Sunan Abu Dawud #1174
The Book Of The Prayer For Rain (Kitab al-Istisqa')
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الأَيْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ نِزَارٍ، حَدَّثَنِي الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ مَبْرُورٍ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، - رضى الله عنها - قَالَتْ شَكَى النَّاسُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قُحُوطَ الْمَطَرِ فَأَمَرَ بِمِنْبَرٍ فَوُضِعَ لَهُ فِي الْمُصَلَّى وَوَعَدَ النَّاسَ يَوْمًا يَخْرُجُونَ فِيهِ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ بَدَا حَاجِبُ الشَّمْسِ فَقَعَدَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَكَبَّرَ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ " إِنَّكُمْ شَكَوْتُمْ جَدْبَ دِيَارِكُمْ وَاسْتِئْخَارَ الْمَطَرِ عَنْ إِبَّانِ زَمَانِهِ عَنْكُمْ وَقَدْ أَمَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ تَدْعُوهُ وَوَعَدَكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَجِيبَ لَكُمْ " . ثُمَّ قَالَ " { الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ * الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ * مَلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ } لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ الْغَنِيُّ وَنَحْنُ الْفُقَرَاءُ أَنْزِلْ عَلَيْنَا الْغَيْثَ وَاجْعَلْ مَا أَنْزَلْتَ لَنَا قُوَّةً وَبَلاَغًا إِلَى حِينٍ " . ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ فِي الرَّفْعِ حَتَّى بَدَا بَيَاضُ إِبْطَيْهِ ثُمَّ حَوَّلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ظَهْرَهُ وَقَلَّبَ أَوْ حَوَّلَ رِدَاءَهُ وَهُوَ رَافِعٌ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَنَزَلَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ فَأَنْشَأَ اللَّهُ سَحَابَةً فَرَعَدَتْ وَبَرَقَتْ ثُمَّ أَمْطَرَتْ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ فَلَمْ يَأْتِ مَسْجِدَهُ حَتَّى سَالَتِ السُّيُولُ فَلَمَّا رَأَى سُرْعَتَهُمْ إِلَى الْكِنِّ ضَحِكَ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى بَدَتْ نَوَاجِذُهُ فَقَالَ " أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَهَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ إِسْنَادُهُ جَيِّدٌ أَهْلُ الْمَدِينَةِ يَقْرَءُونَ { مَلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ } وَإِنَّ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ حُجَّةٌ لَهُمْ .
The people complained to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) of the lack of rain, so he gave an order for a pulpit. It was then set up for him in the place of prayer. He fixed a day for the people on which they should come out.
Aisha said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), when the rim of the sun appeared, sat down on the pulpit, and having pronounced the greatness of Allah and expressed His praise, he said: You have complained of drought in your homes, and of the delay in receiving rain at the beginning of its season. Allah has ordered you to supplicate Him has and promised that He will answer your prayer.
Then he said: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe, the Compassionate, the Merciful, the Master of the Day of Judgment. There is no god but Allah Who does what He wishes. O Allah, Thou art Allah, there is no deity but Thou, the Rich, while we are the poor. Send down the rain upon us and make what Thou sendest down a strength and satisfaction for a time.
He then raised his hands, and kept raising them till the whiteness under his armpits was visible. He then turned his back to the people and inverted or turned round his cloak while keeping his hands aloft. He then faced the people, descended and prayed two rak'ahs.
Allah then produced a cloud, and the storm of thunder and lightning came on. Then the rain fell by Allah's permission, and before he reached his mosque streams were flowing. When he saw the speed with which the people were seeking shelter, he (ﷺ) laughed till his back teeth were visible.
Then he said: I testify that Allah is Omnipotent and that I am Allah's servant and apostle.
Abu Dawud said: This is a ghraib (rate) tradition, but its chain is sound. The people of Medina recite "maliki" (instead of maaliki) yawm al-din" (the master of the Day of Judgement). But this tradition (in which the word maalik occurs) is an evidence for them.
Narrated by Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
Context
This hadith recounts an occasion when the people complained to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) about a lack of rain. In response, he instructed them to gather for prayer and supplication. He led them in a heartfelt prayer, acknowledging their plight and invoking Allah's mercy. The subsequent rain that followed demonstrated the power of sincere supplication and the importance of turning to Allah in times of need.
Modern Application
In modern life, this hadith inspires individuals and communities to turn to prayer and supplication when facing challenges, such as drought or economic hardship. It highlights the significance of faith and collective action in seeking solutions to pressing issues.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prayer, Supplication, and Divine Mercy because it illustrates the act of praying for rain and highlights Allah's promise to respond to sincere supplications.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ الجِنِّ
Al-Jinn (The Jinn)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَأَنَّهُۥ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ ٱللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا۟ يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًۭا
And that when the Servant of Allah stood up supplicating Him, they almost became about him a compacted mass."
سُورَةُ الأَنفَالِ
Al-Anfaal (The Spoils of War)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَإِذْ قَالُوا۟ ٱللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَٰذَا هُوَ ٱلْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةًۭ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ أَوِ ٱئْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍۢ
And [remember] when they said, "O Allah, if this should be the truth from You, then rain down upon us stones from the sky or bring us a painful punishment."
سُورَةُ العَنكَبُوتِ
Al-Ankaboot (The Spider)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّن نَّزَّلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءًۭ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَوْتِهَا لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۚ قُلِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
And if you asked them, "Who sends down rain from the sky and gives life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness?" they would surely say " Allah." Say, "Praise to Allah "; but most of them do not reason.
سُورَةُ مَرۡيَمَ
Maryam (Mary)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَخَرَجَ عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلْمِحْرَابِ فَأَوْحَىٰٓ إِلَيْهِمْ أَن سَبِّحُوا۟ بُكْرَةًۭ وَعَشِيًّۭا
So he came out to his people from the prayer chamber and signaled to them to exalt [Allah] in the morning and afternoon.
سُورَةُ هُودٍ
Hud (Hud)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَيَٰقَوْمِ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًۭا وَيَزِدْكُمْ قُوَّةً إِلَىٰ قُوَّتِكُمْ وَلَا تَتَوَلَّوْا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ
And O my people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in showers and increase you in strength [added] to your strength. And do not turn away, [being] criminals."
Common Words
79 total71 unique3 repeated
من6x
ٱلسماء3x
ٱلله2x
وأنه1x
لما1x
قام1x
عبد1x
يدعوه1x
كادوا1x
يكونون1x
عليه1x
لبدا1x
وإذ1x
قالوا1x
ٱللهم1x
إن1x
كان1x
هذا1x
هو1x
ٱلحق1x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #1174 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of The Book Of The Prayer For Rain (Kitab al-Istisqa'). It is graded Hasan Sahih and narrated by Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:.