Others scholars said rather that he raised them very high, so that an onlooker would see the backs of his hands facing the sky; for when one raises them very high, their backs come to face the sky.

This is the more likely view, and it was the view chosen by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him. This is because one who raises his hands in supplication is beseeching and asking, and it is well known that asking is done with the palms of the hands, not their backs.

Among these supplications is: “O Allah, grant us a relieving rain.”

His statement, “Among these supplications is: ‘O Allah, grant us a relieving rain’”: “Grant us rain” may be pronounced with either the conjunctive hamzah, from the verb saqā, or the separative hamzah, from the verb asqā; both are correct. Allah the Exalted says:

“And We gave you fresh water to drink.” [al-Mursalat 77:27]

And He says:

“And their Lord will give them a purifying drink.” [al-Insan 76:21]

The second verse uses the triliteral verb saqā, while the first uses the quadriliteral verb asqā.

Ghayth means rain. Allah the Exalted says:

“He is the One Who sends down rain after they have lost all hope.” [al-Shura 42:28]

And He says:

“Surely Allah alone has the knowledge of the Hour. He sends down the rain.” [Luqman 31:34]

“Relieving” means that which removes hardship. Rain may fall without removing hardship, which is why the authentic hadith states: “Drought is not that no rain falls upon you; rather, drought is that rain falls upon you but the earth produces nothing.” (1)

This does occur: at times abundant rain falls, yet the earth produces nothing; and at other times light rains come, and the spring growth is plentiful.