THE ISTISQA PRAYER TO ASK ALLAH FOR RAIN AND ITS BENEFITS

By Ali Farkhan Tsani, a preacher of Al-Fatah Islamic boarding school,  Bogor, West Java, Indonesia 

Dry season lasts longer than it should be this year due to the influence of the El Nino wheather phenomenon. Rice fields have been drying up and crop failure is looming due to water scarcity.

There are several solutions to overcome this, that we dig deeper wells or make artificial rain which is costly and very complicated. For Muslims, they can hold Istisqa prayer to ask God to bring down rain. Prayer is a weapon of the believer and can change our destiny.

The explanation of istisqa

Depending on language, istisqa is asking for drink water from another people for themselves or one else.

In his book Fathul Bari, Imam Ibnu Hajar al-Asqalani said the praying of istisqa is held for requesting rain to Allah, when long drought occurs, with certain rules and methods.

Time and place of praying Istisqa

In the book of al-Mausu’ah al-Fiqhiyah al-Musyasarah is told that praying Istisqa is done at any time, except for forbidden time of praying.

It is ussualy done in the open land and space, in the same manner as the Eid prayer, except for Makah, it is done in the Mosque of Haram.

The law of praying Istisqa

The law of praying Istisqa is sunnah muakkadah ( sunnah is really recommended, like the praying of id), when it occurs in dry season or drought for a long time.

Ibnu ‘Abdil Bar summarize that association of Muslim Scholars have agreed that come out together for praying Istisqa with doa for begging Allah for the fall of rain following longer dry season is sunnah by Rasulullah  Shallalllahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam.

The methods of praying Istisqa

The practicing of praying Istisqa is almost to the practicing of praying id, there is no started by call to pray. Only announcement for muslim that it will be done at certain time and place.

Association of muslim scholars suggest, before perform the praying of Istisqa, the leader have to shout out for muslim people to do fasting and repent from all the forms of sins and effort to peace.

Muslim people who perform a praying istisqa, ought to wear a simple clots, not cutting a dash and not to use perfume.

It mentions in the hadits of Rasulullah:

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: خَرَجَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مُتَوَاضِعاً مُتَبَذِّلاً مُتَخَشِّعاً مُتَرَّسِلاً مُتَضَرِّعاً فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ كَمَا يُصَلِّيْ فِى الْعِيْدِ

The meaning is: from Ibnu Abbas Radhiyallahu ‘Anhu, he said: “Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam come out by full of low’ wear a simple clots, full of khusyuk, and not do to be speedy, then begged by full of seriousness, and he perform to pray by two essential unit of prayer like pray on the large day .” (H.R. Imam Ibnu Majah).

After all people fall in a line open and performs praying by two essential unit of prayer, after that is continue with sermon.

In the first essential unit of prayer ritual after takbiratul ihram (the statement that Allah is great), is continued by seven times of takbir and in the second unit of prayer after getting up from bow and from kneeling position the worshipers should recite five times of takbirs.

After the seventh akbir, then imam recites surah al-fatihah, and verses in the holy quran.

But some of ulama give an opinion that the methods of praying istisqa is the same as praying in usually, that is two unit of prayer without  add takbir and another such on the praying of id.

It based on the hadist comes from Abdullah bin Zaid, said that “Messenger Shallallahu ‘Alaihi Wassallam come out to the line open and ask for raining by appear in kiblat, then return his shawl, and pray. (H.R. Bukhari and Muslim).

Ibnu Qudamah Al-Maqdisi said that two methos here is good and able.

A Sermon of Istisqa

Khutbah shalat istisqa sendiri memiliki beberapa ciri atau ketentuan tersendiri antara lain: Khatib disunahkan memakai selendang/sorban.

Sermons of praying Istisqa has several earmark and determinate:

    عَنْ أَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: خَرَجَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْماً يَسْتَسْقِيْ، فَصَلَّى بِنَا رَكْعَتَيْنِ بِلاَ أَذَانٍ وَلاَ إِقَامَةٍ، ثُمَّ خَطَبَنَا وَدَعَا اللهَ، وَحَوَّلَ وَجْهَهُ نَحْوَ الْقِبْلَةِ رَافِعاً يَدَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَلَّبَ رِدَاءَهُ: فَجَعَلَ اْلأَيْمَنَ عَلَى اْلأَيْسَرِ وَاْلأَيْسَرِ عَلَى اْلأَيْمَنِ

The meaning is: from Abu Hurairah Radhiyallahu ‘Anhu, he said: “Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam come out on the day messenger ask for raining, then he pray with us without call to pray and without iqomah. He sermon and pray to God with appear face on the kiblat then take up his hand, after that he return his shawl and put it on the right in the left and left in the right.” (H.R Imam Ibnu Majah)

And the recommendation to add more istighfar, Allah said in the holy quran:

اِسْتَغْفِرُوْا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّاراً * يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَاراً

 The meaning is “please ask for forgiveness to your God, actually He is really mercy, He only who send down a raining from sky for you by swift.” (QS. Nuh : 10-11).

It s suggested for them who performs praying of istisqa’ to bring their children, parents and livestock of animals. Because calamity of a long dry season is concerning of them.

The Example of the Texts Sermon

اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ.

 9x اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ الْعَظِيْمَ

اَلَّذِىْ لاَ اِلهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّوْمُ وَاَتُوْبُ اِلَيْهِ.

اَلْحَمْدُ ِللهِ الَّذِىْ خَلَقَ السَّموَاتِ وَاْلاَرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ اَيَّامٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَآءِ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ اَيُّكُمْ اَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً.

أَشْهَدُ اَنْ لاَ اِلهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَاَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ خَيْرُ مَبْعُوْثٍ حَوى شَرَفًا وَفَضْلاً.

اَللّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلى الِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ الَّذِيْنَ نَالُوْنَ الْمَقَامَ الْعُلى.

اَمَّا بَعْدُ : فَيَآ اَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا اللهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلاَ تَمُوْتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَاَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُوْنَ.

All muslim people, men and women

In this situation of long dry season, let’s we always deep contemplate, look into ourselves until where is it, our faith and our piety to our God. More than now, we have an examination from him by dry season and dryness for a long time, and up to now the raining is not fall down.

For those reason, let’s soon we repent and make ourselves be better, and add much istighfar, to fill the end of our life with good did and value of the piety. So, The God always give his blessing to us, and be soon to send down raining to the earth.

Allah reminds us in the holy quran he said:

يَآ أَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ امَنُوْا تُوْبُوْا اِلَى اللهِ تَوْبَةً نَصُوْحًا عَسى رَبُّكُمْ اَنْ يُكَفِّرَ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنّتٍ تَجْرِىْ مِنْ تَحْتِهَا اْلاَنْهَارُ يَوْمَ لاَ يُخْزِى اللهُ النَّبِيَّ وَالَّذِيْنَ امَنُوْا مَعَهُ

The meaning is: “Hey belief person, repent with Allah by clear repent, may your god will clean your mistakes and inside you to the heaven while pour in the down is seas, on the day when Allah not contemptible the messenger and muslim belief together with him” (QS. At-tahrim :6)

The God again and again remind us in his verse is:

مآ اَصَابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ فَمِنَ اللهِ وَمَآ اَصَابَكَ مِنْ سَيِّئَةٍ فَمِنْ نَفْسِكَ وَاَرْسَلْنكَ لِلنَّاسِ رَسُوْلاً وَكَفى بِاللهِ شَهِيْدًا

 The meaning is: “whatever a pleasure that you get is from God, and whatever a calamity that you get, it’s comes from yourself. (QS. At-tahrim: 6)

For those, let’s soon we begged forgiveness in a deeply to him and fill in every opportunity by good did.

Remember to his decree:

فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوْا رَبَّكُمْ اِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا. يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا. وَيُمْدِدْكُمْ بِاَمْوَالِ وَبَيْنَ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ جَنّتٍ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ اَنْهرًا

The meaning is: “please ask  forgiveness to God, actually he is the real forgiver, and he will send down raining for you with heavy of rain, give a much your children, arrange for you a gardens and arrange inside for you the seas. “ (QS. Nuh: 10-12).

May the calamity about a long dry season and dryness will be soon the end, and may God will send down raining in this earth, as mercy and benefit while give blessing in our life.

The sermon of the second, is the position of imam return appear to the kiblat

 7x اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ الْعَظِيْمَ

, اَلَّذِيْ لاَ اِلٰهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّوْمُ وَاَتُوْبُ اِلَيْهِ.

اَلْحَمْدُ ِللهِ الَّذِيْ غَفَرَ ذُنُوْبَ التَّائِبِيْنَ وَمَنْ اَنَاب.

وَاَشْهَدُ اَنْ لاَ اِلٰهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيْكَ لَهُ شَهَادَةَ عَبْدٍ يَرْجُوْ مِنْ رَبِّهِ خَيْرَ الثَّوَابِ.

وَاَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ الْهَادِىْ اِلَى الصَّوَابِ.

اَللّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى اٰلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ اُوْلِى اْلاَلْبَابِ.

اَمَّا بَعْدُ : فَيَا اَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا اللهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلاَ تَمُوْتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَاَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُوْنَ. وَتُوْبُوْا اِلَى اللهِ تَوْبَةً نَصُوْحًا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُوْنَ.

وَاسْتَغْفِرُوْا رَبَّكُم%9 (T/P4/R07)