8. Ṣalāh for Rain (Istisqāʾ)
٨۔ كِتَابُ صَلَاةِ الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ
The Prophet ﷺ said: If anyone continually asks pardon, Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress, and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide for him from where he did not reckon. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1518)
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَنْ لَزِمَ الِاسْتِغْفَارَ جَعَلَ اللهُ لَهُ مِنْ كُلِّ هُمٍّ فَرَجًا وَمِنْ كُلِّ ضِيقٍ مَخْرَجًا وَرَزَقَهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ
[Machine] Umar went out to seek rain (prayer for rain) and he continued to make istighfar (seeking forgiveness) without saying anything else. So I asked, "Does he not speak for what he went out for?" And I do not know if seeking rain is seeking forgiveness, so we were rained upon.
خَرَجَ عُمَرُ ؓ يَسْتَسْقِي فَجَعَلَ لَا يَزِيدُ عَلَى الِاسْتِغْفَارِ فَقُلْتُ أَلَا يَتَكَلَّمُ لِمَا خَرَجَ لَهُ؟ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ الِاسْتِسْقَاءَ هُوَ الِاسْتِغْفَارُ فَمُطِرْنَا
[Machine] "The people were struck by drought during the time of Umar, so Umar ascended the pulpit and sought rain through supplication. However, he did not exceed in seeking forgiveness until rain fell. They said to him, 'O Amir al-Mu'minin, we heard you seeking rain.' He replied, 'I sought rain through the keys of the heavens, by which rain is sent down.' Then he recited the verse: 'Seek forgiveness from your Lord, indeed He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send rain upon you in showers, and increase you in strength to your strength, and do not turn away as criminals.'"
أَصَابَ النَّاسَ قَحْطٌ فِي عَهْدِ عُمَرَ ؓ فَصَعِدَ عُمَرُ الْمِنْبَرَ فَاسْتَسْقَى فَلَمْ يَزِدْ عَلَى الِاسْتِغْفَارِ حَتَّى نَزَلَ فَقَالُوا لَهُ مَا سَمِعْنَاكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اسْتَسْقَيْتَ فَقَالَ لَقَدْ طَلَبْتُ الْغَيْثَ بِمَفَاتِيحِ السَّمَاءِ الَّتِي بِهَا يُسْتَنْزَلُ الْمَطَرُ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ {اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا} [نوح 11] وَقَوْلُهُ {وَيَا قَوْمِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا وَيَزِدْكُمْ قُوَّةً إِلَى قُوَّتِكُمْ وَلَا تَتَوَلَّوْا مُجْرِمِينَ} [هود 52] فَاسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ كَذَا وَجَدْتُهُ فِي كِتَابِي بِمَفَاتِيحِ السَّمَاءِ وَرَوَاهُ غَيْرُهُ عَنْ مُطَرِّفٍ فَقَالَ بِمَجَادِيحِ السَّمَاءِ
[Machine] I have requested rain with the majaadeeh of the sky, through which rain falls. Then, I recited, "Seek forgiveness from your Lord; indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers" (Surah Nuh 10). "And, O my people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in showers" (Surah Hud 52).
لَقَدْ طَلَبْتُ الْمَطَرَ بِمَجَادِيحِ السَّمَاءِ الَّذِي يُسْتَنْزَلُ بِهِ الْمَطَرُ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ {اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا} [نوح 10] {وَيَا قَوْمِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا} [هود 52]