Istisqa: the prayer for rain
Seeking rain from Allah during a drought, through repentance and dua, and, in the view most of the school's fatwa follows, a congregational prayer and sermon.
Istisqa means asking Allah for rain. When there isn't enough water (for people to drink, for animals, or for the fields), Muslims turn to Allah and ask Him for rain, through dua and by saying sorry for their sins (istighfar).
فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوْا رَبَّكُمْؕ اِنَّهٗ كَانَ غَفَّارًا ١٠ۙ
Istaghfirū rabbakum innahū kāna ghaffārā, yursili's-samāʾa ʿalaykum midrārā
And I said, 'beg forgiveness of your Lord, He is Most Forgiving.
Qurʼan 71:10, Nuh, from Zujajah.org
When there is not enough water where you live, it is a good thing (mustahabb) to ask Allah for rain like this. If there is already enough water, you don't need to.
How people used to seek rain
- First, everyone tries to fast for three days, say sorry to Allah for their sins, and stop being unfair to others or owing them anything.
- On the fourth day, everyone, old people and children too, goes out to an open field, wearing plain clean clothes, walking humbly, showing that they need Allah's help.
- Before leaving home, they give some charity, say sorry again, and ask Allah to forgive all Muslims, and say salawat on the Prophet ﷺ.
- They keep doing this for three days in a row, bringing along the weak, the elderly, and the children each time.Even animals may be brought, since seeing the neediest ones asking can move Allah's mercy.
اللّٰهُمَّ اسْقِنَا غَيْثًا مُّغِيثًا مَّرِيعًا نَّافِعًا غَيْرَ ضَارٍّ عَاجِلًا غَيْرَ اٰجَلٍ
Allāhumma isqinā ghaythan mughīthan marīʿan nāfiʿan ghayra ḍārrin ʿājilan ghayra ājil
O Allah, grant us rain (beneficial, nourishing, and not harmful), promptly, not delayed.
اللّهُمَّ حَوَا لَيْنَا وَ لاَ عَلَيْنَا ، اللّهُمَّ عَلَى الآكَامِ وَ الْجَبَلِ وَ الظِّرَابِ وَ الأَوْدِيَةِ وَ مَنَابِتِ الشَّجَرِ طَ
Allāhumma ḥawālaynā wa lā ʿalaynā, Allāhumma ʿalā al-akāmi wa al-ajāmi wa aṭ-ṭirābi wa al-awdiyati wa manābiti ash-shajar
Due to the lack of rain, people were greatly distressed. A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was on the pulpit delivering a sermon. The man faced the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, due to the lack of rain causing drought, our livestock are dying, and travel has become difficult as the roads have been blocked. Pray to Allah to send us rain.' Upon hearing this, the Prophet (ﷺ) raised his blessed hands and prayed, 'O Allah, send us rain! O Allah, send us rain! O Allah, send us rain!' Anas (RA) said, 'By Allah, there were no signs of rain before the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed. The sky was completely clear, and one could see Mount Sal clearly. There was no cloud or any sign of rain. But as soon as the Prophet (ﷺ) finished his prayer, a small cloud appeared from behind Mount Sal. It grew larger and spread over the entire sky, and it rained heavily. The rain continued so much that the sun was not visible for a whole month. When the next Friday came, the Prophet (ﷺ) ascended the pulpit and delivered the sermon. A man entered the mosque and stood before the Prophet (ﷺ), saying, 'O Messenger of Allah, the excessive rain has caused damage and blocked the roads. Pray to Allah that it should not rain now, but only when needed.' Anas (RA) said, 'Then the Prophet (ﷺ) raised his blessed hands and prayed, “O Allah, let it rain around us, not on us; on the highlands, mountains, and valleys, and on the places where trees grow.” Anas (RA) said, 'After the Prophet (ﷺ) finished his prayer, the clouds dispersed, and the rain stopped. When we left the mosque, the ground was dry.' The narrators of this hadith said, 'I asked Anas, “Who was the Companion who later prayed for the rain to stop, and who was the one who initially prayed for rain?” Anas (RA) replied, “I do not know.”'
noorulmasabih 2263, from Zujajah.org
Istisqa means seeking rain: asking Allah for it in a specific way during a drought. In essence it is dua and istighfar (seeking forgiveness): Allah states in the Qur'an that seeking forgiveness is itself a cause of rainfall.
فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوْا رَبَّكُمْؕ اِنَّهٗ كَانَ غَفَّارًا ١٠ۙ
Istaghfirū rabbakum innahū kāna ghaffārā, yursili's-samāʾa ʿalaykum midrārā
And I said, 'beg forgiveness of your Lord, He is Most Forgiving.
Qurʼan 71:10, Nuh, from Zujajah.org
Istisqa is prescribed where water sources (ponds, wells, canals or reservoirs) are absent or insufficient for drinking, watering animals, or irrigating fields; in that case it is recommended to supplicate Allah for rain. Where sufficient water is already available, Istisqa is not needed, since it is prescribed only in genuine necessity.
It is recommended that the ruler direct the people to fast for three days, repent of their sins, give up oppression, and settle the rights owed to others. On the fourth day they go out, with the elderly and children, to an open field, wearing old but clean clothes, walking barefoot, with humility and submission, showing their need and dependence on Allah (going bareheaded and barefoot is even better).
The recommended method
- On leaving their homes, they first give charity according to their means, renew their repentance, seek forgiveness, make dua for the forgiveness of all Muslims, and send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ.
- For three consecutive days they go out to the open field, each time bringing the weak, the elderly and the children.
- It is recommended to separate young children from their mothers, so that their crying and pleading can move Allah's mercy; animals are brought along too, and their young separated from them, for the same reason.It is reported that the Prophet Sulayman (peace be upon him) went out to pray during a drought, and along the way saw an ant raising its front legs to the sky. He told the people to go back home, since their prayer had already been answered because of that ant.
The prayer and the sermon (per Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad)
- It is preferable for the imam to recite Surah al-A'la ("Sabbih isma Rabbik al-A'la") in the first rak'ah and Surah al-Ghashiyah ("Hal ataka hadith al-ghashiyah") in the second.
- After the prayer, the imam stands leaning on a sword or staff, faces the people, and delivers two sermons with a short sitting between them (a single sermon is also sufficient), beginning with "Alhamdulillah" as the Friday and Eid sermons do, and including dua, praise of Allah and seeking forgiveness for the Muslims.
- During the sermon, the imam turns his cloak: if it is rectangular, the top edge is turned down and vice versa; if circular, the right side is turned to the left and vice versa. Only the imam does this, not the congregation.The fatwa follows the view of Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad on the prayer, the sermon, and this turning of the cloak together.
- After the sermon, the imam faces the qiblah and, standing, makes dua for rain, facing the congregation during the sermon itself, and the qiblah during the dua.
اللّٰهُمَّ اسْقِنَا غَيْثًا مُّغِيثًا مَّرِيعًا نَّافِعًا غَيْرَ ضَارٍّ عَاجِلًا غَيْرَ اٰجَلٍ
Allāhumma isqinā ghaythan mughīthan marīʿan nāfiʿan ghayra ḍārrin ʿājilan ghayra ājil
O Allah, grant us rain (beneficial, nourishing, and not harmful), promptly, not delayed.
If rain begins before people set out for Istisqa, it is still recommended to go out to the open field in gratitude to Allah, walking in the rain to seek further blessing.
اللّهُمَّ حَوَا لَيْنَا وَ لاَ عَلَيْنَا ، اللّهُمَّ عَلَى الآكَامِ وَ الْجَبَلِ وَ الظِّرَابِ وَ الأَوْدِيَةِ وَ مَنَابِتِ الشَّجَرِ طَ
Allāhumma ḥawālaynā wa lā ʿalaynā, Allāhumma ʿalā al-akāmi wa al-ajāmi wa aṭ-ṭirābi wa al-awdiyati wa manābiti ash-shajar
Due to the lack of rain, people were greatly distressed. A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was on the pulpit delivering a sermon. The man faced the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, due to the lack of rain causing drought, our livestock are dying, and travel has become difficult as the roads have been blocked. Pray to Allah to send us rain.' Upon hearing this, the Prophet (ﷺ) raised his blessed hands and prayed, 'O Allah, send us rain! O Allah, send us rain! O Allah, send us rain!' Anas (RA) said, 'By Allah, there were no signs of rain before the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed. The sky was completely clear, and one could see Mount Sal clearly. There was no cloud or any sign of rain. But as soon as the Prophet (ﷺ) finished his prayer, a small cloud appeared from behind Mount Sal. It grew larger and spread over the entire sky, and it rained heavily. The rain continued so much that the sun was not visible for a whole month. When the next Friday came, the Prophet (ﷺ) ascended the pulpit and delivered the sermon. A man entered the mosque and stood before the Prophet (ﷺ), saying, 'O Messenger of Allah, the excessive rain has caused damage and blocked the roads. Pray to Allah that it should not rain now, but only when needed.' Anas (RA) said, 'Then the Prophet (ﷺ) raised his blessed hands and prayed, “O Allah, let it rain around us, not on us; on the highlands, mountains, and valleys, and on the places where trees grow.” Anas (RA) said, 'After the Prophet (ﷺ) finished his prayer, the clouds dispersed, and the rain stopped. When we left the mosque, the ground was dry.' The narrators of this hadith said, 'I asked Anas, “Who was the Companion who later prayed for the rain to stop, and who was the one who initially prayed for rain?” Anas (RA) replied, “I do not know.”'
noorulmasabih 2263, from Zujajah.org
Istisqa, lexically "seeking to be given water to drink", denotes in Shari'ah terminology the seeking of rain from Allah by a specific method during drought; in essence it consists of dua together with istighfar. Istighfar is itself stated in the Qur'an to be a cause of rainfall.
فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوْا رَبَّكُمْؕ اِنَّهٗ كَانَ غَفَّارًا ١٠ۙ
Istaghfirū rabbakum innahū kāna ghaffārā, yursili's-samāʾa ʿalaykum midrārā
And I said, 'beg forgiveness of your Lord, He is Most Forgiving.
Qurʼan 71:10, Nuh, from Zujajah.org
Istisqa is legislated for places lacking water sources (ponds, wells, canals or reservoirs) sufficient for drinking, watering livestock and irrigating fields; supplicating for rain there is mustahabb. Where these sources already meet the need, Istisqa is not called for, since it is prescribed only under genuine necessity (darurah).
It is mustahabb for the ruler to direct the people to fast for three days, to repent of their sins, to abandon oppression (zulm), and to discharge the rights owed to others. On the fourth day, together with the elderly and children, they proceed to an open field wearing old but clean garments, walking barefoot in humility and submission, displaying need and dependence on Allah; going bareheaded and unshod is more virtuous still.
The received method
- On leaving their homes they first give charity according to their means, renew their repentance and istighfar, make dua for the forgiveness of the whole ummah, and invoke blessings on the Prophet ﷺ.
- This is repeated on three consecutive days, each time bringing the weak, the elderly and the children.
- It is mustahabb to separate young children from their mothers, so that their crying and pleading move Allah's mercy, and likewise to bring animals and separate their young from them for the same reason.It is reported that the Prophet Sulayman (peace be upon him) went out for the prayer of Istisqa during a drought and, on the way, saw an ant lying on its back raising its legs to the sky in supplication; he told the people to return, for their prayer had already been answered on account of that ant.
The prayer and khutbah, per the view the fatwa follows
- The imam recites Surah al-A'la in the first rak'ah and Surah al-Ghashiyah in the second.
- After the prayer, the imam stands leaning on a sword or staff, faces the congregation, and delivers two khutbahs with a brief sitting between them (a single khutbah also suffices), opening with "Alhamdulillah" as in the Friday and Eid khutbahs, and consisting of dua, praise of Allah, and istighfar on behalf of the Muslims.
- During the khutbah the imam turns his cloak: if rectangular, the upper edge is brought down and vice versa; if circular, the right side is brought to the left and vice versa. This is done by the imam alone, not the congregation, and the fatwa is on the position of Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad, meaning the prayer, the khutbah, and the turning of the cloak together.
- On completing the khutbah, the imam faces the qiblah and, standing, supplicates for rain; he faces the congregation for the khutbah itself, and the qiblah for the dua.
اللّٰهُمَّ اسْقِنَا غَيْثًا مُّغِيثًا مَّرِيعًا نَّافِعًا غَيْرَ ضَارٍّ عَاجِلًا غَيْرَ اٰجَلٍ
Allāhumma isqinā ghaythan mughīthan marīʿan nāfiʿan ghayra ḍārrin ʿājilan ghayra ājil
O Allah, grant us rain (beneficial, nourishing, and not harmful), promptly, not delayed.
Where rain begins before the people have set out for Istisqa, going out to the open field in gratitude, walking in the rain to seek further blessing, remains mustahabb.
اللّهُمَّ حَوَا لَيْنَا وَ لاَ عَلَيْنَا ، اللّهُمَّ عَلَى الآكَامِ وَ الْجَبَلِ وَ الظِّرَابِ وَ الأَوْدِيَةِ وَ مَنَابِتِ الشَّجَرِ طَ
Allāhumma ḥawālaynā wa lā ʿalaynā, Allāhumma ʿalā al-akāmi wa al-ajāmi wa aṭ-ṭirābi wa al-awdiyati wa manābiti ash-shajar
Due to the lack of rain, people were greatly distressed. A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was on the pulpit delivering a sermon. The man faced the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, due to the lack of rain causing drought, our livestock are dying, and travel has become difficult as the roads have been blocked. Pray to Allah to send us rain.' Upon hearing this, the Prophet (ﷺ) raised his blessed hands and prayed, 'O Allah, send us rain! O Allah, send us rain! O Allah, send us rain!' Anas (RA) said, 'By Allah, there were no signs of rain before the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed. The sky was completely clear, and one could see Mount Sal clearly. There was no cloud or any sign of rain. But as soon as the Prophet (ﷺ) finished his prayer, a small cloud appeared from behind Mount Sal. It grew larger and spread over the entire sky, and it rained heavily. The rain continued so much that the sun was not visible for a whole month. When the next Friday came, the Prophet (ﷺ) ascended the pulpit and delivered the sermon. A man entered the mosque and stood before the Prophet (ﷺ), saying, 'O Messenger of Allah, the excessive rain has caused damage and blocked the roads. Pray to Allah that it should not rain now, but only when needed.' Anas (RA) said, 'Then the Prophet (ﷺ) raised his blessed hands and prayed, “O Allah, let it rain around us, not on us; on the highlands, mountains, and valleys, and on the places where trees grow.” Anas (RA) said, 'After the Prophet (ﷺ) finished his prayer, the clouds dispersed, and the rain stopped. When we left the mosque, the ground was dry.' The narrators of this hadith said, 'I asked Anas, “Who was the Companion who later prayed for the rain to stop, and who was the one who initially prayed for rain?” Anas (RA) replied, “I do not know.”'
noorulmasabih 2263, from Zujajah.org
Terms on this page
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