Praying for Rain

The prayer for rain is one of the prayers that is to be offered in congregation. Beseeching Allah for rain is called istisqâ’ and it can be offered as a collective supplication or as a formal prayer. The supplication of istisqâ’: The Prophet supplicated for rain while standing on the pulpit. Anas b. Mâlik relates the following: A man entered the mosque on a Friday from the door which is to the direction of Dâr al-Qadâ’. Allah’s messenger (peace be upon him) was standing, delivering a sermon. The man stood there facing Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him), then said: “O Messenger of Allah! Wealth has perished and the means have ceased. Beseech Allah to give us relief.” So Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) lifted his hands and said: “O Allah! Grant us relief. O Allah! Grant us relief. O Allah! Grant us relief.” And – by Allah – we had not seen a cloud in the sky, not even the wispiest, wind-driven tatter of a cloud, and there was not a house in our line of sight all the way to Mount Sal`. Then, a cloud rose up from behind it like the Sun. Then when it reached the middle of the sky it rolled out and then broke forth with rain. Then – by Allah – we did not see the Sun for a spell of time. On the following Friday, a man came through that door while Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) was delivering his sermon and stood facing him. The man said: “O Messenger of Allah! Wealth has perished and the means have ceased.” So Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) lifted his hands and said: “O Allah! Around us and not upon us. O Allah! Upon the mounts and the hills, down the valleys, and to the roots of the trees.” Then the rains subsided and we walked out in the Sun. [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (1014) and Sahîh Muslim (897)] The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to supplicate for rain, and his Companions continued to do so after his death. When famine occurred during the reign of `Umar B. al-Khattâb, he would beseech Allah for rain by having `Abbâs b. `Abd al-Muttalib sublicate on their behalf. `Umar would say: “O Allah! We had been soliciting you by our Prophet and you would send us rain. Now we are soliciting you by the uncle of our Prophet, so send us rain.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (1010)] In his commentary on Sahîh al-Bukhârî, Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalânî relates from al-Zubayr b. Bakkâr the supplication that al-`Abbâs had offered [Fath al-Bârî (2/497)]: Al-`Abbâs stood and raised his hands to the sky and said: “O Allah! Affliction does not descend except on account of sin and it is not removed except with repentance. The people have asked me to beseech you for them due to my relationship to Your Prophet. These are our hands outstretched to you with our sins, and these are our countenances before You in repentance. So refresh us with rain.” The sky then opened up with mountainous quantities of water until the land became fertile agan and the people thrived. The prayer of istisqâ’: When the earth becomes parched, the crops fail to sprout, and the rains are late, the people should go out with the imam to the prayer ground. They should do so in humility, imploringly, wearing humble attire. This state of humbleness and penance is appropriate for those who wish to ask and beseech His Lord, seeking from Allah to remove from them what has afflicted them on account of their sins. Before going out to pray, each of them should offer charity and other acts of devotion and rid themselves of any sins they have committed, major or minor, and rectify any acts of wrongdoing they may have done against others. This makes it more likely for their supplication to be accepted, and it is what the Prophet (peace be upon him) guided us to do. Then at the prayer grounds, a two unit prayer should be performed in the same manner as the `Îd prayer. The following account is given by Ibn `Abbâs: Allah’s Messenger went out in humble attire, humbly and imploringly until he arrived at the prayer grounds. He did not give this sermon of yours, but he continued to supplicate, implore, and praise his Lord. He offered two units of prayer in the same manner that he would pray during the two `Id prayers.” [Sunan Abî Dâwûd (1165), Sunan al-Tirmidhî (558), and Sunan al-Nasâ’î (1521)] After the prayer, a single sermon is to be delivered, which means it is not like the Friday sermon. This is indicated by Ibn Abbâs’ statement “He did not give this sermon of yours”. The sermon is merely an exhortation or some advice. An example of such a sermon is the one that the Prophet (peace be upon him) offered during the eclipse prayer: O community of Muhammad! I swear by Allah, no one is more jealous than Allah with respect to his servants, male and female, committing fornication. O community of Muhammad! I swear by Allah! If you know what I know, you would laugh less and weep more. [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (1044) and Sahîh Muslim (901)] The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions in this sermon that the spread of fornication throughout society, as well as society’s permitting and promoting it, are reasons for punishment and affliction to befall it. Therefore, it is upon the believers to work to discourage this practice and remove it from society if they wish to be spared Allah’s punishment and to attain His pleasure and providence. The sermon should be appropriate for the circumstances and not like the sermon offered for the Friday prayers. It is not a problem if two sermons are given, since is at least something permissible. Some scholars have been of the opinion that it is actually preferable to offer two sermons and that the sermons should be like those given for the Friday prayer. In the sermon, Allah’s forgiveness should be sought often. The verses of the Qur’ân that mention seeking Allah’s forgiveness should be recited as well. These include: “Then I said: beseech your Lord’s forgiveness, surely He is the most Forgiving. He will send rain to you in abundance.” [Sûrah Nûh: 10-11] “O people! Beseech your Lord’s forgiveness then repent to Him. He will send rain to you in abundance.” [Sûrah Hûd: 52] After the sermon, the people turn their cloaks inside out, symbolizing their hope for a change in their circumstances – from one of drought and famine to one of rain, refreshment, and sustenance. The Prophet (peace be upon him) put this into practice. `Abd Allah b. Zayd relates: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) went out to beseech Allah for rain and turned his cloak inside out.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (1005) and Sahîh Muslim (894)] Sufyân describes that this means he turned it so that the right side was worn on the left. Indeed, in a number of hadîth it reads: “Then he made the left side on the right and the right side on the left.”