There will be a partial lunar eclipse on New Year’s Eve – 31st December 2009.
The eclipse timings and areas of visibility can be seen at Fred Espenak’s Eclipse page on the NASA website – http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot2001/LE2009Dec31P.pdf.
The eclipse will be visible throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Eastern Brazil and Australia. The extreme east and west areas of Canada and the USA will also see some of this eclipse. Europe, North & East Africa, The Middle East, Asia and West Australia will see this eclipse from beginning to end.
The total time of the eclipse is 17.17 to 21.28 (5.17pm to 9.28pm) Universal Time (GMT).
All Mumineen should abstain from eating and drinking during the eclipse and there should be no sexual intimacy in that night (or during the day of a Lunar/Solar eclipse).
It is a time when one should pray, particularly namaaz, Quran and dua.
Leisure and frivolous pursuits should be avoided.
During an eclipse pregnant women in particular should be very careful. For example they should not handle metal objects – especially sharp ones.
Nazrul Maqaam (as) and sadaqo should be offered.
Other directives with regards to things to abstain from during eclipses and other times of extreme natural events can be found in Busaheba’s Sahifa.
Gharan (eclipse) namaaz see Book 1 page 149.
For pregnancy see Book 3 page 21.
