Sunan Abu Dawud #1175
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 مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ صُهَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، وَيُونُسُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ أَصَابَ أَهْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ قَحْطٌ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ يَخْطُبُنَا يَوْمَ جُمُعَةٍ إِذْ قَامَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَلَكَ الْكُرَاعُ هَلَكَ الشَّاءُ فَادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَسْقِيَنَا فَمَدَّ يَدَيْهِ وَدَعَا قَالَ أَنَسٌ وَإِنَّ السَّمَاءَ لَمِثْلُ الزُّجَاجَةِ فَهَاجَتْ رِيحٌ ثُمَّ أَنْشَأَتْ سَحَابَةً ثُمَّ اجْتَمَعَتْ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَتِ السَّمَاءُ عَزَالِيَهَا فَخَرَجْنَا نَخُوضُ الْمَاءَ حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا مَنَازِلَنَا فَلَمْ يَزَلِ الْمَطَرُ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ الأُخْرَى فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ أَوْ غَيْرُهُ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ تَهَدَّمَتِ الْبُيُوتُ فَادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَحْبِسَهُ فَتَبَسَّمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ قَالَ
" حَوَالَيْنَا وَلاَ عَلَيْنَا " . فَنَظَرْتُ إِلَى السَّحَابِ يَتَصَدَّعُ حَوْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ كَأَنَّهُ إِكْلِيلٌ .
The people of Medina had a drought during the time of the Prophet (ﷺ).
While he was preaching on a Friday, a man stood up and said: Messenger of Allah, the horses have perished, the goats have perished, pray to Allah to give us water. He spread his hands and prayed.
Anas said: The sky was like a mirror (there was no cloud). Then the wind rose; a cloud appeared (in the sky) and it spread : the sky poured down the water. We came out (from the mosque after the prayer) passing through the water till we reached our homes. The rain continued till the following Friday. The same or some other person stood up and said: Messenger of Allah, the houses have been demolished, pray to Allah to stop it.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) smiled and said: (O Allah), the rain may fall around us but not upon us. Then I looked at the cloud which dispersed around Medina just like a crown.
Narrated by Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
Context
During a drought in Medina, a man approached the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) while he was delivering a sermon, asking him to pray for rain. The Prophet (ﷺ) raised his hands in supplication, leading to a miraculous downpour. This event highlights the power of prayer and the Prophet's (ﷺ) role as an intercessor for his community.
Modern Application
In times of hardship, people often turn to prayer for relief. This hadith encourages individuals to seek divine assistance through supplication, reinforcing the belief that sincere prayers can lead to positive change.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Supplication and Divine Mercy because it illustrates the Prophet's (ﷺ) prayer for rain and the subsequent mercy shown to the community.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ هُودٍ
Hud (Hud)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
2 ayahs
وَقِيلَ يَٰٓأَرْضُ ٱبْلَعِى مَآءَكِ وَيَٰسَمَآءُ أَقْلِعِى وَغِيضَ ٱلْمَآءُ وَقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ وَٱسْتَوَتْ عَلَى ٱلْجُودِىِّ ۖ وَقِيلَ بُعْدًۭا لِّلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
And it was said, "O earth, swallow your water, and O sky, withhold [your rain]." And the water subsided, and the matter was accomplished, and the ship came to rest on the [mountain of] Judiyy. And it was said, "Away with the wrongdoing people."
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."
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Al-Baqara (The Cow)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
۞ وَإِذِ ٱسْتَسْقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦ فَقُلْنَا ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْحَجَرَ ۖ فَٱنفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ ٱثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًۭا ۖ قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍۢ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ ۖ كُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ مِن رِّزْقِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ
And [recall] when Moses prayed for water for his people, so We said, "Strike with your staff the stone." And there gushed forth from it twelve springs, and every people knew its watering place. "Eat and drink from the provision of Allah, and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."
سُورَةُ الرُّومِ
Ar-Room (The Romans)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى يُرْسِلُ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابًۭا فَيَبْسُطُهُۥ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ كَيْفَ يَشَآءُ وَيَجْعَلُهُۥ كِسَفًۭا فَتَرَى ٱلْوَدْقَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ خِلَٰلِهِۦ ۖ فَإِذَآ أَصَابَ بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦٓ إِذَا هُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ
It is Allah who sends the winds, and they stir the clouds and spread them in the sky however He wills, and He makes them fragments so you see the rain emerge from within them. And when He causes it to fall upon whom He wills of His servants, immediately they rejoice
سُورَةُ عَبَسَ
Abasa (He frowned)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ
The Prophet frowned and turned away
Common Words
96 total85 unique8 repeated
من4x
ٱلله3x
وقيل2x
ولا2x
فى2x
يرسل2x
ٱلسماء2x
يشاء2x
يأرض1x
ٱبلعى1x
ماءك1x
ويسماء1x
أقلعى1x
وغيض1x
ٱلماء1x
وقضى1x
ٱلأمر1x
وٱستوت1x
على1x
ٱلجودى1x
Related Hadiths
About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #1175 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of The Book Of The Prayer For Rain (Kitab al-Istisqa'). It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Anas ibn Malik:.