When the time for the prayer for rain arrives and the sun has risen to the height of a spear, the call is made: “The prayer is to be held in congregation,” so that the people may attend—by analogy with the eclipse prayer.

According to the madhhab, the call is made for the eclipse prayer, the Eid prayer, and the prayer for rain.

However, what the scholars of the school have mentioned regarding making this call for Eid and for the prayer for rain is very weak, for the following reasons:

First: it is contrary to the Prophet’s ﷺ guidance. Eid took place during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, yet no call was made for it. The prayer for rain likewise took place, yet no call was made for it. We have previously mentioned a principle: “Whenever a cause existed during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, but no act of worship was prescribed on account of it, then prescribing an act of worship because of it constitutes an innovation.” This is because we are obliged to adhere to the revealed law with regard to its causes, its category, and its manner of performance.

Second: drawing an analogy with the eclipse prayer is likewise unsound; that is, analogy cannot be applied here. An eclipse prayer may come unexpectedly, without prior preparation, whereas the Eid prayer is known beforehand and people prepare for it. The same applies to the prayer for rain. The author previously stated that “the imam appoints for them a day on which they will go out”; thus, the time of the prayer is known.

If someone were to say, “Today, we know when an eclipse will begin and end, and at what time of day or night it will occur,”

we would say: even in this case, the call is made, “The prayer is to be held in congregation,” because astronomers may be mistaken. Our performance of the prayer is contingent upon the actual occurrence of the eclipse, not upon our knowledge of it. The Prophet ﷺ said: “When you see them, pray and supplicate.” (1)