‘A’isha said there was an eclipse of the sun in the time of God’s Messenger, and he sent one to summon the people to congregational prayer. He then went forward and prayed two rak'as in which he bowed four times and prostrated himself four times. ‘A’isha said, “I never performed a bow or a prostration which was longer than it.”
There was an eclipse of the sun in the time of God’s Messenger and he prayed accompanied by the people. He stood for a long time, about as long as it would take to recite Sura al- Baqara;(Al-Qur’an; 1) then he bowed for a long time; then he raised his head and stood for a long time; but it was less than the first time; then he bowed for a long time, but it was less than the first bowing; then he raised his head; then he prostrated himself; then he stood for a long time, but it was less than the first time ; then he bowed for a long time, but it was less than the first bowing; then he raised his head and stood for a long time, but it was less than the first time; then he bowed for a long time, but it was less than the first bowing; then he raised his head; then he prostrated himself; then he departed, and the sun had become bright. He said, “The sun and the moon are two of God’s signs; they are not eclipsed on account of anyone’s death or on account of anyone’s birth; 1 so when you see that, make mention of God.” The people said, “Messenger of God, we saw you reach out to something while you were standing here, then we saw you move back.” He replied, “I saw paradise and reached out to a bunch of its grapes; and had I taken it you would have eaten of it as long as the world endures. I also saw hell. No such abominable sight have I ever seen as that which I saw today; and I observed that most of its inhabitants were women." They asked why that was and he replied that it was for their ingratitude (bi-kufrihinna). He was asked whether they disbelieved in God2 and replied, “They are ungrateful to their husbands and they are ungrateful for kindness. If you were to treat one of them kindly for ever and she later saw some defect in you, she would say she had never seen any good in you."
1. Literally, life.
2. The word kufr means both ingratitude and unbelief, which explains why the remark was misunderstood.
‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “I have been commanded to observe the day of sacrifice as a festival which God has appointed for this people.” A man asked, “Tell me, Messenger of God, if I can get only a female camel lent for milking, am I to sacrifice it?” He replied, “No, but take some of your hair and nails, clip your moustache and shave the hair over your pubes, and that will be a complete sacrifice for you in God’s sight.”
