[3/ 67] Many people abandon Sal?tul Khus?f [or Kus?f] -which consists of two long Rak‘ahs each of which includes two Ruk?‘s. It is done in a congregation in the mosque and is done in an audible voice. When calling people for it, the Mu’aththin should say: ‘As-Sal?tu J?mi‘ah’ [i.e. Sal?t is to be done in congregation] with no Ath?n or Iq?mah. It should start form the moment the sun or the moon eclipses till they return to their original state. During this period of time, a muslim is recommended to recite Takb?r, du‘?’, give charities and recite Istighf?r. A Kh?tbah is delivered after the Sal?t. Women are recommended to attend this Sal?t.

Some ‘Ulamah held that Sal?tul Kus?f is an obligation; accordingly, they titled some of the chapters of their compilations with relevant statements as Ab? ‘Uw?nah did in his “Sah?h” (vol. 2 / p. 398): “The obligation of doing Sal?tul Kus?f” and Ibn Khuzaimah in his “Sah?h” (vol. 2 / p. 308): “The order of doing Sal?t when the sun and the moon eclipse”. In this chapter, Ibn Khuzaimah narrated the ah?d?th that order that this Sal?t should be done. Were doing this Sal?t not an obligation, Ibn Khuzaimah would have mentioned this -as his way in his “Sah?h”. (1)

The great scholar Ibn Hajar said: ‘The Jumh?r’s view is that this Sal?t is an affirmed Sunnah. ’Ab? ‘Uw?nah, however, was the only one to state its obligation in his “Sah?h” and so did Im?m M?lik in a narration ascribed to him where he considered it to be similar to the Jumu‘ah Sal?t. Az-Zayn Ibn Al-Muanyyir reported that Ab? Hantfah considered it an obligation and some Hanaf? compilers did the same as was reported’. (2)

In his “As-Saylul Jarr?r” (vol. 1 / p. 323), Ash-Shawk?n? inclined to the view that states its being an obligation and said: ‘If what was claimed regarding the unanimous agreement amongst scholars that this Sal?t is not an obligation turns to be true, then this would render it a Sunnah.