while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was delivering the sermon—whereupon the Bedouin laid before him the severity of their hardship, the barrenness of their land, the loss of their livestock, and begged him to pray to Allah, glorified be He, to rescue them from their plight. The Prophet ﷺ answered him, for he is the one whose Lord described him, saying: “There has certainly come to you a messenger from among yourselves; your suffering grieves him; he is deeply concerned for you; and to the believers he is kind and merciful.” 1 So he ﷺ prayed to his Lord on their behalf, and Allah, Exalted is He, accepted His Prophet’s supplication, showed mercy to His servants, spread His mercy abroad, and revived their lifeless land.

Another instance is that the same Bedouin—or perhaps another—came to the Prophet ﷺ while he was delivering the sermon on the following Friday, complaining that the roads were now impassable, buildings were collapsing, livestock were dying, and asking him to beseech his Lord to withhold the rain. The Prophet ﷺ did so, and his Lord, majestic in His greatness, again granted his plea.

Lady ʿĀʾishah (Allah be pleased with her) likewise reported: “The people complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about drought, so he ordered that a pulpit be set up for him in the prayer-ground and appointed a day for them to go out. When the rim of the sun appeared, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out, sat on the pulpit, magnified Allah and praised Him, then said: ‘You have complained of the barrenness of your lands and the delay of the rain in its due season, and Allah has commanded you to call upon Him and has promised to answer you…’ ” 2 The report continues that the Prophet ﷺ then supplicated Allah, led the people in prayer, and Allah—Exalted be He—sent them such abundant relief that the valleys overflowed with torrents. The people hurried back to their homes, and the Messenger ﷺ smiled.