Chapter: The Prayer for Rain

“When the land becomes barren and the rain ceases …”

His statement, “Chapter: The Prayer for Rain,” is an instance of attributing something to its type; that is, the chapter concerning the prayer offered to seek rain. It may also be an instance of attributing something to its cause; that is, the prayer whose cause is people’s seeking rain.

Istisqā’ means seeking water or rain. It is derived from the form istifʿāl of saqā (“to give water”), and it may be sought from Allah or from a created being. Thus, one may say to someone, “Give me water,” and this is called istisqā’, meaning a request for water. Likewise, when one asks Allah to send relieving rain, this too is a request for water. Yet, in the convention of the jurists, when they speak of the rain prayer, they mean seeking rain from the Lord, not seeking water from a created being.

The rain prayer has a cause, which the author explains in his statement: “When the land becomes barren and the rain ceases, offer it in congregation or individually.”

His statement, “When the land becomes barren,” means that it is devoid of vegetation. Its opposite is fertility: when the land becomes fertile, its vegetation appears and grows abundant.

His statement, “and the rain ceases,” means that it is withheld and does not fall. There is no doubt that this causes severe harm to livestock owners and to people as well. Therefore, in such circumstances, the rain prayer is an emphatically established sunnah.