8. Ṣalāh for Rain (Istisqāʾ)
al-Mustadrak (al-Hakim) 1215No grade recorded
خَرَجَ نَبِيٌّ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ يَسْتَسْقِي فَإِذَا هُوَ بِنَمْلَةٍ رَافِعَةٍ بَعْضَ قَوَائِمِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَقَالَ ارْجِعُوا فَقَدِ اسْتُجِيبَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَجْلِ شَأْنِ النَّمْلَةِ
✧ I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, "A prophet came out from among the prophets seeking rain. Suddenly, he saw an ant lifting one of its legs towards the sky. He said, 'Go back, for you have been answered due to the status of this ant.'"
al-Mustadrak (al-Hakim) 1216No grade recorded
«اسْتَسْقَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَحَوَّلَ رِدَاءَهُ لِيَتَحَوَّلَ الْقَحْطُ»
✧ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed for rain and turned his cloak inside out so that the drought might turn away.
al-Mustadrak (al-Hakim) 1217No grade recorded
«سُنَّةُ الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ سُنَّةُ الصَّلَاةِ فِي الْعِيدَيْنِ إِلَّا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَلَبَ رِدَاءَهُ فَجَعَلَ يَمِينَهُ عَلَى يَسَارِهِ وَيَسَارَهُ عَلَى يَمِينِهِ فَصَلَّى الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ يُكَبِّرُ فِي الْأُولَى سَبْعَ تَكْبِيرَاتٍ وَقَرَأَ سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى وَقَرَأَ فِي الثَّانِيَةِ هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَاشِيَةِ وَكَبَّرَ فِيهَا خَمْسَ تَكْبِيرَاتٍ»
✧ The Sunnah of praying for rain is the Sunnah of prayer on the two Eids, except that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned his cloak inside out, placing its right side on his left and its left side on his right. He prayed two rakʿahs, saying seven takbīrs in the first, and he recited 'Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High,' and in the second he recited 'Has there come to you the account of the Overwhelming?' and he said five takbīrs in it.
al-Mustadrak (al-Hakim) 1218No grade recorded
يَا ابْنَ أَخِي كَيْفَ صَنَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ يَوْمَ اسْتَسْقَى بِالنَّاسِ فَقَالَ «خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُتَخَشِّعًا مُتَذَلَّلًا مُتَبَذِّلًا فَصَنَعَ فِيهِ كَمَا يَصْنَعُ فِي الْفِطْرِ وَالْأَضْحَى»
✧ O son of my brother, how did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ perform the rain prayer on the day he prayed for rain with the people? He said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out humbly, humble, and humble, and he performed in it as he would in the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha."
al-Mustadrak (al-Hakim) 1219No grade recorded
أَنْ يَسْأَلَنِي «خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُتَوَاضِعًا مُتَبَذِّلًا مُتَخَشِّعًا مُتَضَرِّعًا مُتَرَسِّلًا فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ كَمَا يُصَلِّي فِي الْعِيدِ وَلَمْ يَخْطُبْ خُطْبَتَكُمْ»
✧ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out humble, shabby, fearful, supplicating, unhurried, and prayed two rakʿahs as he prayed on the Eid, and he did not deliver a sermon like your sermons.
al-Mustadrak (al-Hakim) 1220No grade recorded
«كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لَا يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ إِلَّا فِي الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ» وَقَالَ شُعْبَةُ فَقُلْتُ لِثَابِتٍ أَأَنْتَ سَمِعْتَهُ مِنْ أَنَسٍ؟ قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ قُلْتُ أَأَنْتَ سَمِعْتَ مِنْ أَنَسٍ؟ قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ
✧ The Prophet ﷺ did not raise his hands in any of his supplications except in the prayer for rain. Shuʿbah said: I said to Thābit: Did you hear it from Anas? He said: Subḥān Allāh. I said: Did you hear it from Anas? He said: Subḥān Allāh.
al-Mustadrak (al-Hakim) 1221No grade recorded
«اسْتَسْقَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَعَلَيْهِ خَمِيصَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ فَأَرَادَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ بِأَسْفَلِهَا فَيَجْعَلَهُ أَعْلَاهَا فَلَمَّا ثَقُلَتْ عَلَيْهِ قَلَبَهَا عَلَى عَاتِقِهِ» قَدِ اتَّفَقَا عَلَى إِخْرَاجِ حَدِيثِ عَبَّادِ بْنِ تَمِيمٍ وَلَمْ يُخَرِّجَاهُ بِهَذَا اللَّفْظِ وَهُوَ صَحِيحٌ عَلَى شَرْطِ مُسْلِمٍ
✧ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed for rain wearing a black cloak. He wanted to take hold of its lower part and make it its upper part, but when it became heavy on him, he turned it over his shoulder. The two [Bukhārī and Muslim] agreed on the ḥadīth of ʿAbbād b. Tamīm, but they did not transmit it with this wording. It is authentic according to the condition of Muslim.
al-Mustadrak (al-Hakim) 1222No grade recorded
أَتَتِ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ بَوَاكِي فَقَالَ «اللَّهُمَّ اسْقِنَا غَيْثًا مُغِيثًا مَرِيئًا مَرِيعًا عَاجِلًا غَيْرَ آجِلٍ نَافِعًا غَيْرَ ضَارٍّ فَأَطْبَقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّمَاءُ»
✧ Some weepers came to the Prophet ﷺ, and he said: 'O Allah, give us abundant, wholesome, productive, immediate, not delayed, beneficial, not harmful rain.' Then the sky closed over them.
al-Mustadrak (al-Hakim) 1223No grade recorded
عَنْ عُمَيْرٍ مَوْلَى آبِي اللَّحْمِ أَنَّهُ«رَأَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عِنْدَ أَحْجَارِ الزَّيْتِ يَسْتَسْقِي مُقَنَّعًا بِكَفَّيْهِ يَدْعُو هَكَذَا»
✧ From ʿUmayr, the freed slave of Abū al-Laḥm, that he saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at the stones of al-Zayt praying for rain, veiled with his hands, supplicating like this.
al-Mustadrak (al-Hakim) 1224No grade recorded
«شَهِدْتُ خَيْبَرَ مَعَ سَادَتِي فَكَلَّمُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي وَأَخْبَرُوهُ أَنِّي مَمْلُوكٌ فَأَمَرَ لِي فَقُلِّدْتُ السَّيْفَ فَإِذَا أَنَا أَجُرُّهُ فَأَمَرَ لِي بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ خُرْثِيِّ الْمَتَاعِ وَعَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ رُقْيَةً كُنْتُ أَرْقِي بِهَا الْمَجَانِينَ فَأَمَرَنِي بِطَرْحِ بَعْضِهَا وَحَبْسِ بَعْضِهِ»
✧ I witnessed Khaybar with my masters. They spoke to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about me and informed him that I was a slave. He ordered [something] for me, and I was given a sword to wear, so I was dragging it. Then he ordered for me some odds and ends of goods. I presented to him a ruqyah I used to recite over the insane, and he ordered me to discard some of it and keep some of it.
al-Mustadrak (al-Hakim) 1225No grade recorded
شَكَا النَّاسُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قُحُوطَ الْمَطَرِ فَأَمَرَ بِمِنْبَرٍ فَوُضِعَ لَهُ فِي الْمُصَلَّى وَوَعَدَ النَّاسَ يَوْمًا يَخْرُجُونَ فِيهِ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حِينَ بَدَا حَاجِبُ الشَّمْسِ فَقَعَدَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَكَبَّرَ وَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ شَكَوْتُمْ جَدْبَ دِيَارِكُمْ وَاسْتِئْخَارِ الْمَطَرِ عَنْ أَوَانِ زَمَانِهِ وَقَدْ أَمَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَدَعُوهُ وَوَعَدَكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَجِيبَ لَكُمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ «الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ الْغَنِيُّ وَنَحْنُ الْفُقَرَاءُ أَنْزِلْ عَلَيْنَا الْغَيْثَ وَاجْعَلْ مَا أَنْزلْتَ لَنَا قُوَّةً وَبَلَاغًا إِلَى حِينٍ» ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ فِي الرَّفْعِ حَتَّى بَدَا بَيَاضُ إِبْطَيْهِ ثُمَّ حَوَّلَ إِلَى النَّاسِ ظَهْرَهُ وَقَلَبَ أَوْ حَوَّلَ رِدَاءَهُ وَهُوَ رَافِعٌ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلْ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَنَزَلَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ فَأَنْشَأَ اللَّهُ سَحَابًا فَرَعَدَتْ وَبَرَقَتْ ثُمَّ أَمْطَرَتْ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ فَلَمْ يَأْتِ مَسْجِدَهُ حَتَّى سَالَتِ السُّيُولُ فَلَمَّا رَأَى سُرْعَتَهُمْ إِلَى الْكِنِّ ضَحِكَ حَتَّى بَدَتْ نَوَاجِذُهُ فَقَالَ «أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ»
✧ The people complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the withholding of rain. He ordered a pulpit to be placed for him in the prayer area and promised the people a day on which they would come out. 'A'ishah said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out when the edge of the sun appeared, sat on the pulpit, said 'Allah is greater,' praised Allah, and then said: 'You have complained of the drought in your lands and the delay of rain beyond its usual time. Allah has commanded you to call upon Him and promised to answer you.' Then he said: 'Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment. There is no god but Allah; He does what He wills. O Allah, You are Allah, there is no god but You, the Self-Sufficient, and we are the needy. Send down rain upon us and make what You send down a strength and a provision for us until a time.' Then he raised his hands and kept raising them until the whiteness of his armpits appeared. Then he turned his back to the people and turned or reversed his cloak while raising his hands. Then he faced the people, descended, and prayed two rak'ahs. Allah brought forth clouds, which thundered and flashed with lightning, then rained by Allah's permission. He did not reach his mosque until the torrents were flowing. When he saw how quickly they rushed to shelter, he laughed until his molars showed and said: 'I bear witness that Allah has power over all things and that I am the servant of Allah and His Messenger.'
al-Mustadrak (al-Hakim) 1226No grade recorded
حَدِّثْنَا حَدِيثًا سَمِعْتَهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ دَعَا عَلَى مُضَرَ فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَعْطَاكَ وَاسْتَجَابَ لَكَ وَإِنَّ قَوْمَكَ قَدْ هَلَكُوا فَادْعُ اللَّهَ لَهُمْ فَقَالَ «اللَّهُمَّ اسْقِنَا غَيْثًا مُغِيثًا مَرِيئًا سَرِيعًا غَدَقًا طَبَقًاً عَاجِلًا غَيْرَ رَائِثٍ نَافِعًا غَيْرَ ضَارٍّ» فَمَا كَانَتْ إِلَّا جُمُعَةٌ أَوْ نَحْوَهَا حَتَّى سُقُوا
✧ Narrate to us a hadith you heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ supplicate against Mudar. I came to him and said: O Messenger of Allah, Allah has given you and answered you, but your people have perished, so supplicate to Allah for them. He said: 'O Allah, give us rain, a helpful, pleasant, swift, abundant, widespread, immediate rain, not delayed, beneficial, not harmful.' It was only about a Friday or so until they were given rain.
al-Mustadrak (al-Hakim) 1227No grade recorded
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ دَعَا فِي الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ فَقَالَ «اللَّهُمَّ اسْقِنَا غَيْثًا مُغِيثًا مَرِيئًا سَرِيعًا غَدَقًا طَبَقًا عَاجِلًا غَيْرَ رَائِثٍ نَافِعًا غَيْرَ ضَارٍّ» فَمَا كَانَتْ إِلَّا جُمُعَةٌ أَوْ نَحْوُهَا حَتَّى سُقُوا آخِرُ كِتَابِ الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ
✧ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ supplicated in the prayer for rain and said: 'O Allah, give us rain, a helpful, pleasant, swift, abundant, widespread, immediate rain, not delayed, beneficial, not harmful.' It was only about a Friday or so until they were given rain. End of the Book of Istisqāʾ.