How different cultures on P.E.I. will experience the solar eclipse

As many people on P.E.I. look to the sky to see the total solar eclipse Monday, some from different religions will be marking the occasion in their own special ways.

Many of their beliefs are rooted in ancient traditions, before science helped explain the phenomenon.

Muslims, for example, will use the time as an opportunity to pray, said Zain Esseghaier, a spokesperson for Muslim Society of P.E.I.

"It's really time to pause and to reflect on one's faith, on the world, on many different things that are happening," he said.

"It's a good opportunity to take a break and to think about all these things and to reflect and to try to get closer to God, as well."

Before Islam, Arabs viewed a solar eclipse as a sign of a bad omen, or to announce the death of a "great personality," Esseghaier said. The belief was reinforced when a solar eclipse coincided with the death of the Prophet Muhammad's son, Ibrahim.  

The people saw it as a miracle, but the Prophet gave a speech Esseghaier called "quite interesting and edifying." The Prophet said the sun and the moon are two signs among many others of God, and they never eclipse for the birth or death of anyone. The Prophet said, however, "When you notice the eclipse, call on God, glorify him and pray," Esseghaier said.

"So right there and then the Prophet, peace be upon him, tried to demystify these natural occurrences and to do away with the superstition that existed with regards to these events in pre-Islamic times."

The Imam at the P.E.I. mosque will reinforce that sentiment on Monday, Esseghaier.

"Once the prayers are over, the Imam, or the leader, would say a few words about the eclipse and about the fact that this … natural event does not really have any significance in terms of coincidence or bad omen or anything like this. However, it's one of the signs of God, like the moon and the sun, their science no more no less, and that it is a good occasion to remind people about God and about the importance of prayer."

The solar eclipse was also seen as a bad omen in the Hindu religion. 

Amit Kanodia of the Hindu Society of P.E.I. has lived in North America since he was 12 years old. As a young boy in northern India, he said anytime there was a disturbance in the natural order of nature, such as an eclipse, it was a time for prayers, reflection and charity.

"In our home we used to fast before and during and after, clean ourselves — bathe — before and during and after make charitable arms to poor and the needy, mostly grains, foods, clothes and money," he said.

"It was time to reflect, the gifts of life that we have, and when nature sends us a message, there's a change in order to take a pause and do prayers and seek higher revelation, insight."