بَابُ الِاسْتِسْقَاءِThe Prayer for Rain (Salat al-Istisqa)

² These hadiths and narrations all testify to Abu Hanifah’s view that the prayer for rain (Istisqa) is based on supplication and seeking forgiveness, not a formal prayer.

Sharik ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Namir reported that he heard Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) say: "A man entered through a door facing the pulpit on Friday while the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was delivering the sermon. He stood facing the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, the livestock are perishing, and the roads are cut off. Pray to Allah to send us rain.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raised his hands ³ and said, 'O Allah, send us rain. O Allah, send us rain. O Allah, send us rain.' Anas said, 'By Allah, we did not see any cloud or trace of rain in the sky, and there were no houses or buildings between us and Mount Sal’.' Then a cloud appeared like a shield, and when it reached the middle of the sky, it spread and began to rain. By Allah, we did not see the sun for a week. The following Friday, a man entered through the same door while the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was delivering the sermon. He stood facing him and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, the wealth is destroyed, and the roads are cut off. Pray to Allah to withhold the rain.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raised his hands and said, 'O Allah, around us and not upon us. O Allah, upon the hills, mountains, valleys, and places where trees grow.' The rain stopped, and we walked out in the sunshine." Sharik asked Anas, "Was it the same man?" He replied, "I do not know." [Agreed upon]

Shurahbil ibn al-Samt reported that he said to Ka’b ibn Murrah, "O Ka’b ibn Murrah, tell us about the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), but be careful." Ka’b said: "A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah for rain.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raised his hands and said, 'O Allah, send us beneficial, nourishing, abundant, and timely rain that is not harmful.' The people had not even gathered when the rain came. They came to him and complained about the rain, saying, 'O Messenger of Allah, the houses are collapsing.' He said, 'O Allah, around us and not upon us.' The clouds dispersed to the right and left." [Narrated by Ibn Majah]

Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) supplicating, saying, 'O Allah, send us abundant, nourishing, beneficial, and timely rain that is not harmful.' The sky was filled with clouds, and it rained." [Narrated by Abu Dawud]

Umayr, the freed slave of Abi al-Lahm, reported: "I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) praying for rain near the stones of Zayt, close to Az-Zawra. He stood supplicating for rain, raising his hands to the level of his face, not above his head." [Narrated by Abu Dawud]

Tirmidhi and Nasa’i narrated something similar.

Amr ibn Shu’ayb reported from his father, who reported from his grandfather (may Allah be pleased with him): "When the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed for rain, he would say, 'O Allah, provide water for Your servants and animals, spread Your mercy, and revive Your dead land.'" [Narrated by Malik and Abu Dawud]

Al-Bayhaqi and Al-Tabarani narrated something similar.

Ata’ ibn Abi Marwan al-Aslami reported from his father: "We went out with Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) to pray for rain, and he did nothing more than seek forgiveness." [Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah]

Sa’id ibn Mansur narrated something similar in his Sunan with a good chain.

Ibrahim reported: "He went out with Al-Mughirah ibn Abdullah al-Thaqafi to pray for rain. Al-Mughirah prayed, but Ibrahim returned when he saw him praying." [Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah]

Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "A man complained to the Prophet (ﷺ) about the destruction of wealth and the hardship of his family. The Prophet (ﷺ) supplicated to Allah for rain, but he did not turn his cloak or face the qiblah." [Agreed upon]

Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed for rain and turned his cloak, hoping that the drought would turn into abundance." ¹ [Narrated by Al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak]

Al-Hakim said: "This is a hadith with an authentic chain, but Bukhari and Muslim did not include it."

Hisham ibn Ishaq ibn Abdullah ibn Kinanah reported from his father: "I asked Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) about the Prophet’s (ﷺ) prayer for rain. He said, 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out in a humble state, wearing simple clothes, and sat on the pulpit. He did not deliver a sermon like yours, but he continuously supplicated, humbled himself, and said the takbir. He prayed two rak’ahs as he prayed on Eid.'" [Narrated by Nasa’i, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, and Ibn Majah]

Tirmidhi said: "This is a Hasan Sahih Hadith."

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Prophet (ﷺ) did not raise his hands in any supplication except during the prayer for rain, when he would raise them so high that the whiteness of his armpits could be seen." [Agreed upon]

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed for rain and pointed the backs of his hands toward the sky." [Narrated by Muslim]

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