The Prayer for Seeking Rain (salat Al-istisqa)

إِذَا فَشَتْ أَرْبَعَةٌ ظَهَرَتْ أَرْبَعَةٌ إِذَا فَشَا الزِّنَى ظَهَرَتِ الزَّلَازِلُ وَ إِذَا أُمْسِكَتِ الزَّكَاةُ هَلَكَتِ الْمَاشِيَةُ وَ إِذَا جَارَ الْحُكَّامُ فِي الْقَضَاءِ أُمْسِكَ الْقَطْرُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَ إِذَا خُفِرَتِ الذِّمَّةُ[1] نُصِرَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ.

"When four things become widespread, four other things will appear: when fornication spreads, earthquakes will manifest; when Zakat (charity) is withheld, livestock will perish; when rulers act unjustly in judgments, rain will be withheld from the sky; and when agreements and covenants are broken, the polytheists will

إِذَا غَضِبَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَى أُمَّةٍ ثُمَّ لَمْ يُنْزِلْ بِهَا الْعَذَابَ غَلَتْ أَسْعَارُهَا وَ قَصُرَتْ أَعْمَارُهَا وَ لَمْ يَرْبَحْ تُجَّارُهَا وَ لَمْ تَزْكُ ثِمَارُهَا وَ لَمْ تَغْزُرْ أَنْهَارُهَا[2] وَ حُبِسَ عَنْهَا أَمْطَارُهَا وَ سُلِّطَ عَلَيْهَا أَشْرَارُهَا.

Hadith.1489 - It is narrated from The Prophet (sw) that He said: "When Allah (swt), the Exalted, becomes angry with a nation but does not send punishment upon it, the prices of goods rise, their lifespans become shorter, their traders do not profit, their fruits do not flourish, their rivers do not flow abundantly, rai

إِنَّ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ دَاوُدَ ع خَرَجَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ مَعَ أَصْحَابِهِ لِيَسْتَسْقِيَ فَوَجَدَ نَمْلَةً قَدْ رَفَعَتْ قَائِمَةً مِنْ قَوَائِمِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَ هِيَ تَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا خَلْقٌ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ لَا غِنَى بِنَا عَنْ رِزْقِكَ فَلَا تُهْلِكْنَا بِذُنُوبِ بَنِي آدَمَ فَقَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ ع لِأَصْحَابِهِ ارْجِعُوا فَقَدْ سُقِيتُمْ بِغَيْرِكُمْ‌[3].

Hadith.1490 - Hafs ibn Ghiyath narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) that He said: "One day, Prophet Solomon (Sulaiman) (as) went out with his companions to pray for rain (Istisqa). He saw an ant raising one of its legs towards the sky, saying, 'O’ Allah (swt), we are a creation among Your creations. We a

إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَنْفَعَ بِالْمَطَرِ أَمَرَ السَّحَابَ فَأَخَذَ الْمَاءَ مِنْ تَحْتِ الْعَرْشِ وَ إِذَا لَمْ يُرِدِ النَّبَاتَ أَمَرَ السَّحَابَ فَأَخَذَ الْمَاءَ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ قِيلَ إِنَّ مَاءَ الْبَحْرِ مَالِحٌ قَالَ إِنَّ السَّحَابَ يُعْذِبُهُ.

Hadith.1491 - Hafs ibn al-Bakhtari narrated from Him (as) that He said: "When Allah (swt), Blessed and Exalted, wishes to bring benefit through rain, He commands the clouds to take water from beneath the Throne. But when He does not intend for vegetation to grow, He commands the clouds to take water from the sea." It w

مَا مِنْ قَطْرَةٍ تَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَّا وَ مَعَهَا مَلَكٌ يَضَعُهَا الْمَوْضِعَ الَّذِي قُدِّرَتْ لَهُ.

Hadith.1492 - Sa'dan narrated from him (as) that He said: "There is no drop of rain that falls from the sky except that there is an angel accompanying it, placing it precisely in the location that has been decreed for it."

وَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص‌ مَا أَتَى عَلَى أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا يَوْمٌ وَاحِدٌ مُنْذُ خَلَقَهَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَّا وَ السَّمَاءُ فِيهَا تَمْطُرُ فَيَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ ذَلِكَ حَيْثُ يَشَاءُ.

Hadith.1493 - The Prophet (sw) said: "Not a single day has passed for the people of the world since Allah (swt), the Mighty and Glorious, created it, except that the sky sends down rain, and Allah (swt), the Mighty and Glorious, places it wherever He wills."

مَا خَرَجَتْ رِيحٌ قَطُّ إِلَّا بِمِكْيَالٍ[1] إِلَّا زَمَنَ عَادٍ فَإِنَّهَا عَتَتْ عَلَى خُزَّانِهَا فَخَرَجَتْ فِي مِثْلِ خَرْقِ الْإِبْرَةِ فَأَهْلَكَتْ قَوْمَ عَادٍ[2] وَ مَا نَزَلَ مَطَرٌ قَطُّ إِلَّا بِوَزْنٍ إِلَّا زَمَنَ نُوحٍ ع فَإِنَّهُ عَتَا عَلَى خُزَّانِهِ فَخَرَجَ فِي مِثْلِ خَرْقِ الْإِبْرَةِ فَأَغْرَقَ اللَّهُ بِهِ قَوْمَ نُوحٍ ع[3]

وَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ السَّحَابُ غِرْبَالُ الْمَطَرِ لَوْ لَا ذَلِكَ لَأَفْسَدَ كُلَّ شَيْ‌ءٍ وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ‌[4].

Hadith.1495 - The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) said: "The clouds are the sieve of the rain; without that, it would ruin everything it falls upon”.

قَالَ إِنَّهُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الرَّجُلِ يَكُونُ فِي الْإِبِلِ فَيَزْجُرُهَا هَايْ هَايْ كَهَيْئَةِ ذَلِكَ قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَمَا حَالُ الْبَرْقِ فَقَالَ تِلْكَ مَخَارِيقُ الْمَلَائِكَةِ تَضْرِبُ السَّحَابَ‌[5] فَيَسُوقُهُ إِلَى‌ الْمَوْضِعِ الَّذِي قَضَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِيهِ الْمَطَرَ.

Hadith.1496 - Abu Basir asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) about the thunder, saying, "What does it say?" Imam (as) said: "It is like a man among the camels who drives them, saying 'Hai, Hai,' just as it is." I asked: "May I be your ransom, what about the lightning?" Imam (as) said: "Those are the whips of the

وَ قَالَ ع‌ الرَّعْدُ صَوْتُ الْمَلَكِ وَ الْبَرْقُ سَوْطُهُ.

Hadith.1497 - Imam (as) said: "The thunder is the voice of the angel, and the lightning is his whip."

وَ رُوِيَ‌ أَنَّ الرَّعْدَ صَوْتُ مَلَكٍ أَكْبَرَ مِنَ الذُّبَابِ وَ أَصْغَرَ مِنَ الزُّنْبُورِ فَيَنْبَغِي لِمَنْ سَمِعَ صَوْتَ الرَّعْدِ أَنْ يَقُولَ سُبْحَانَ مَنْ‌ يُسَبِّحُ الرَّعْدُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَ الْمَلائِكَةُ مِنْ خِيفَتِهِ‌

Hadith.1498 - It is narrated: "The thunder is the sound of an angel that is larger than a fly and smaller than a wasp. When one hears the sound of thunder, it is recommended to say, 'Glory be to the One whom the thunder praises with His praise and (so do) the angels out of fear of Him.'"

جَاءَ أَصْحَابُ فِرْعَوْنَ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ فَقَالُوا لَهُ غَارَ مَاءُ النِّيلِ وَ فِيهِ هَلَاكُنَا فَقَالَ انْصَرِفُوا الْيَوْمَ فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ تَوَسَّطَ النِّيلَ وَ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ أَنِّي أَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَى أَنْ يَجِيءَ بِالْمَاءِ إِلَّا أَنْتَ فَجِئْنَا بِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النِّيلُ يَتَدَفَّقُ[1]. وَ لَا يُسْتَسْقَى إِلَّا بِالْبَرَا

وَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِذَا اسْتَسْقَى قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ اسْقِ عِبَادَكَ وَ بَهَائِمَكَ وَ انْشُرْ رَحْمَتَكَ وَ أَحْيِ بِلَادَكَ الْمَيْتَةَ يُرَدِّدُهَا ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ.

Hadith.1500 - Whenever the Messenger of Allah (sw) prayed for rain (Salat al-Istisqa'), he would say: Allahumma isqi ‘ibadaka wa baha’imaka wa unshur rahmataka wa ahyi biladaka al-maytah "O’ Allah (swt), provide water to Your servants and Your animals, spread Your mercy, and revive Your dead land." He would repeat this

وَ خَطَبَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ فِي الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ فَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ سَابِغِ النِّعَمِ وَ مُفَرِّجِ الْهَمِّ وَ بَارِئِ النَّسَمِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ السَّمَاوَاتِ لِكُرْسِيِّهِ عِمَاداً[2] وَ الْجِبَالَ لِلْأَرْضِ أَوْتَاداً وَ الْأَرْضَ لِلْعِبَادِ مِهَاداً[3] وَ مَلَائِكَتَهُ‌ عَلى‌ أَرْجائِها وَ حَمَلَةَ الْعَرْشِ عَلَى أَمْطَائِهَا[4] وَ أَقَامَ بِعِزَّتِهِ أَرْكَانَ الْعَرْشِ وَ أَشْرَقَ بِضَوْئِهِ شُعَ

Hadith.1501 - The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) delivered a sermon during a prayer for rain and said: "All praise is due to Allah (swt), the Generous in His blessings, the Reliever of distress, and the Creator of life. He Who made the heavens as a support for His Throne, and the mountains as peg

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص يُصَلِّي لِلِاسْتِسْقَاءِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَ يَسْتَسْقِي وَ هُوَ قَاعِدٌ وَ قَالَ بَدَأَ بِالصَّلَاةِ قَبْلَ الْخُطْبَةِ وَ جَهَرَ بِالْقِرَاءَةِ

عَلَامَةٌ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ أَصْحَابِهِ تَحَوَّلَ الْجَدْبُ خِصْباً[4].

Hadith.1503 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) was asked about why The Prophet (sw) would turn his cloak around when he prayed for rain (Istisqa'). Imam (as) said: "It was a sign between him and his companions, indicating that drought had turned into abundance."

وَ جَاءَ قَوْمٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ إِلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع فَقَالُوا لَهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ادْعُ لَنَا بِدَعَوَاتٍ فِي الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ فَدَعَا عَلِيٌّ ع الْحَسَنَ وَ الْحُسَيْنَ ع‌

'Wisdom flows on the tongues of my Ahlul Bayt.'"

لِلْعَبَّاسِ قُمْ فَادْعُ رَبَّكَ وَ اسْتَسْقِ وَ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَتَوَسَّلُ إِلَيْكَ بِعَمِّ نَبِيِّكَ فَقَامَ الْعَبَّاسُ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَ أَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ عِنْدَكَ سَحَاباً وَ إِنَّ عِنْدَكَ مَطَراً فَانْشُرِ السَّحَابَ وَ أَنْزِلْ فِيهِ الْمَاءَ ثُمَّ أَنْزِلْهُ عَلَيْنَا وَ اشْدُدْ بِهِ الْأَصْلَ وَ أَطْلِعْ بِهِ الْفَرْعَ‌[2] وَ أَحْيِ بِهِ الزَّرْعَ‌[3] اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ

Hadith.1505 – It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that Umar ibn al-Khattab went out to pray for rain (Istisqa') and said to Abbas (the uncle of the Prophet), "Stand up and supplicate to your Lord (azj) and seek rain." Umar said: "O’ Allah (swt), we seek a means to You through the uncle of Your Prophet." So Abbas stood up, pr