The Council Of European Jamaats

Total Eclipse details
The total eclipse begins at 09:21:07 GMT in Canada, crosses Greenland and the Arctic Ocean into Russia and Mongolia, and ends in China at 11:21:28 GMT. The maximum eclipse is at 10:21:08 GMT, when the total phase will last just under 2.5 (two and a half) minutes. It is doubtful that any of our jamaats will be able to witness the total eclipse.

Partial Eclipse Details

For Mu'mineen in Canada:  The partial solar eclipse of Friday 1 August 2008 will inshallah be visible over north-eastern Canada at approximately between 08:05:00 GMT and 09:15:00 GMT.

For Mu'mineen in Europe: The partial solar eclipse of Friday 1 August 2008 will inshallah be visible in most areas of Europe between 08:35:00 GMT and 10:15:00 GMT.

Please note this is between 09:35:00 BST and 11:15:00 BST (currently active).

For Mu'mineen in the Middle East: The partial solar eclipse of Friday 1 August 2008 will inshallah be visible in most of the Middle East between 10:50:00 GMT and 12:20:00 GMT.

For Mu'mineen in Asia: The partial solar eclipse of Friday 1 August 2008 will inshallah be visible in most of Asia between 10:55:00 GMT and 12:40:00 GMT.

The time for Namaz-e-Ayat begins with the beginning of the visible eclipse until the end of the visible eclipse for your particular area. The timings given above are approximate timings based on astronomical data. Mu'mineen are advised to verify these timings before embarking upon recital of Namaz e Ayaat.

You may access some useful masail related to the performance of Namaz-e-Ayat: http://www.al-islam.org/laws/ayaat.html

We would like to draw your attention to two particular rulings:

1505. If a person delays offering of Namaz-e-Ayaat till the sun or the moon starts coming out of eclipse, the niyyat of Ada (i.e. praying within time) will be in order, but if he offers the prayers after the eclipse is over, he should make a niyyat of qadha.

1508. If a person did not know about the sun or the moon eclipse, and came to know after the eclipse was over, he should give its qadha if it was a total eclipse. And if he comes to know that the eclipse was partial, qadha will not be obligatory.