The ruling on slaughtering cows on a mountain for the prayer for rain

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, in our village, some people go to a high mountain for the prayer for rain, taking a cow with them. They pray and slaughter this cow, and they distribute its meat. When asked about the reason for this, they said that the fathers and grandfathers used to do this, and Allah would provide them with rain before they descended from the mountain. I ask for clarification of the ruling on this. May Allah reward you?

Answer:
This is the old affliction, which is the practice of the fathers and grandfathers. This is the calamity. Did they say, "This is evidence from the Book and the Sunnah?" Because they know that there is nothing in the Book and the Sunnah that indicates this. Rather, they argued with the practice of the fathers and grandfathers. This act is forbidden, a religious innovation (bid'ah), and a means to shirk (associating partners with Allah). It is not permissible to do this. This is a bid'ah and a means to shirk, and this act is not permissible. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prescribed for us in the prayer for rain that we call upon Allah the Exalted and Majestic, we call upon Allah to send down rain, and that the call is preceded by prayer.
The prayer for rain, so this is also good. Or if one called upon Allah without prayer, there is no harm, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) sought rain in multiple ways. Once, he sought rain during the Friday sermon while he was delivering the Friday sermon; he raised his hands and called for the rain to fall. The second time, he sought rain while sitting among his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them); he raised his hands and they raised their hands, and he called while they were saying "Ameen." A third time, he went out to the prayer ground, the Eid prayer ground near the oil stones, and they say that the location of the Al-Ghamamah Mosque is now that Eid prayer ground. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) went out to it and prayed two rak'ahs, then he ascended the minbar, or there was no minbar there. He stood (peace and blessings be upon him) and called, and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were saying "Ameen." He turned his cloak (peace and blessings be upon him), and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) turned their cloaks.
These are the forms of seeking rain reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as mentioned by the scholar Ibn al-Qayyim in his book al-Ma'ad. As for slaughtering cows and going to the mountain, all of this is among the forbidden religious innovations (bid'ah) for which Allah has not sent down any authority.
And the fact that they get rain when they do this does not indicate permissibility. As I mentioned to you in a previous lesson, the fulfillment of a need or the attainment of a goal does not indicate permissibility. The need or goal may be fulfilled as a test from Allah, a trial, or a seduction. Or the need may be attained by divine decree and destiny, and one may think that this happened because of this forbidden act. No, this is not permissible. And I advise the questioner to pass by the Department of Ifta and take [the book], because I remember it contains answers from the Permanent Committee regarding this topic. He should take this and distribute it to them, perhaps Allah will guide them.