However...

However, it is also human nature that when a person is exposed to a certain object or process repeatedly then it looses its initial appeal and no longer fascinates him constantly. This is what happens to us in our daily lives. Because we see the sun rise and set every day and the moon shines on us every night, we tend to forget the power and complexity of these celestial bodies and the forces that control them. It all becomes ordinary to us.

In order to remind us of Him and to prevent us from taking things for granted, Allah (S.W.T.) sometimes causes certain event to take place which are out of the ordinary and which remind us that we have no power over the world around us. When events such as sun eclipses, moon eclipses, earthquakes and other natural phenomena occur, they serve as an alarm bell to mankind and remind people to turn back to the only All-Powerful entity.

At such times, one should turn back to Him in praise and seeking forgiveness. For this reason, we pray Salaatul Ayaat (Prayer of the Signs) after experiencing any such event. Salaatul Ayaat becomes waajib when one of 4 things happen: a) Sun eclipse - partial ?

b) Moon eclipse - even if it is only a partial eclipse c) Earthquakes - even if it is too mild to invoke fear d) Lightning, hurricanes, tornadoes, red and black cyclones, volcanoes and other natural disasters that bring fear in the hearts of people. For the first two cases, a person should perform the Salaat between the time the eclipse starts and the time it ends. It is recommended NOT to delay the prayer until the eclipse begins to clear.

In the case of earthquakes, thunderstorms and the like, it is wajib to perform the Salaat as soon as possible since delaying it is haram. In any case, you must perform it with the niyyah of Ada - not Qadha - at whatever time in your life you manage to pray it. How to Pray Salaatul Ayaat, like the other special prayers, also has two rakaats. In every rakaat there are 5 ruku's. It should be performed as follows: Make niyyah Recite Takbiratul Ehram Recite Sura al-Hamd and any other surah.

Then go into ruku and recite dhikr. Stand up and repeat the above until you perform the 5th ruku. After this complete the rakaat with sajdah and stand up for the second rakaat. Perform the second rakaat in the same manner as the first but finish the namaaz with tashahhud and salaam.