15. Invoking Allah for Rain (Istisqāʾ)
١٥۔ كتاب الاستسقاء
In the lifetime of Messenger of Allah ﷺ the people were afflicted with a (famine) year. While the Prophet was delivering the Khutba (sermon) on the pulpit on a Friday, a Bedouin stood up and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! The livestock are dying and the families (offspring) are hungry: please pray to Allah to bless us with rain." Messenger of Allah ﷺ raised both his hands towards the sky and at that time there was not a trace of cloud in they sky. Then the clouds started gathering like mountains. Before he got down from the pulpit I saw rainwater trickling down his beard. It rained that day, the next day, the third day, the fourth day and till the next Friday, when the same Bedouin or some other person stood up (during the Friday Khutba) and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! The houses have collapsed and the livestock are drowned. Please invoke Allah for us." So Messenger of Allah ﷺ raised both his hands and said, "O Allah! Around us and not on us." Whichever side the Prophet ﷺ directed his hand, the clouds dispersed from there till a hole (in the clouds) was formed over Medina. The valley of Qanat remained flowing (with water) for one month and none, came from outside who didn't talk about the abundant rain.
أَصَابَتِ النَّاسَ سَنَةٌ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَبَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَخْطُبُ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ قَامَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَلَكَ الْمَالُ وَجَاعَ الْعِيَالُ فَادْعُ اللَّهَ لَنَا أَنْ يَسْقِيَنَا قَالَ فَرَفَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَدَيْهِ وَمَا فِي السَّمَاءِ قَزَعَةٌ قَالَ فَثَارَ سَحَابٌ أَمْثَالُ الْجِبَالِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنْزِلْ عَنْ مِنْبَرِهِ حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ الْمَطَرَ يَتَحَادَرُ عَلَى لِحْيَتِهِ قَالَ فَمُطِرْنَا يَوْمَنَا ذَلِكَ وَفِي الْغَدِ وَمِنْ بَعْدِ الْغَدِ وَالَّذِي يَلِيهِ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ الأُخْرَى فَقَامَ ذَلِكَ الأَعْرَابِيُّ أَوْ رَجُلٌ غَيْرُهُ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ تَهَدَّمَ الْبِنَاءُ وَغَرِقَ الْمَالُ فَادْعُ اللَّهَ لَنَا فَرَفَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَدَيْهِ وَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ حَوَالَيْنَا وَلاَ عَلَيْنَا قَالَ فَمَا جَعَلَ يُشِيرُ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى نَاحِيَةٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلاَّ تَفَرَّجَتْ حَتَّى صَارَتِ الْمَدِينَةُ فِي مِثْلِ الْجَوْبَةِ حَتَّى سَالَ الْوَادِي وَادِي قَنَاةَ شَهْرًا قَالَ فَلَمْ يَجِئْ أَحَدٌ مِنْ نَاحِيَةٍ إِلاَّ حَدَّثَ بِالْجَوْدِ