Praying for Rain (Istisqa’)

We discussed briefly on prayers for rain. In Qtar, they performed the prayers at the end of the year 2008. Read HERE. It has not rained for nearly a year in 2008 in Qtar.

There will be time that Allah will and can test us and not send His blessing to us. I think reminding them with real event will help explain to them that these are real issues and water may not come to us all the time.

Knowing how Prophet Muhammad salallahu alaihi wasalam approach this, will help us get closer to Allah who is the one we turned to in happiness and calamity.

The special prayer asking for rain is called Istiqaa’

In summary the prayer is done as the following

To ask a pious person to lead the istiqaa

In open space. It is not done in the masjid.

Without adhan and iqamah

It is done in congregational

They should come in ragged clothes supplicating to Allah tearfully and with a humble and heavy heart.

khutbah

A long takbir

Made supllication to Allah  and raised his hands facing the qiblah

Rasulullah salallahu alaihi wasalam turned his cloak inside out then prayed

A two rakaah prayer

The recitation is made loud and clear.

Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Details of Commencing Prayer 

Dawud :: Book 3 : Hadith 1163

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:

Ishaq ibn Abdullah ibn Kinanah reported: Al-Walid ibn Utbah or (according to the version of Uthman) al-Walid ibn Uqbah, the then governor of Medina, sent me to Ibn Abbas to ask him about the prayer for rain offered by the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him). He said: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) went out wearing old clothes in a humble and lowly manner until he reached the place of prayer. He then ascended the pulpit, but he did not deliver the sermon as you deliver (usually). He remained engaged in making supplication, showing humbleness (to Allah) and uttering the takbir (Allah is most great). He then offered two rak’ahs of prayer as done on the ‘Id (festival).

Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Details of Commencing Prayer

Dawud :: Book 3 : Hadith 1169

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu’minin:

The people complained to the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) of the lack of rain, so he gave an order for a pulpit. It was then set up for him in the place of prayer. He fixed a day for the people on which they should come out.

Aisha said: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him), when the rim of the sun appeared, sat down on the pulpit, and having pronounced the greatness of Allah and expressed His praise, he said: You have complained of drought in your homes, and of the delay in receiving rain at the beginning of its season. Allah has ordered you to supplicate Him has and promised that He will answer your prayer.

Then he said: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe, the Compassionate, the Merciful, the Master of the Day of Judgment. There is no god but Allah Who does what He wishes. O Allah, Thou art Allah, there is no deity but Thou, the Rich, while we are the poor. Send down the rain upon us and make what Thou sendest down a strength and satisfaction for a time.

He then raised his hands, and kept raising them till the whiteness under his armpits was visible. He then turned his back to the people and inverted or turned round his cloak while keeping his hands aloft. He then faced the people, descended and prayed two rak’ahs.

Allah then produced a cloud, and the storm of thunder and lightning came on. Then the rain fell by Allah’s permission, and before he reached his mosque streams were flowing. When he saw the speed with which the people were seeking shelter, he (peace_be_upon_him) laughed till his back teeth were visible.

Then he said: I testify that Allah is Omnipotent and that I am Allah’s servant and apostle.

Invoking Allah for Rain (Istisqaa) 

Bukhari :: Book 2 :: Volume 17 :: Hadith 123

Narrated Anas:

Whenever drought threatened them, ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab, used to ask Al-Abbas bin ‘Abdul Muttalib to invoke Allah for rain. He used to say, “O Allah! We used to ask our Prophet to invoke You for rain, and You would bless us with rain, and now we ask his uncle to invoke You for rain. O Allah ! Bless us with rain.”(1) And so it would rain.

Other hadith

Invoking Allah for Rain (Istisqaa) 

Bukhari :: Book 2 :: Volume 17 :: Hadith 126

Narrated Sharik bin ‘Abdullah bin Abi Namir:

I heard Anas bin Malik saying, “On a Friday a person entered the main Mosque through the gate facing the pulpit while Allah’s Apostle was delivering the Khutba. The man stood in front of Allah’s Apostle and said, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! The livestock are dying and the roads are cut off; so please pray to Allah for rain.’ ” Anas added, “Allah’s Apostle (p.b.u.h) raised both his hands and said, ‘O Allah! Bless us with rain! O Allah! Bless us with rain! O Allah! Bless us with rain!’ ” Anas added, “By Allah, we could not see any trace of cloud in the sky and there was no building or a house between us and (the mountains of) Sila.” Anas added, “A heavy cloud like a shield appeared from behind it (i.e. Sila’ Mountain). When it came in the middle of the sky, it spread and then rained.” Anas further said, “By Allah! We could not see the sun for a week. Next Friday a person entered through the same gate and at that time Allah’s Apostle was delivering the Friday’s Khutba. The man stood in front of him and said, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! The livestock are dying and the roads are cut off, please pray to Allah to with-hold rain.’ ” Anas added, “Allah’s Apostle I raised both his hands and said, ‘O Allah! Round about us and not on us. O Allah! On the plateaus, on the mountains, on the hills, in the valleys and on the places where trees grow.’ So the rain stopped and we came out walking in the sun.” Sharik asked Anas whether it was the same person who had asked for the rain (the last Friday). Anas replied that he did not know.

Invoking Allah for Rain (Istisqaa) 

Bukhari :: Book 2 :: Volume 17 :: Hadith 135

Narrated Abbas bin Tamim

that his uncle (who was one of the companions of the Prophet) had told him, “The Prophet went out with the people to invoke Allah for rain for them. He stood up and invoked Allah for rain, then faced the Qibla and turned his cloak (inside out) and it rained.”

Invoking Allah for Rain (Istisqaa) 

Bukhari :: Book 2 :: Volume 17 :: Hadith 122

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Dinar:

My father said, “I heard Ibn ‘Umar reciting the poetic verses of Abu Talib: And a white (person) (i.e. the Prophet) who is requested to pray for rain and who takes care of the orphans and is the guardian of widows.” Salim’s father (Ibn ‘Umar) said, “The following poetic verse occurred to my mind while I was looking at the face of the Prophet (p.b.u.h) while he was praying for rain. He did not get down till the rain water flowed profusely from every roof-g utter: And a white (person) who is requested to pray for rain and who takes care of the orphans and is the guardian of widows . . . And these were the words of Abu Talib.”

Invoking Allah for Rain (Istisqaa) 

Bukhari :: Book 2 :: Volume 17 :: Hadith 125

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Zaid

The Prophet went towards the Musalla and invoked Allah for rain. He faced the Qibla and wore his cloak inside out, and offered two Rakat.

Invoking Allah for Rain (Istisqaa) 

Bukhari :: Book 2 :: Volume 17 :: Hadith 141

Narrated Anas bin Malik

The Prophet never raised his hands for any invocation except for that of Istisqa’ and he used to raise them so much that the whiteness of his armpits became visible. (Note: It may be that Anas did not see the Prophet raising his hands, but it is narrated that the Prophet used to raise his hands for invocations other than Istisqa. See Hadith No. 807 & 808 and also see Hadith No. 612, Vol. 5).