enjoins them to do good and forbids them from evil; he makes pure things lawful for them and impure things unlawful; he relieves them of their burdens and frees them from the shackles (of rites and rituals) that bound them. For this reason, those alone who believe in him, support him, succour him, and follow the Light that has been sent down with him shall attain true ‘success’.

An example from the authentic traditions of the Prophet (saws) would appropriately illustrate the point:

Sahih Muslim Hadith 5832 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik ; Aisha

Allah's Messenger (saws) happened to pass by the people (in Medina) who had been busy in grafting the trees. Thereupon he (saws) said: ‘If you were not to do it, it might be good for you.’ (So they abandoned this practice) and there was a decline in the yield. He (the Prophet (saws)) happened to pass by them (and said): ‘What has gone wrong with your trees?’ They said: ‘You said so and so.’ Thereupon he (saws) said: ‘You have better knowledge (of a technical skill) in the affairs of the world.’

In another hadith narrated by Hadrat Talhah ibn Ubaidullah (r.a.) and related by Muslim on the same above subject, the Messenger of Allah (saws) replied:

“If there is any use of it, then they should do it (grafting the trees), for it was just a personal opinion of mine, and do not go after my personal opinion; but when I say to you anything on behalf of Allah, then do accept it, for I do not attribute a lie to Allah, the Exalted and Glorious.”

Q-1: Would you please inform me what Islam says about eclipse?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 41 Surah Haa Meem verse 37: Among His Signs are the Night and the Day, and the sun and moon. Adore not the sun and the moon, but adore Allah Who created them, if it is Him ye wish to serve.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.170 Narrated by Abu Bakra

In the lifetime of the Allah's Messenger (saws) the sun eclipsed, and he (saws) went out dragging his clothes till he reached the Mosque. The people gathered around him and he led them and offered two Rakat. When the sun (eclipse) cleared, he (saws) said, "The sun and the moon are two Signs amongst the Signs of Allah; they do not eclipse because of the death of someone, and so when an eclipse occurs, pray and invoke Allah till the eclipse is over." It happened that a son of the Prophet (saws) called Ibrahim died on that day, and the people were talking about that (saying that the eclipse was caused by his death.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.36a

Al-Bukhari and Muslim record from 'Aishah that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "The sun and the moon are two Signs from among Allah's Signs and there is no eclipse due to the life or death of anyone. If you see that [an eclipse] supplicate to Allah, extol His Greatness, give charity and pray." They also record from Abu Musa that there was a solar eclipse and the Prophet (saws) said: "If you see something of this nature, rush to the remembrance of Allah, supplicating Him and asking for His forgiveness."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.151 Narrated by Abu Masud

The Prophet (saws) said, "The sun and the moon do not eclipse because of the death of someone from the people, but they are two Signs amongst the Signs of Allah. When you see them stand up and pray."

Q-2: Does it really effects pregnant women or is it just superstitions?

Modern science has indeed proved that the rays of the sun, and the magnetic force of the moon do have a physical and material effect on some of the forces of physical nature on the world and its beings. It would be best to consult a doctor, or an expert in the scientific field to determine if indeed the eclipse has any physical or material effect on a pregnant woman or her unborn child; as they would be the best qualified people to give proper advice.

But under no circumstances whatsoever, one should form a belief that the sun or the moon or anything else in existence other than Allah Subhanah, can somehow effect them in the ‘unseen’. The rays of the sun, or the magnetic forces of the moon may have a physical effect on the earth and its beings; but to believe that somehow the moon or the sun can effect one’s life in the unseen, or to do some rituals to avert those supposed effects in the ‘unseen’, would be absolutely against the ‘aqeedah’ or beliefs of Islam.

Q-3: Are these happenings just coincience or there are some forces?

Beliefs like ‘a pregnant woman tore a page during eclipse and the child was born with torn lips! One of her relative ate too much of round peper during an elipse and the child was born with a round black mark on her lip!’, etc. are nothing but conjecture and heresay and have absolutely no relation to the truth! These types of beliefs are precisely what it means that the sun or the moon or anything else in existence can effect someone in the ‘unseen’; and such beliefs are absolutely against the ‘aqeedah’ or faith of Islam.

Q-4: How to know what a woman should do during an eclipse or what she should not do to save her child from the harmful effects?

For a woman who sincerely believes in Allah Subhanah and the Last Day, she should know that the sun, the moon, and the eclipse are a Sign amongst the innumerable Signs of Allah Subhanah. If one who believes, experiences a time of eclipse, he/she should take the advice of the Messenger of Allah (saws), and remember Allah Subhanah much.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.36a

Al-Bukhari and Muslim record from 'Aishah that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "The sun and the moon are two Signs from among Allah's Signs and there is no eclipse due to the life or death of anyone. If you see that [an eclipse] supplicate to Allah, extol His Greatness, give charity and pray." They also record from Abu Musa that there was a solar eclipse and the Prophet (saws) said: "If you see something of this nature, rush to the remembrance of Allah, supplicating Him and asking for His forgiveness."

The best people to consult to determine if there would indeed be any actual physical and material harm from the rays of the sun, or the magnetic forces of the moon, one would be advised to consult one’s doctor or an expert in the scientific fields.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan