8. Ṣalāh for Rain (Istisqāʾ)
٨۔ كِتَابُ صَلَاةِ الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ
The people of Medina had a drought during the time of the Prophet ﷺ. While he was preaching on a Friday, a man stood up and said: Messenger of Allah, the horses have perished, the goats have perished, pray to Allah to give us water. He spread his hands and prayed. Anas said: The sky was like a mirror (there was no cloud). Then the wind rose; a cloud appeared (in the sky) and it spread : the sky poured down the water. We came out (from the mosque after the prayer) passing through the water till we reached our homes. The rain continued till the following Friday. The same or some other person stood up and said: Messenger of Allah, the houses have been demolished, pray to Allah to stop it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ smiled and said: (O Allah), the rain may fall around us but not upon us. Then I looked at the cloud which dispersed around Medina just like a crown. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1174)
أَصَابَ أَهْلُ الْمَدِينَةِ قَحْطٌ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ ﷺ يَخْطُبُنَا يَوْمَ جُمُعَةِ إِذْ قَامَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ هَلَكَ الْكُرَاعُ وَهَلَكَ الشَّاءُ؛ فَادْعُ اللهَ أَنْ يَسْقِيَنَا فَمَدَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَدَيْهِ وَدَعَا ؛ قَالَ أَنَسٌ وَإِنَّ السَّمَاءَ لَمِثْلُ الزُّجَاجَةِ فَهَاجَتْ رِيحٌ ثُمَّ أَنْشَأَتْ سَحَابًا ثُمَّ اجْتَمَعَ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلْتِ السَّمَاءُ عَزَالِيَهَا؛ فَخَرَجْنَا نَخُوضُ الْمَاءَ حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا مَنَازِلَنَا فَلَمْ تَزَلْ تُمْطِرُ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ الْأُخْرَى فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ أَوْ غَيْرُهُ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ تَهَدَّمَتِ الْبُيُوتُ فَادْعُ اللهَ أَنْ يَحْبِسَهُ؛ فَتَبَسَّمَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللهُمَّ حَوَالَيْنَا وَلَا عَلَيْنَا قَالَ أَنَسٌ فَنَظَرْتُ إِلَى السَّحَابِ تَصَدَّعَ حَوْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ كَأَنَّهَا إِكْلِيلٌ
[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ never raised his hands in any of his supplications except during praying for rain. He would raise his hands until the whiteness of his armpits could be seen.
كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لَا يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ إِلَّا فِي الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ؛ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُرَى بَيَاضُ إِبْطَيْهِ
[Machine] "I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ raising his hands in supplication, to the extent that the whiteness of his armpits could be seen, meaning when seeking rainfall."
رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ فِي الدُّعَاءِ؛ حَتَّى يُرَى بَيَاضُ إِبْطَيْهِ يَعْنِي فِي الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ
The Prophet ﷺ used to make supplication for rain in this manner. he spread his hands keeping the inner side (of hands) towards the earth, so I witnessed the whiteness of his armpits. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1171)
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ اسْتَسْقَى فَقَالَ هَكَذَا وَمَدَّ يَدَيْهِ وَجَعَلَ بُطُونَهُمَا مِمَّا يَلِي الْأَرْضَ حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ بَيَاضَ إِبْطَيْهِ زَادَ عَلِيٌّ وَهُوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ
[Machine] That the Prophet ﷺ sought rain by raising the backs of his hands towards the sky.
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ اسْتَسْقَى فَأَشَارَ بِظَهْرِ كَفَّيْهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ