Rain-Seeking Prayer

A Bedouin entered the Prophet's Mosque on a Friday through a gate on the west side of the mosque, facing the house of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him), while the Prophet (ﷺ) was standing and delivering the sermon. The man faced the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: O Messenger of Allah, the livestock have perished, and the roads have been cut off because the animals that carry people have died or grown too weak from hunger. So pray to Allah to send us rain. So, he (ﷺ) raised his hands and said: O Allah, send us rain. O Allah, send us rain. O Allah, send us rain. Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: By Allah, we could not see even a small patch of cloud in the sky, and between us in the mosque and Mount Sal‘—to the west of the mosque, from where clouds usually come—no house or building was obstructing our view. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then a cloud rose from behind it, round like a shield—a small disc—and when it reached the middle of the sky over Madīnah, it spread out and then began to rain. By Allah, we did not see the sun because of the rain until the following Friday, when that man entered through the same gate while the Prophet (ﷺ) was standing and delivering the sermon. The man faced him and said: O Messenger of Allah, the properties have perished, and the routes have been cut off, so pray to Allah to withhold the rain from us. He said: So the Prophet (ﷺ) raised his hands and said: O Allah, let the rain fall around us and not upon us. O Allah, on the highlands, the small mountains, the valleys, and the places where trees grow. Anas said: The rain cloud dispersed, and we went out walking in the sunlight.

1. Taking the means to seek provision—such as supplication and traveling through the land—does not contradict reliance on Allah Almighty.
2. It is recommended to say this Prophetic supplication when seeking rain.
3. It is permissible to pray for clear weather—asking for the rain to stop—when the rain causes harm. The Prophet (ﷺ) specified that the rain remain on the hills, small mountains, and valleys because these areas are more suitable for farming and grazing.
4. It is permissible to ask for supplication from those who are thought to be righteous and pious among the living who are present—this is a permissible form of Tawassul (seeking means to Allah). However, Tawassul through the status or rank of any created being, whether living or dead, is not permissible, as it is one of the means leading to Shirk.
5. The legitimacy of showing persistence in supplication and repeating it.
6. It is permissible to speak to the preacher on Friday during the sermon when needed.
7. The magnificent power of Allah is manifested in His sending down and withholding of rain.
8. The wisdom of the Prophet (ﷺ) is shown in his supplication for the rain to be withheld only from where it caused harm, and not from where it was beneficial.
9. The legitimacy of performing Istisqā’ (supplication for rain) during the sermon.
10. Raising the hands during supplication—because it expresses humility and need, and symbolizes the expectation of receiving; and the scholars have unanimously agreed on raising them in this situation.
11. A sign from among the signs of the Prophet (ﷺ) proving his prophethood, as his supplication was answered immediately—both in bringing the rain and in causing it to cease.

صحيح البخاري (2/ 28) (1014). صحيح مسلم (2/ 612) (897). تيسير العلام، للبسام (ص268). تنبيه الأفهام، لابن عثيمين (2/ 339). الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام، لإسماعيل الأنصاري (1/ 215).

Allah, the Exalted, tests His slaves with many types of trials, so that they will invoke Him alone and remember Him. So, when the earth became barren during the lifetime of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) he went out with the people toward the place where Eid prayer is performed in the desert to ask for rain from Allah, the Exalted, and in order to show more humbleness and need to Allah, the Exalted. So, he faced the direction of Qiblah, where supplication is more likely to be answered, and began to invoke Allah to send down rain for the Muslims and to remove the drought that afflicted them. Out of optimism that their situation would change from drought and hardship to fertility and life of ease, he turned his upper garment inside out, then led the people in Istisqā' prayer. The prayer consisted of two Rak‘ahs in which his recitation of the Qur'an was out loud, because it was a largely congregational prayer.

تيسير العلام، للبسام، الناشر: مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات، مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة، الطبعة العاشرة، 1426هـ - 2006 م. تنبيه الأفهام، للعثيمين، طبعة مكتبة الصحابة، الامارات، مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة، الطبعة الأولى 1426هـ. صحيح البخاري، لأبي عبد الله محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري، تحقيق محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر، الناشر: دار طوق النجاة، الطبعة الأولى 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، المحقق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، الناشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي - بيروت. تأسيس الأحكام، لأحمد بن يحيى النجمي، دار المنهاج، القاهرة، مصر، الطبعة الأولى. تهذيب اللغة، لمحمد بن أحمد الأزهري، المحقق: محمد عوض مرعب، الناشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي - بيروت، الطبعة الأولى، 2001م.