Source: Fatāwā Amanpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri
What is the manner of supplication (duʿāʾ) in Ṣalāt al-Istisqāʾ (the prayer for rain)?
Duʿāʾ is the most important part of Istisqāʾ. The Prophet ﷺ made this supplication with extreme humility and helplessness, raising his hands high—so much so that the whiteness of his armpits became visible.
① ʿUmair, the freed slave of Abū al-Laḥm رضي الله عنه, narrated:
((إنه رأى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يستسقي عند أحجار الزيت قريبا من الزوراء قائما يدعو يستسقي رافعا يديه قبل وجهه لا يجاوز بهما رأسه))
“I saw the Prophet ﷺ at Ḥijār al-Zayt near al-Zawrāʾ, standing and supplicating for rain, raising his hands up to his face but not extending them beyond his head.”
(Musnad Aḥmad 5/223, Sunan Abī Dāwūd 1168 – Ḥadīth Ṣaḥīḥ)
② Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه narrated:
((كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يرفع يديه فى شيء من دعاء إلا فى الاستسقاء، وإنه يرفع حتى يرى بياض إبطيه))
“The Prophet ﷺ would not raise his hands in any supplication except in Istisqāʾ, and in it he would raise them so high that the whiteness of his armpits could be seen.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1031, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 895)
③ Anas رضي الله عنه also reported:
The Prophet ﷺ raised his hands and prayed:
((اللهم أغثنا، اللهم أغثنا، اللهم أغثنا))
“O Allah! Grant us rain, O Allah! Grant us rain, O Allah! Grant us rain.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1014, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 897)
④ Another narration states:
((رفع الناس أيديهم معه يدعون))
“The people also raised their hands with him and supplicated.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1029)
⑤ Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh رضي الله عنه narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ supplicated:
((اللهم اسقنا غيثًا مغيثًا مريئًا مريعًا عاجلًا غير رائث نافعًا غير ضار))
“O Allah! Give us abundant, beneficial, pleasant, and nourishing rain—quickly and not delayed, beneficial and not harmful.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd 1169 – Ḥasan)
⑥ ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet ﷺ prayed:
((اللَّهُمَّ اسْقِ عِبَادَكَ وَبَهَائِمَكَ وَانْشُرْ رَحْمَتَكَ وَأَحْيِ بَلَدَكَ الْمَيِّتَ))
“O Allah! Give Your servants and animals drink, spread Your mercy, and revive Your dead land.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd 1176 – Ḥasan)
❖ Question
What is the manner of supplication (duʿāʾ) in Ṣalāt al-Istisqāʾ (the prayer for rain)?
❖ Answer
Duʿāʾ is the most important part of Istisqāʾ. The Prophet ﷺ made this supplication with extreme humility and helplessness, raising his hands high—so much so that the whiteness of his armpits became visible.
◈ Evidences
① ʿUmair, the freed slave of Abū al-Laḥm رضي الله عنه, narrated:
((إنه رأى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يستسقي عند أحجار الزيت قريبا من الزوراء قائما يدعو يستسقي رافعا يديه قبل وجهه لا يجاوز بهما رأسه))
“I saw the Prophet ﷺ at Ḥijār al-Zayt near al-Zawrāʾ, standing and supplicating for rain, raising his hands up to his face but not extending them beyond his head.”
(Musnad Aḥmad 5/223, Sunan Abī Dāwūd 1168 – Ḥadīth Ṣaḥīḥ)
② Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه narrated:
((كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يرفع يديه فى شيء من دعاء إلا فى الاستسقاء، وإنه يرفع حتى يرى بياض إبطيه))
“The Prophet ﷺ would not raise his hands in any supplication except in Istisqāʾ, and in it he would raise them so high that the whiteness of his armpits could be seen.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1031, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 895)
③ Anas رضي الله عنه also reported:
The Prophet ﷺ raised his hands and prayed:
((اللهم أغثنا، اللهم أغثنا، اللهم أغثنا))
“O Allah! Grant us rain, O Allah! Grant us rain, O Allah! Grant us rain.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1014, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 897)
④ Another narration states:
((رفع الناس أيديهم معه يدعون))
“The people also raised their hands with him and supplicated.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1029)
⑤ Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh رضي الله عنه narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ supplicated:
((اللهم اسقنا غيثًا مغيثًا مريئًا مريعًا عاجلًا غير رائث نافعًا غير ضار))
“O Allah! Give us abundant, beneficial, pleasant, and nourishing rain—quickly and not delayed, beneficial and not harmful.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd 1169 – Ḥasan)
⑥ ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet ﷺ prayed:
((اللَّهُمَّ اسْقِ عِبَادَكَ وَبَهَائِمَكَ وَانْشُرْ رَحْمَتَكَ وَأَحْيِ بَلَدَكَ الْمَيِّتَ))
“O Allah! Give Your servants and animals drink, spread Your mercy, and revive Your dead land.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd 1176 – Ḥasan)
Conclusion
- In Istisqāʾ, the hands are raised higher than in other duʿāʾs, until the whiteness of the armpits shows.
- The supplications are made with deep humility, repetition, and urgency.
- Specific supplications of the Prophet ﷺ are authentically reported, asking for beneficial, non-harmful, and abundant rain.
