While the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was standing and delivering the sermon, a man stood facing him and said, “O Messenger of Allah, our wealth has perished and the roads are cut off; supplicate Allah to send us relief.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then raised his hands and said three times, “O Allah, send us rain! O Allah, send us rain! O Allah, send us rain!”

Anas said, “By Allah, we could see no cloud in the sky, not even a wispy patch, and between us and Mount Salʿ there was neither house nor dwelling. Suddenly a cloud like a shield rose from behind the mountain; when it reached the middle of the sky it spread out and poured rain. By Allah, we did not see the sun for six days.”

The following Friday a man came in through the same door while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was preaching and stood facing him, saying, “O Messenger of Allah, our property has been destroyed and the roads are blocked; pray to Allah to hold it back.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ raised his hands and said, “O Allah, around us and not upon us! O Allah, upon the hillocks, the mountains, the small elevations, and the places where trees grow.” The clouds dispersed, and we went out walking in the sunshine.

Sharik said, “I asked Anas, ‘Was it the same man who asked the first time?’ He replied, ‘I do not know.’” (1)

Al-Bukhārī and Muslim likewise transmit this report (2) through Ismāʿīl ibn Jaʿfar, from Sharik, with the same wording.

Al-Bukhārī also said: Musaddad related to us, Abu ʿAwānah related to us, from Qatādah, from Anas, who said: “While the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was delivering the Friday sermon, a man came and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, the land has dried up; pray to Allah to give us rain.’ He supplicated, and we were drenched; we hardly reached our homes before the rain began, and it continued until the following Friday. Then that man—or someone else—stood and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah to divert it from us.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘O Allah, around us and not upon us.’ I saw the clouds parting to the right and to the left; the surrounding areas were being showered while Madīnah received none.” (3)(4) Al-Bukhārī alone relates it in this form.

He also said: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Maslamah related to us, from Mālik, from Sharik ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Namir, from Anas, who said: “A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, ‘The livestock have perished and the roads are cut off; pray to Allah.’ He prayed, and we were rained on from one Friday to the next. The man then returned and said, ‘The houses have collapsed, the roads are blocked, and the livestock have died—pray to Allah to restrain it.’ (5) He said, ‘O Allah, upon the hillocks, the heights, the valleys, and the places where trees grow.’ The rain withdrew from Madīnah just as a garment is drawn away.” (6)

Al-Bukhārī further said: Muḥammad ibn Muqātil related to us, ʿAbd Allāh related to us, al-Awzāʿī related to us, Is… (the chain continues).