The Book Of The Prayer For Rain (Kitab al-Istisqa')

كتاب الاستسقاء

Chapter 1: Collection Of Chapters Regarding Salat Al-Istisqa'

Abbad b. Tamim (al-Muzini) reported on the authority of his uncle

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took the people out (to the place of prayer) and prayed for rain. He led them in two rak'ahs of prayer in the course of which he recited from the Qur'an in a loud voice. He turned around his cloak and raised his hands, prayed for rain and faced the qiblah

Abbad b. Tamim al Mazini said on the authority of his uncle (Abd Allah b. Zaid b Asim) who was a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)

One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out to make supplication for rain. He turned his back towards the people praying to Allah, the Exalted. The narrator Sulaiman b. Dawud said: He faced the qiblah and turned around his cloak and then offered two rak'ahs of prayer. The narrator Ibn Abi Dhi'b said: He recited from the Qur'an in both of them. The version of Ibn al-Sarh adds: By it he means in a loud voice.

The above-mentioned tradition has also been transmitted by Muhammad b. Muslim through a different chain of narrators. But there is no mention of prayer in this version. The version adds

"He turned around his cloak, putting its right side on his left shoulder and its left side on his right shoulder. Thereafter he made supplication to Allah."

Abd Allah b. Zaid said

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh)prayed for rain wearing a black robe with ornamented border. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh)wanted to reverse it from bottom to top by holding the bottom. But when it was too heavy he turned it round on his shoulders.

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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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).

Abu Dawud said: This is the version of al-Nufail. What is correct is Ibn Utbah's

Chapter 2: At Which Point Does He (saws) Turn His Rida' Around When Seeking Rain?

Abd Allah b. Zaid said

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh)went out to the place of prayer to pray for rain. When he wanted to make supplication, he faced the qiblah and turned around his cloak.

Narrated Abd Allah b. Zaid al Mazini

Abd Allah b. Zaid al Mazini said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) went out to the place of prayer and made supplication or rain, and turned around his cloak when the faced the qiblah.

Chapter 3: Raising The Hands During Istisqa'

Narrated Umayr, the client of AbulLahm

Umayr saw the Prophet (ﷺ) praying for rain at Ahjar az-Zayt near az-Zawra', standing, making supplication, praying for rain and raising his hands in front of his face, but not lifting them above his head.

Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah

The people came to the Prophet (ﷺ) weeping (due to drought). He said (making supplication): O Allah! give us rain which will replenish us, abundant, fertilising and profitable, not injurious, granting it now without delay. He (the narrator) said: Thereupon the sky became overcast.

Narrated Anas

The Prophet (peace be upon him) was not accustomed to raise his hands in any supplication he made except when praying for rain. He would then raise them high enough so much so that the whiteness of his armpits was visible.

Narrated Anas

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.

Narrated Muhammad b. Ibrahim

A man who witnessed the Prophet (ﷺ) reported to me that he saw the Prophet (ﷺ) praying at Ahjar al-Zait spreading his hands.

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin

The people complained to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), 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 (ﷺ) 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.

Abu Dawud said: This is a ghraib (rate) tradition, but its chain is sound. The people of Medina recite "maliki" (instead of maaliki) yawm al-din" (the master of the Day of Judgement). But this tradition (in which the word maalik occurs) is an evidence for them.

Narrated Anas ibn Malik

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.

Narrated The above mentioned tradition has been narrated by Anas through a different chain of transmitters

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raised his hands in front of his face and said: O Allah! Give us water. the narrator then reported then reported the tradition like the former.

Narrated 'Amr b. Suh'aib

On his father's authority, quoted his grandfather as saying: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed for rain, he said: O Allah! Provide water for Your servants and Your cattle, display Your mercy and give life to Your dead land.

This is the wording of Malik.

Chapter 4: The Eclipse (Al-Kusuf) Prayer

Narrated A'ishah (May Allah be pleased with her)

There was an eclipse of the sun in the time of the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet stood for a long time, accompanied by the people. He then bowed, then raised his head, then he bowed and then he raised his head, and again he bowed and prayed two rak'ahs of prayer. In each rak'ah he bowed three times. After bowing for the third time he prostrated himself. He stood for such a long time that some people became unconscious on that occasion and buckets of water had to be poured on them. When he bowed, he said, Allah is most great; and when he raised his head, he said, Allah listens to him who praises Him, till the sun became bright. then he said: The sun and the moon are not eclipsed on account of anyone's death or on account of anyone's birth, but they are two of Allah's signs, He produces dread in His servants by means of them. When they are eclipsed, hasten to prayer

Chapter 5: Whoever Said That It Should Be Prayed With Four Rak'ahs

Narrated Jabir b. Abd Allah

There was an eclipse of the sun in the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had died. The people began to to say that there was an eclipse on account of the death of Ibrahim. The Prophet (ﷺ) stood up and led the people in prayer performing six bowings and four prostrations. he said: Allah is most great, and then recited from the Qur'an and prolonged the recitation. He then bowed nearly as long as he stood. He then raised his head and recited from the Qur'an but it was less than the first (recitation). He then bowed nearly as long as he stood. He then raised his head and then recited from the Quran for the third time, but it was less than the second recitation. He then bowed nearly as long as he stood. he then raised his head and then recited from the Qur'an for the third time, but it was less than the second recitation. he then bowed nearly as long as he stood. Then he raised his head and went down for prostration. he made two prostrations. He then stood and made three bowings before prostrating himself, the preceding bowing being more lengthy than the following, but he bowed nearly as long as he stood. He then stepped back during the prayer and the rows (of the people) too stepped back along with him. Then he stepped forward and stood in his place, and the rows too stepped forward. he then finished the prayer and the sun had become bright. He said: O people, the sun and the moon are two of Allah's signs; they are not eclipsed on account of a man's death. So when you see anything of that nature, offer prayer until the sun becomes bright. The narrator then narrated the rest of the tradition.

Narrated Jabir

There was an eclipse of the sun in the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on a hot day. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)led his Companions in prayer and prolonged the standing until the people began to fall down. He then bowed and prolonged it; then he raised his head and prolonged (the stay); then he bowed and prolonged it; then he raised his head and prolonged (the stay); then he made two prostrations and then stood up; then he did in the same manner. He thus performed four bowings and four prostrations. Then the narrator narrated the rest of the tradition.