How is one to thank Allah for the rain, and is there a specific dhikr to be said upon seeing lightning or hearing thunder, and is lightning considered part of the anger of Allah?

The questioner : May Allah guide you, O Shaykh, you mentioned that one should thank Allah the Exalted for this blessing. So how does one thank Allah for the rain? Is there a specific dhikr to be said upon seeing lightning or hearing thunder? And is hail considered part of the anger of Allah?

The Shaykh : As for thanking for a blessing, I told you that gratitude is expressed through the tongue, the heart, and the limbs. As for the gratitude of the heart, it is for a person to acknowledge in his heart and believe that this is from the favor and mercy of Allah. As for the tongue, it is to say: "We have been given rain by the favor and mercy of Allah." It was narrated from Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: , meaning: They are divided into two groups: a believer and a disbeliever. So it is prescribed (mashru') to say: "We have been given rain by the favor and mercy of Allah," and also to say: "O Allah, make it a beneficial downpour," because rain may fall and not be beneficial. For this reason, it came in *Sahih Muslim*: , and *al-sannah* means: drought. And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke the truth. As for what is said during thunder or lightning, it was reported from some of the Companions and the Tabi'un that one should say during thunder: , and during lightning: . As for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), it has not reached me that anything is said specifically for lightning or thunder. However, if one says: , following some of the Companions like 'Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with them both), that is good. Likewise, if one says: , it is reported from Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) with a very weak chain that he said: . So this is good.