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

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Thabit al-Marwazi narrated to us: ʿAbd al-Razzaq narrated to us: Maʿmar informed us, from al-Zuhri, from ʿAbbad ibn Tamim, from his paternal uncle, that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out with the people to pray for rain. He led them in two rakʿahs, reciting aloud in them. He turned his cloak, raised his hands, supplicated for rain, and faced the qiblah.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ibn al-Sarh and Sulayman ibn Dawud said: Ibn Wahb informed us: Ibn Abi Dhiʾb and Yunus informed me, from Ibn Shihab, who said: ʿAbbad ibn Tamim al-Mazini informed me that he heard his paternal uncle, one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), say: ‘One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out to pray for rain. He turned his back to the people, supplicating to Allah, Mighty and Majestic.’ Sulayman ibn Dawud said: ‘He faced the qiblah, turned his cloak, then prayed two rakʿahs.’ Ibn Abi Dhiʾb said: ‘He recited in them.’ Ibn al-Sarh added: ‘He means aloud.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Muhammad ibn ʿAwf said: I read in the book of ʿAmr ibn al-Harith—meaning al-Himsi—from ʿAbd Allah ibn Salim, from al-Zubaydi, from Muhammad ibn Muslim, this hadith with its chain. He did not mention the prayer. He said: ‘He turned his cloak, placing its right side over his left shoulder and its left side over his right shoulder. Then he supplicated to Allah, Mighty and Majestic.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Qutaybah ibn Saʿid narrated to us: ʿAbd al-ʿAziz narrated to us, from ʿUmarah ibn Ghaziyyah, from ʿAbbad ibn Tamim, that ʿAbd Allah ibn Zayd said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed for rain while wearing a black khamisah cloak. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wanted to take its lower part and make it its upper part; when it became heavy, he turned it over on his shoulders.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Al-Nufayli and ʿUthman ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us a similar report. They said: Hatim ibn Ismaʿil narrated to us: Hisham ibn Ishaq ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Kinanah said: My father informed me: al-Walid ibn ʿUtbah sent me—the version of ʿUthman says Ibn ʿUqbah; he was the governor of Medina—to Ibn ʿAbbas to ask him about the Messenger of Allah’s (ﷺ) prayer for rain. He said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out in ordinary, humble, supplicant dress until he reached the prayer ground.’ ʿUthman added: ‘He ascended the pulpit’; then the two reports agree: ‘He did not deliver a sermon like your sermons, but continued in supplication, earnest entreaty, and takbir. Then he prayed two rakʿahs as he prayed on Eid.’ Abu Dawud said: ‘This is the report of al-Nufayli, and the correct name is Ibn ʿUtbah.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

ʿAbd Allah ibn Maslamah narrated to us: Sulayman—meaning Ibn Bilal—narrated to us, from Yahya, from Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad, from ʿAbbad ibn Tamim, that ʿAbd Allah ibn Zayd informed him that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out to the prayer ground to pray for rain. When he wished to supplicate, he faced the qiblah and then turned his cloak.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Al-Qaʿnabi narrated to us, from Malik, from ʿAbd Allah ibn Abi Bakr, who heard ʿAbbad ibn Tamim say: I heard ʿAbd Allah ibn Zayd al-Mazini say: ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out to the prayer ground, prayed for rain, and turned his cloak when he faced the qiblah.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Muhammad ibn Salamah al-Muradi informed us: Ibn Wahb informed us, from Haywah and ʿUmar ibn Malik, from Ibn al-Had, from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim, from ʿUmayr, the client of Banu Abi al-Lahm, that he saw the Prophet (ﷺ) praying for rain at the Stones of al-Zayt, near al-Zawraʾ. He was standing, supplicating and seeking rain, raising his hands in front of his face without raising them above his head.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ibn Abi Khalaf narrated to us: Muhammad ibn ʿUbayd narrated to us: Misʿar narrated to us, from Yazid al-Faqir, from Jabir ibn ʿAbd Allah, who said: ‘People came to the Prophet (ﷺ) weeping. He said: “O Allah, send us rain that brings relief, abundant, nourishing, fertile, and beneficial, not harmful; soon, not later.”’ He said: ‘Then the sky opened over them.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Nasr ibn ʿAli informed us: Yazid ibn Zurayʿ informed us: Saʿid narrated to us, from Qatadah, from Anas, that the Prophet (ﷺ) would not raise his hands in any supplication except when praying for rain; then he would raise them until the whiteness of his armpits could be seen.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Al-Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Zaʿfarani narrated to us: ʿAffan narrated to us: Hammad narrated to us: Thabit informed us, from Anas, that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray for rain in this manner—he extended his hands with their palms facing the ground, until I saw the whiteness of his armpits.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Muslim ibn Ibrahim narrated to us: Shuʿbah narrated to us, from ʿAbd Rabbih ibn Saʿid, from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim, who informed me that someone who saw the Prophet (ﷺ) told him that he saw the Prophet supplicating at the Stones of al-Zayt with his palms spread.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Harun ibn Saʿid al-Ayli narrated to us: Khalid ibn Nizar narrated to us: al-Qasim ibn Mabarrur narrated to me, from Yunus, from Hisham ibn ʿUrwah, from his father, from ʿAishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: The people complained to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about the drought and lack of rain. He ordered a pulpit to be placed for him at the prayer ground and promised the people a day on which they would come out. ʿAishah said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out when the sun’s edge appeared and sat on the pulpit. He said takbir and praised Allah, Mighty and Majestic, then said: ‘You have complained of drought in your homes and that rain has been delayed beyond the beginning of its season. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has commanded you to supplicate to Him and promised you that He will answer you.’

Then he said: ‘Praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds, the Compassionate, the Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment. There is no deity but Allah; He does what He wills. O Allah, You are Allah; there is no deity but You. You are the Self-Sufficient, and we are the poor. Send down rain upon us, and make what You send down a strength and provision for us for a time.’

Then he raised his hands and kept them raised until the whiteness of his armpits appeared. Then he turned his back to the people and flipped—or turned—his cloak while keeping his hands raised. Then he faced the people, descended, and prayed two rakʿahs. Allah formed a cloud, and it thundered and flashed with lightning. Then it rained by Allah’s permission. Before he reached his mosque, torrents were flowing. When he saw how quickly they were seeking shelter, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) laughed until his molars showed and said: ‘I bear witness that Allah has power over all things, and that I am Allah’s servant and Messenger.’ Abu Dawud said: ‘This is a rare hadith with a good chain. The people of Medina recite “Master of the Day of Judgment” with malik, and this hadith is evidence for them.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Musaddad narrated to us: Hammad ibn Zayd narrated to us, from ʿAbd al-ʿAziz ibn Suhayb, from Anas ibn Malik, and Yunus ibn ʿUbayd, from Thabit, from Anas, who said: The people of Medina suffered drought during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). While he was preaching to us on a Friday, a man stood and said: Messenger of Allah, the livestock are perishing, the sheep are perishing. Pray to Allah to send us water. He extended his hands and supplicated. Anas said: The sky was like glass. A wind stirred, then a cloud formed and gathered, and the sky sent down torrents. We went out wading through the water until we reached our homes. The rain continued until the following Friday. Then that same man, or another, stood and said: Messenger of Allah, the houses have collapsed. Pray to Allah to hold back the rain. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) smiled and said: Around us, not upon us. I looked at the clouds as they split around Medina like a crown.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

ʿIsa ibn Hammad narrated to us: al-Layth informed us, from Saʿid al-Maqburi, from Sharik ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Abi Namir, from Anas, who heard him relate a report similar to that of ʿAbd al-ʿAziz. He said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raised his hands level with his face and said: ‘O Allah, send us water.’ He gave a report similar to it.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

ʿAbd Allah ibn Maslamah narrated to us, from Malik, from Yahya ibn Saʿid, from ʿAmr ibn Shuʿayb, that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say—and Sahl ibn Salih narrated to us: ʿAli ibn Qadim narrated to us: Sufyan informed us, from Yahya ibn Saʿid, from ʿAmr ibn Shuʿayb, from his father, from his grandfather, who said: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed for rain, he said: ‘O Allah, give water to Your servants and Your livestock, spread Your mercy, and revive Your dead land.’ This is the wording of Malik’s hadith.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

ʿUthman ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us: Ismaʿil ibn ʿUlayyah narrated to us, from Ibn Jurayj, from ʿAta, from ʿUbayd ibn ʿUmayr, who said: Someone whom I trust informed me—I thought he meant ʿAishah—that the sun was eclipsed during the time of the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet stood for a long time, leading the people in prayer. Then he bowed, stood, bowed, stood, and bowed. He performed two rakʿahs, with three bowings in each; he bowed the third time, then prostrated. Some men that day were overcome and fainted from the prolonged standing, and buckets of water were poured over them. When he bowed he said, “Allah is the Greatest”; when he rose he said, “Allah hears whoever praises Him,” until the sun shone clear. Then he said: “The sun and the moon are not eclipsed because someone dies or is born. They are two of the signs of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, by which He causes His servants to fear Him. When they are eclipsed, hasten to prayer.”

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal narrated to us: Yahya narrated to us, from ʿAbd al-Malik, who said: ʿAta narrated to me, from Jabir ibn ʿAbd Allah, who said: The sun was eclipsed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), on the day his son Ibrahim died. The people said: “It was eclipsed only because of the death of Ibrahim, the son of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).” The Prophet stood and led the people in a prayer of six bowings and four prostrations. He said the takbir, recited at length, then bowed for about as long as he had stood. He raised his head and recited a shorter recitation than the first, then bowed for about as long as he had stood. He raised his head and recited a third recitation shorter than the second, then bowed for about as long as he had stood. He raised his head and went down to prostrate, making two prostrations. Then he stood and made three bowings before prostrating; each bowing was longer than the one that followed, and his bowing was about as long as his standing. He moved backward during the prayer, and the rows moved back with him. Then he moved forward and stood in his place, and the rows moved forward. He completed the prayer when the sun had risen. He said: “People, the sun and the moon are two of the signs of Allah, Mighty and Majestic; they are not eclipsed because of the death of any person. When you see anything of that kind, pray until the eclipse clears.” The narrator continued the rest of the report.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Muʾammal ibn Hisham narrated to us: Ismaʿil narrated to us, from Hisham. Abu al-Zubayr narrated to us, from Jabir, who said: The sun was eclipsed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), on an intensely hot day. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led his Companions in prayer and prolonged the standing until the people began to collapse. He bowed and prolonged it; then he raised his head and prolonged the standing. He bowed and prolonged it again; then he raised his head and prolonged the standing again. Then he made two prostrations. He stood and did something similar; thus there were four bowings and four prostrations. The narrator continued the rest of the report.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ibn al-Sarh narrated to us: Ibn Wahb informed us. Muhammad ibn Salamah al-Muradi narrated to us: Ibn Wahb narrated to us, from Yunus, from Ibn Shihab, who said: ʿUrwah ibn al-Zubayr informed me, from ʿAishah, the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ), who said: The sun was eclipsed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He went to the mosque, stood, said takbir, and the people formed rows behind him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited at length, then said takbir and bowed for a long time. He raised his head and said: ‘Allah hears whoever praises Him; our Lord, to You belongs all praise.’ Then he stood and recited for a long time, but less than the first recitation. He said takbir and bowed for a long time, but less than the first bowing. Then he said: ‘Allah hears whoever praises Him; our Lord, to You belongs all praise.’ He did the same in the other rakʿah, completing four bowings and four prostrations. The sun cleared before he departed.