The Book of Praying for Rain (Al-Istisqa')

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: "A man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, the livestock have died and the routes have been cut off; pray to Allah (SWT), the Mighty and Sublime.' So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed to Allah (SWT) and it rained from that Friday until the next. Then a man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: 'The houses have been destroyed, the routes have been cut off and the livestock have died.' He said: 'O Allah, on the tops of the mountains and hills, in the bottom of the valleys and where the trees grow.' So (the rain) was lifted from Al-Madinah like a garment being removed."

It was narrated from 'Abbad bin Tamim: "Sufyan said: 'I asked 'Abdullah bin Abi Bakr who said: I heard it from Abbad bin Tamim who narrated it from his father, that 'Abdullah bin Zaid, who was shown the call to prayer (in a dream) said: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out to the prayer place to pray for rain. He faced the kiblah and turned his cloak around and prayed two rak'ahs.'"

It was narrated from Hisham bin Ishaq bin Abdullah bin Kinanah that : His father said: "So and so sent me to ask him how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed for rain (Istisqa')." He said: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out beseeching and humble, (dressed) in a state of humility. He did not give a Khutbah like this Khutbah of yours, and he prayed two rak'ahs.'"

It was narrated from Abdullah bin Zaid that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed for rain wearing a black khamisah.

It was narrated from Hisham binIshaq bin Abdullah bin Kinanah that: His father said: "I asked Ibn 'Abbas how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed for rain. He said: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out (dressed) in a state of humility, beseeching and humble. He sat on the minbar but he did not deliver a Khutbah like this Khutbah of yours, rather he kept supplicating, beseeching and saying the takbir, and he prayed two rak'ahs as he used to do during the two 'Eids.'"

It was narrated from Abbad bin Tamim that : His paternal uncle had told him that he went out with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to pray for rain. He turned his rida' around, and turned his back to the people, then he prayed two rak'ahs and recited loudly.

It was narrated from 'Abbad bin Tamim, from his paternal uncle that: The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed for rain, and prayed two rak'ahs, and turned his rida' around.

It was narrated from Abdullah bin Abi Bakr that: He heard Abbad bin Tamim said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out and prayed for rain, and he turned his rida' around when he turned to the Qiblah."

It was narrated from 'Abbad bin Tamim, from his paternal uncle, that: He saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), when he prayed for rain, turn to face the Qiblah, turning his cloak around and raising his hands.

It was narrated that Anas said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not raise his hands during any supplication except when praying for rain, when he used to raise his hands so high that the whiteness of his armpits could be seen."

It was narrated from Abi Al-Lahm that: He saw the Messenger of Allah at Ahjar Az-Zait praying for rain and raising his hands, making supplications.

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that he said: "While we were in the masjid on Friday and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was addressing the people, a man stood up and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, the routes have been cut off, our wealth has been destroyed and prices have gone up. Pray to Allah (SWT) to give us rain.' So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raised his hands in level with his face and said: 'O Allah, give us rain.' By Allah (SWT), the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had not come down from the minbar before it started to pour with rain, and it rained from that day until the following Friday. Then a man stood up- I do not know if he was the same man who had asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to pray for rain for us or not- and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, the routes have been cut off, and our wealth has been destroyed because there is too much water. Pray to Allah (SWT ) to stop the rain for us.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'O Allah, around us and not on us, rather on the mountains and places where trees grow.' By Allah, hardly had the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) spoken these words than the clouds split apart (and vanished) until we could not see anything of them.'"

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Allahumma sqina (O Allah, give us rain)."

It was narrated from Thabit that Anas said: "The Prophet (ﷺ) was delivering the Khutbah one Friday when the people stood up and shouted: 'O Prophet of Allah! There has been no rain and the animals have died. Pray to Allah (SWT) to send us rain.' He said: 'O Allah, send us rain; O Allah, send us rain.' By Allah (SWT), we could not see even a wisp of a cloud in the sky, then a cloud appeared and grew, and it rained. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came down and prayed, and the people departed, and it continued to rain until the following Friday. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up to deliver the Khutbah, they called out to him and said: 'O Prophet of Allah, the houses are destroyed and the routes are cut off. Pray to Allah to take it away from us.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) smiled and said: 'O Allah, around us and not on us!' Then is dispersed from Al-Madinah and rain fell around Al-Madinah but not a single drop fell on Al-Madinah. I looked, and it was in something like a ring."

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that: A man entered the masjid when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was standing and delivering the Khutbah. He turned to face the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) standing and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, our wealth has been destroyed and the routes have been cut off. Pray to Allah (SWT) to send us rain.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raised his hands then said: "O Allah, send us rain." Anas said: "By Allah, we had not seen even a wisp of a cloud in the sky and there were no houses or buildings between us and (the mountain of ) Sal'. Then a cloud like a shield appeared, and when it reached the middle of the sky it spread and it began to rain." Anas said: "By Allah, we did not see the sun for a week. Then a man entered through that door on the following Friday, when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was standing and delivering the Khutbah. He turned to face him standing and said: 'O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), may Allah (SWT) send blessings upon you. Our wealth has been destroyed and the routes have been cut off. Pray to Allah (SWT) to withold (the rain) from us.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raised his hands and said: 'O Allah, around us and not on us.; O Allah, on the hills and mountains, the bottoms of the valleys and where the trees grow.' Then it stopped raining and we went out walking in the sun." Sharik said: 'I asked Anas: 'Was he the same man?' He said: 'No.'"

It was narrated that Ibn Shihab said: "Abbad bin Tamim told me that he heard his paternal uncle, who was one of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out one day to pray for rain. He turned his back toward the people, praying to Allah (SWT), and he turned to face the Qiblah. He turned his rida' around, then he prayed two rak'ahs." (One of the narrators) Ibn Abi Dhi'b said in the hadith: "And he recited in them both."

It was narrated from Abdullah bin Zaid that: The Prophet (ﷺ) went out to pray for rain, and he prayed two rak'ahs facing the Qiblah. (Sahih

It was narrated from Hisham bin Ishaq bin Abdullah bin Kinanah that: His father said: "One of the governors sent me to Ibn Abbas to ask him about the prayer for rain. He said: 'What kept him from asking me? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out humbly, (dressed) in a state of humility, submissiveness and beseeching, and he prayed two rak'ahs as in the Eid prayer, but he did not deliver a Khutbah like this Khutbah of yours.'"

It was narrated from 'Abbad bin Tamim from his paternal uncle that: The Prophet (ﷺ) went out and prayed for rain, then he prayed two rak'ahs in which he recited loudly.

It was narrated from 'Aishah that: When it rained the Messenger of Allah would say: "Allahummaj'alhu Sayyiban nafi`a. (O Allah, make it beneficial rain)."

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said: I have never sent down My favor to My slaves but a group of them became disbelievers who say; "The stars and by stars.'"

It was narrated that Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani said: "It rained during the time of the Prophet (ﷺ) and he said: 'Have you nt heard what your Lord said this night? He said: I have never sent down any blessing upon My slaves but some of them become disbelievers thereby, saying: 'We have been given rain by such and such a star.' As for the one who believes in Me and praises Me for giving rain, that is the one who believes in Me and disbelieves in the stars. But the one who says: 'We have been given rain by such and such a star' he has disbelieved in Me and believed in the stars."

It was narrated that Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'If Allah (SWT) were to withhold rain from His slaves for five years and then send it, some of the people would become disbelievers, saying: "We have been given rain by the star of Al-Mijdah."

It was narrated that Anas said: "There was no rain for a year, so some of the Muslims went to the Prophet (ﷺ) one Friday and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, there has been no rain; the land has become bare and our wealth has been destroyed.' He raised his hands, and we did not see any cloud in the sky. He stretched forth his hands until I could see the whiteness of his armpits, praying to Allah (SWT) for rain. When we finished praying Jumu'ah, even a young man whose house nearby was worried about how he would get home. That lasted for a week, then on the following Friday they said: 'O Messenger of Allah, houses have been destroyed and all travel has been ceased.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) smiled at how quickly the sons of Adam become weary, and he said with his hands raised: 'O Allah, around us and not on us,' and it dispersed from Al-Madinah."

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: "There was a drought during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). While the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was giving the Khutbah on the minbar one Friday, a Bedouin stood up and said: 'O Messenger of Allah wealth has been destroyed and our children are hungry; pray to Allah for us.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raised his hands, and we could not see even a wisp of a cloud in the sky, but by the One in Whose hand is my soul, he did not lower (his hands) before clouds like mountains appeared, and he did not come down from his minbar before we saw the rain dripping from his beard. It rained that day and the next day, and the day after, until the following Friday. Then that Bedouin"- or he said, "Someone else"- "stood up and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, buildings have been destroyed and wealth has drowned; pray to Allah (SWT) for us. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raised his hands and said: 'O Allah, around us and not on us.' He did not point in any direction but the clouds dispersed, until Al-Madinah became like a hole. And the valleys ran with water and no one came from any direction but he told us of the heavy rains."