In a statement released on Sunday, the ministry said the move aims to revive the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, in responding to natural phenomena.
The ministry instructed its regional directorates to hold the prayer, which is performed anytime from the beginning of the eclipse until its end, at designated large mosques nationwide.
It reaffirmed the role of mosques in spreading the prophetic guidance and connecting people with the Sunnah of the Prophet Mohammad.
The ministry explained that the lunar eclipse prayer, which the prophet performed, consists of two rak‘ahs (units of prayer), each with two standings, two Quran recitations, two bowings, and two prostrations.
Earlier, the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG) announced Egyptians will witness a total lunar eclipse on Sunday evening, coinciding with the full moon of Rabi' Al-Awwal 1447 AH.
In Cairo, the eclipse begins at 6:28pm when the Moon enters Earth’s penumbra, although this phase is invisible to the naked eye.
According to NRIAG, the partial eclipse starts at 7:27pm when Earth’s shadow covers the eastern edge of the Moon.
The total eclipse begins at 8:31pm, reaches its peak at 9:12pm, and ends at 9:53pm. The partial eclipse continues until 10:56pm, with the entire event ending at 11:55pm when the Moon exits Earth’s penumbra.
NRIAG confirmed that the eclipse will be visible across Egypt, Africa, and much of the world where the Moon is above the horizon, including Europe, Asia, Australia, western North America, eastern South America, and parts of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, as well as the Arctic and Antarctica.
Similar announcements were made in Saudi Arabia, where the prayer will be held in the Two Holy Mosques of Makkah and Madinah, as well as in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, where religious authorities will oversee the prayers.
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