Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse to Appear Worldwide as Muslims Hold Special Prayers
The office of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the senior Shia cleric based in Najaf, announced that a total lunar eclipse will be visible across Iraq on Sunday evening, September 7. In Najaf, the eclipse will begin at 6:28 p.m. local time, reach its maximum at 9:11 p.m., and end by 11:55 p.m. The statement confirmed that the phenomenon will be seen in full across all Iraqi cities.
In neighboring Iran, the Institute of Geophysics at the University of Tehran said the eclipse will begin at 7:57 p.m. on the same evening. The Moon will be fully covered by Earth’s shadow from 9:01 p.m. until 10:23 p.m., before gradually emerging, with the eclipse ending at 11:27 p.m. The event will be observable across the entire country.
Religious scholars explained that the Prayer of the Signs, known in Arabic as Salat al-Ayat, may be performed once the eclipse begins.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s Awqaf Ministry announced that, in line with reviving the Prophetic tradition, the Salat al-Ayat will be performed tonight in all major mosques across the country.
The ministry emphasized the role of mosques in promoting the Prophet’s teachings and instructed its regional offices to hold the prayer simultaneously in all designated mosques.
In the same context, Al-Azhar’s Global Center for Electronic Fatwas stated that Egypt and a number of other countries will witness a lunar eclipse on Sunday evening.
The center stressed that Salat al-Ayat is a confirmed Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), performed individually or in congregation during natural phenomena. It added that the prayer consists of two rak‘ahs, and several narrations mention that the Prophet (PBUH) himself performed it.
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Worshippers are advised not to delay the prayer until the Moon begins to emerge from shadow. If someone was unaware of the eclipse while it was happening but later learns it was total, they are expected to perform the prayer afterward. If the eclipse was only partial, no make-up prayer is required.
Astronomers note that the September 2025 eclipse is a particularly striking event. The total phase, when the Moon takes on a reddish tint due to the scattering of sunlight through Earth’s atmosphere, will last more than 80 minutes. The spectacle, popularly called a “blood moon,” will be visible across large parts of Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia.
Observers in the Americas will mostly miss the event, as the Moon will have set before totality. Skywatchers in India, the Middle East, eastern Africa, and much of Europe are expected to enjoy some of the best views. In Australia, the eclipse will be seen in the early hours of September 8, with particularly good conditions in the east of the country.
Scientists highlight that this eclipse will be among the most widely visible in recent years, with some estimates suggesting that as much as 85 percent of the world’s population may be able to witness at least part of it. No special equipment is required to view the eclipse safely.
The September full Moon is traditionally known in parts of North America as the “Corn Moon,” marking the harvest season.
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