Invoking Allah for Rain (Istisqaa)

Sahih al-Bukhari 1033

Narrated by Anas bin MalikSahih al-Bukhari 1033 — Book 15, Hadith 28

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُقَاتِلٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ أَصَابَتِ النَّاسَ سَنَةٌ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَبَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَخْطُبُ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ قَامَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، هَلَكَ الْمَالُ وَجَاعَ الْعِيَالُ، فَادْعُ اللَّهَ لَنَا أَنْ يَسْقِيَنَا‏.‏ قَالَ فَرَفَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدَيْهِ، وَمَا فِي السَّمَاءِ قَزَعَةٌ، قَالَ فَثَارَ سَحَابٌ أَمْثَالُ الْجِبَالِ، ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنْزِلْ عَنْ مِنْبَرِهِ حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ الْمَطَرَ يَتَحَادَرُ عَلَى لِحْيَتِهِ، قَالَ فَمُطِرْنَا يَوْمَنَا ذَلِكَ، وَفِي الْغَدِ وَمِنْ بَعْدِ الْغَدِ وَالَّذِي يَلِيهِ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ الأُخْرَى، فَقَامَ ذَلِكَ الأَعْرَابِيُّ أَوْ رَجُلٌ غَيْرُهُ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، تَهَدَّمَ الْبِنَاءُ وَغَرِقَ الْمَالُ، فَادْعُ اللَّهَ لَنَا‏.‏ فَرَفَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدَيْهِ وَقَالَ ‏ "‏ اللَّهُمَّ حَوَالَيْنَا وَلاَ عَلَيْنَا ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ فَمَا جَعَلَ يُشِيرُ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى نَاحِيَةٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلاَّ تَفَرَّجَتْ حَتَّى صَارَتِ الْمَدِينَةُ فِي مِثْلِ الْجَوْبَةِ، حَتَّى سَالَ الْوَادِي ـ وَادِي قَنَاةَ ـ شَهْرًا‏.‏ قَالَ فَلَمْ يَجِئْ أَحَدٌ مِنْ نَاحِيَةٍ إِلاَّ حَدَّثَ بِالْجَوْدِ‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Anas bin Malik:In the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) the people were afflicted with a (famine) year. While the Prophet was delivering the Khutba (sermon) on the pulpit on a Friday, a Bedouin stood up and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! The livestock are dying and the families (offspring) are hungry: please pray to Allah to bless us with rain." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) raised both his hands towards the sky and at that time there was not a trace of cloud in the sky. Then the clouds started gathering like mountains. Before he got down from the pulpit I saw rainwater trickling down his beard. It rained that day, the next day, the third day, the fourth day and till the next Friday, when the same Bedouin or some other person stood up (during the Friday Khutba) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! The houses have collapsed and the livestock are drowned. Please invoke Allah for us." So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) raised both his hands and said, "O Allah! Around us and not on us." Whichever side the Prophet (ﷺ) directed his hand, the clouds dispersed from there till a hole (in the clouds) was formed over Medina. The valley of Qanat remained flowing (with water) for one month and none, came from outside who didn't talk about the abundant rain

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