Is prayer prescribed for an earthquake (Zilzalah)?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of the Eclipse Prayers (Solar and Lunar)
Primary text
The established opinion among our scholars dictates that one must perform prayer for an earthquake, similar to the prayer performed for an eclipse (Kusuf). This view is explicitly held by Ishaq and Abu Thawr. The justification for prayer during specific signs often relies on the precedent set by Ibn Abbas, who prayed for the earthquake in Basra, as narrated by Saeed. The underlying rationale for this prayer is that such events are signs of Allah intended to instill fear in His servants, mirroring the reason given for the eclipse prayer.
Supporting text
The ruling stating that prayer is only required for the eclipse, and not for other signs, is the position of Malik and Al-Shafi'i. They argue this based on the fact that the Prophet (PBUH) did not pray for any other sign, even though such events occurred during his lifetime and the time of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.