Allah is He Who sends the winds, so they raise clouds, and spread them along the sky as He wills, and then break them into fragments, until you see rain drops come forth from their midst! Then when He has made them fall on whom of His slaves as He will, lo! they rejoice! Ar-Rum 30:48
As salaamu alaykum wa rahmatuLlaahi wa barakaatuh,
Just wanted to share this wonderful experience about a Sunnah that some of us are not very familiar about, especially because the weather/climate is different out there in the States than here in Saudi.
It was Thursday afternoon and my family and I were just taking our afternoon nap, when I heard some noise on the A/C (from the outside). It didn?t sound like just the usual noise of the birds playing there everyday. Then it just registered, so I sat up excitedly, ?Oh my God! It?s raining?!!!? And as if our other neighbors were all in that state and you just hear the kids all excited and a few have come out and others from afar just saying takbeer!!!
It was Monday, January 7, 2008, when several of the big masajid (I don?t know if it was just here in Jeddah or all over Saudi), have scheduled to gather people after shurooq to offer Salaatul Istisqa. SubhanaAllaah, it often amazes me when you just read something from a book or just hear about it, and then that people actually still do it alhamduliLlaah!
Sahih Bukhari Volume 2, Book 17, Number 137:
Narrated Abbas bin Tamim from his uncle,
“I saw the Prophet on the day when he went out to offer the Istisqa’ prayer. He turned his back towards the people and faced the Qibla and asked Allah for rain. Then he turned his cloak inside out and led us in a two Rakat prayer and recited the Qur’an aloud in them.”
I had actually forgotten about it and wasn?t paying attention to the passage of days. So subhanaAllaah, that?s why I guess when Allaah caused the rain to come, you really just feel different inside. As my husband was trying to ponder upon the event that afternoon, he was saying that subhanaAllaah, only Allaah knows the reason for this request for rain to be answered, it could be because of the supplication of one righteous person, or it could be because of one man who was almost getting despaired of Allaah?s Mercy (Ash-Shura 42:28 And He it is Who sends down the rain after they have despaired, and spreads abroad His Mercy. And He is the Walee (Helper, Supporter, Protector, etc.), Worthy of all Praise.! – because it took several days since the Salaatul Istisqa was held then for the rain to finally come) and maybe he was starting to doubt about Allaah so Allaah showed him His signs, or it could be for the animals (as it was narrated from a hadith, wherein it is said that because of the people?s corruption (or withholding of zakaat), Allaah would deprive them of rain and if it wasn?t for the animals, they wouldn?t have gotten any).
Whatever the reason is, the event is yet another reminder of Allaah?s greatness, His mercy towards His creation, and another chance for all of us to just reflect on our selves and our actions, and know that Allaah is ever-Watchful over us.
It is He, Who shows you His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and sends down (rain with which grows) provision for you from the sky. And none remembers but those who turn (to Allah) in obedience and in repentance (by begging His Pardon and by worshipping and obeying Him Alone and none else). Ghafir 40:13