The ruling on seeking rain and whether it requires the permission of the imam

Question:
I say, Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, but does seeking rain necessarily require the permission of the general imam?

Answer:
Seeking rain is based on need. If the people of a town or a group need to seek rain for their need, even if they are traveling, seeking rain is not limited to prayer. Seeking rain by pure supplication without prayer is valid; they gather, raise their hands, and supplicate to Allah to rain on them, whether they are sitting or standing. Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned that seeking rain falls under this general category. The first type is the well-known seeking rain with prayer and supplication after the prayer, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did.
The second type is supplicating while sitting without prayer, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did on some occasions. The third type is seeking rain in the Friday sermon, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did all three of these; it is not limited to prayer, but one supplicates according to his need.