Raising The Hands During Istisqa'

Narrated Umayr, the client of AbulLahm:

Umayr saw the Prophet ﷺ praying for rain at Ahjar az-Zayt near az-Zawra', standing, making supplication, praying for rain and raising his hands in front of his face, but not lifting them above his head.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ الْمُرَادِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنْ حَيْوَةَ، وَعُمَرَ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ الْهَادِ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عُمَيْرٍ، مَوْلَى بَنِي آبِي اللَّحْمِ أَنَّهُ رَأَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَسْتَسْقِي عِنْدَ أَحْجَارِ الزَّيْتِ قَرِيبًا مِنَ الزَّوْرَاءِ قَائِمًا يَدْعُو يَسْتَسْقِي رَافِعًا يَدَيْهِ قِبَلَ وَجْهِهِ لاَ يُجَاوِزُ بِهِمَا رَأْسَهُ .

Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:

The people came to the Prophet ﷺ weeping (due to drought). He said (making supplication): O Allah! give us rain which will replenish us, abundant, fertilising and profitable, not injurious, granting it now without delay. He (the narrator) said: Thereupon the sky became overcast.

حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي خَلَفٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مِسْعَرٌ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ الْفَقِيرِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ أَتَتِ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ بَوَاكِي فَقَالَ " اللَّهُمَّ اسْقِنَا غَيْثًا مُغِيثًا مَرِيئًا مَرِيعاً نَافِعًا غَيْرَ ضَارٍّ عَاجِلاً غَيْرَ آجِلٍ " . قَالَ فَأَطْبَقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّمَاءُ .

Narrated Anas:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was not accustomed to raise his hands in any supplication he made except when praying for rain. He would then raise them high enough so much so that the whiteness of his armpits was visible.

حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، أَخْبَرَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ لاَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ فِي شَىْءٍ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ إِلاَّ فِي الاِسْتِسْقَاءِ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُرَى بَيَاضُ إِبْطَيْهِ .

Narrated Anas:
The Prophet ﷺ used to make supplication for rain in this manner. he spread his hands keeping the inner side (of hands) towards the earth, so I witnessed the whiteness of his armpits.

حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الزَّعْفَرَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا ثَابِتٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ يَسْتَسْقِي هَكَذَا يَعْنِي وَمَدَّ يَدَيْهِ وَجَعَلَ بُطُونَهُمَا مِمَّا يَلِي الأَرْضَ حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ بَيَاضَ إِبْطَيْهِ .

Narrated Muhammad b. Ibrahim:
A man who witnessed the Prophet ﷺ reported to me that he saw the Prophet ﷺ praying at Ahjar al-Zait spreading his hands.

حَدَّثَنَا مُسْلِمُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ رَبِّهِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَخْبَرَنِي مَنْ، رَأَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَدْعُو عِنْدَ أَحْجَارِ الزَّيْتِ بَاسِطًا كَفَّيْهِ .

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:

The people complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ of the lack of rain, so he gave an order for a pulpit. It was then set up for him in the place of prayer. He fixed a day for the people on which they should come out.

Aisha said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, when the rim of the sun appeared, sat down on the pulpit, and having pronounced the greatness of Allah and expressed His praise, he said: You have complained of drought in your homes, and of the delay in receiving rain at the beginning of its season. Allah has ordered you to supplicate Him has and promised that He will answer your prayer.

Then he said: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe, the Compassionate, the Merciful, the Master of the Day of Judgment. There is no god but Allah Who does what He wishes. O Allah, Thou art Allah, there is no deity but Thou, the Rich, while we are the poor. Send down the rain upon us and make what Thou sendest down a strength and satisfaction for a time.

He then raised his hands, and kept raising them till the whiteness under his armpits was visible. He then turned his back to the people and inverted or turned round his cloak while keeping his hands aloft. He then faced the people, descended and prayed two rak'ahs.

Allah then produced a cloud, and the storm of thunder and lightning came on. Then the rain fell by Allah's permission, and before he reached his mosque streams were flowing. When he saw the speed with which the people were seeking shelter, he ﷺ laughed till his back teeth were visible.

Then he said: I testify that Allah is Omnipotent and that I am Allah's servant and apostle.

Abu Dawud said: This is a ghraib (rate) tradition, but its chain is sound. The people of Medina recite "maliki" (instead of maaliki) yawm al-din" (the master of the Day of Judgement). But this tradition (in which the word maalik occurs) is an evidence for them.

حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الأَيْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ نِزَارٍ، حَدَّثَنِي الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ مَبْرُورٍ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، - رضى الله عنها - قَالَتْ شَكَى النَّاسُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قُحُوطَ الْمَطَرِ فَأَمَرَ بِمِنْبَرٍ فَوُضِعَ لَهُ فِي الْمُصَلَّى وَوَعَدَ النَّاسَ يَوْمًا يَخْرُجُونَ فِيهِ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حِينَ بَدَا حَاجِبُ الشَّمْسِ فَقَعَدَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَكَبَّرَ ﷺ وَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ " إِنَّكُمْ شَكَوْتُمْ جَدْبَ دِيَارِكُمْ وَاسْتِئْخَارَ الْمَطَرِ عَنْ إِبَّانِ زَمَانِهِ عَنْكُمْ وَقَدْ أَمَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ تَدْعُوهُ وَوَعَدَكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَجِيبَ لَكُمْ " . ثُمَّ قَالَ " { الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ * الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ * مَلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ } لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ الْغَنِيُّ وَنَحْنُ الْفُقَرَاءُ أَنْزِلْ عَلَيْنَا الْغَيْثَ وَاجْعَلْ مَا أَنْزَلْتَ لَنَا قُوَّةً وَبَلاَغًا إِلَى حِينٍ " . ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ فِي الرَّفْعِ حَتَّى بَدَا بَيَاضُ إِبْطَيْهِ ثُمَّ حَوَّلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ظَهْرَهُ وَقَلَّبَ أَوْ حَوَّلَ رِدَاءَهُ وَهُوَ رَافِعٌ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَنَزَلَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ فَأَنْشَأَ اللَّهُ سَحَابَةً فَرَعَدَتْ وَبَرَقَتْ ثُمَّ أَمْطَرَتْ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ فَلَمْ يَأْتِ مَسْجِدَهُ حَتَّى سَالَتِ السُّيُولُ فَلَمَّا رَأَى سُرْعَتَهُمْ إِلَى الْكِنِّ ضَحِكَ ﷺ حَتَّى بَدَتْ نَوَاجِذُهُ فَقَالَ " أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَهَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ إِسْنَادُهُ جَيِّدٌ أَهْلُ الْمَدِينَةِ يَقْرَءُونَ { مَلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ } وَإِنَّ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ حُجَّةٌ لَهُمْ .

Narrated Anas ibn Malik:

The people of Medina had a drought during the time of the Prophet ﷺ.

While he was preaching on a Friday, a man stood up and said: Messenger of Allah, the horses have perished, the goats have perished, pray to Allah to give us water. He spread his hands and prayed.

Anas said: The sky was like a mirror (there was no cloud). Then the wind rose; a cloud appeared (in the sky) and it spread : the sky poured down the water. We came out (from the mosque after the prayer) passing through the water till we reached our homes. The rain continued till the following Friday. The same or some other person stood up and said: Messenger of Allah, the houses have been demolished, pray to Allah to stop it.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ smiled and said: (O Allah), the rain may fall around us but not upon us. Then I looked at the cloud which dispersed around Medina just like a crown.

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ صُهَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، وَيُونُسُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ أَصَابَ أَهْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ قَحْطٌ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ يَخْطُبُنَا يَوْمَ جُمُعَةٍ إِذْ قَامَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَلَكَ الْكُرَاعُ هَلَكَ الشَّاءُ فَادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَسْقِيَنَا فَمَدَّ يَدَيْهِ وَدَعَا قَالَ أَنَسٌ وَإِنَّ السَّمَاءَ لَمِثْلُ الزُّجَاجَةِ فَهَاجَتْ رِيحٌ ثُمَّ أَنْشَأَتْ سَحَابَةً ثُمَّ اجْتَمَعَتْ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَتِ السَّمَاءُ عَزَالِيَهَا فَخَرَجْنَا نَخُوضُ الْمَاءَ حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا مَنَازِلَنَا فَلَمْ يَزَلِ الْمَطَرُ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ الأُخْرَى فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ أَوْ غَيْرُهُ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ تَهَدَّمَتِ الْبُيُوتُ فَادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَحْبِسَهُ فَتَبَسَّمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ قَالَ " حَوَالَيْنَا وَلاَ عَلَيْنَا " . فَنَظَرْتُ إِلَى السَّحَابِ يَتَصَدَّعُ حَوْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ كَأَنَّهُ إِكْلِيلٌ .

Narrated The above mentioned tradition has been narrated by Anas through a different chain of transmitters:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ raised his hands in front of his face and said: O Allah! Give us water. the narrator then reported then reported the tradition like the former.

حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ شَرِيكِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي نَمِرٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَهُ يَقُولُ فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَ حَدِيثِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ قَالَ فَرَفَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَدَيْهِ بِحِذَاءِ وَجْهِهِ فَقَالَ " اللَّهُمَّ اسْقِنَا " . وَسَاقَ نَحْوَهُ .