Why is prayer performed at the eclipse of the sun and of the moon?

It is not in order to prevent or to remove the eclipses to perform two-part supererogatory prayers at the eclipse of the sun and the moon. Possibly, it is because these phenomena are the times of such prayers. Just like when the sun reaches its highest point we say that the time for the noon prayer has come and thus perform the prayer, so, too, do we perform two-part prayer when the sun or the moon is eclipsed, following the example of the Messenger of God and thus offering our thanks and praises to our Lord Who governs the earth and the universe with the principles He has set.

Furthermore, the Sunnah-the "path" or "example" of the Prophet Muhammad-of performing two-part prayer is not exclusive to these two phenomena. It is also a sunnah to turn to God in every catastrophe such as flood, fire, earthquakes, and fear of enemy and to pray to God to protect the community of Muhammad against such disasters. It is a beautiful and necessary supplication to invoke God and to ask His help in such times as when any kind of humanly precaution fails. In fact, there is no other door of hope or a place of invocation.