If the rains fall in their due time and are not delayed, is the prayer for rain prescribed? What are the recommended practices performed in it, and what is it that is turned around on the clothing?
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The questioner : And this is regarding the topic of the prayer for rain on Monday. One says, “We hope you will remind the brothers of the prayer for rain on Monday.” Another says, “In these last days, the rains have fallen and were not delayed from their usual time, so is the prayer for rain prescribed?” Another says, “Since we are approaching the prayer for rain, what are the recommended practices performed at the time of the prayer? Also, what is it that is turned around on the clothing, and do women turn their clothing around?” And this one says, “What is your opinion, O honorable Shaykh, if the morning of Monday is rainy, where will the prayer be?”
The Shaykh : Yes. As for the prayer for rain, it is prescribed if the rain is delayed and the people are harmed by it, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did. We are in these days, and praise be to Allah, in al-Qasim, and Allah has bestowed upon us much rain, praise be to Allah. I saw, along with His Highness the Prince of al-Qasim, a report that by ten o’clock this day, the rain had covered all the cities of al-Qasim from ... to the surrounding areas, and praise be to Allah. Some of the brothers informed us that the wadis have flowed, the Wadi al-Nisa’ and the wadi next to it, whose name I have forgotten. This is from the bounty of Allah. But we have not heard that Riyadh and the Eastern Region have received rain. Therefore, our prayer for rain, which will be, if Allah wills, on Monday, will be for our brothers who have not been hit by rain. However, if the rain covers the entire Kingdom before Monday, then the prayer is not prescribed at that time and is cancelled, as the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) said: if it rains before they go out, they thank Allah and ask Him for more of His bounty, and they do not establish the prayer. As for if the rain continues until the morning of Monday, then the prayer will be in the Grand Mosque, if Allah wills. As for what is turned around, what has been transmitted is turning the cloak, and the like of it is the bisht and the abaya for the woman. But if the woman is in an open mosque and has clothes under the abaya that draw attention, I fear that when she stands to turn the abaya, these clothes will be exposed, and that would be a greater harm than benefit. Some people turn the ghutrah and the shemagh, and I do not think this is prescribed, because it has not been transmitted that the turban is turned, and the ghutrah and shemagh are in the position of the turban. But is the coat or the T-shirt turned if he is wearing a T-shirt or a coat? I have some hesitation about this, and it appears that it is not turned, and he is not required to wear something in order to turn it; that is, he goes out in his natural state. Likewise, some people go out with their shawl turned around, so that when they turn it during the prayer for rain, it returns to normal, and there is no need for that; he remains as he is, and if he turns it during the prayer for rain, he will return it to its state when he removes it with his clothes; that is, he keeps it until he enters the house and does not change it.
As for the prayer for rain, some scholars said: it is recommended to offer charity before the prayer for rain, and some added that it is recommended to fast that day. However, there is no recommended practice in this regarding fasting for a person to go out fasting. But if one is accustomed to fasting on Mondays, then that is good; he fasts on Monday and combines this with that. It is recommended to go out with humility, submission, and supplication. The going out of the poor to Allah the Mighty and Majestic, the One in need of whom they are, hoping for His bounty, is closer to being answered. Some scholars mentioned that it is recommended to go out with the children, the old women, and the old men, because these people are closer to being answered. Some said to go out also with the livestock, sheep and cows, placing them around him. But all of this has not been transmitted in the Sunnah, and what has not been transmitted in the Sunnah, it is better to leave it. The people used to go out in their usual manner, the old man, the elder, and the young one. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward the honorable Shaykh for this meeting, and it is in fact the fifth meeting, not the second. And as I also remind the brothers, all these meetings, praise be to Allah, are available and preserved in the recordings for whoever wishes to benefit from them. May Allah reward our Shaykh with the best reward and benefit us with his knowledge, and may Allah reward you with the best reward. The meetings are on the third Saturday of every month after the 'Isha' prayer.
The Shaykh : May Allah will it
The questioner : If Allah wills, peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : Yes. As for the prayer for rain, it is prescribed if the rain is delayed and the people are harmed by it, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did. We are in these days, and praise be to Allah, in al-Qasim, and Allah has bestowed upon us much rain, praise be to Allah. I saw, along with His Highness the Prince of al-Qasim, a report that by ten o’clock this day, the rain had covered all the cities of al-Qasim from ... to the surrounding areas, and praise be to Allah. Some of the brothers informed us that the wadis have flowed, the Wadi al-Nisa’ and the wadi next to it, whose name I have forgotten. This is from the bounty of Allah. But we have not heard that Riyadh and the Eastern Region have received rain. Therefore, our prayer for rain, which will be, if Allah wills, on Monday, will be for our brothers who have not been hit by rain. However, if the rain covers the entire Kingdom before Monday, then the prayer is not prescribed at that time and is cancelled, as the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) said: if it rains before they go out, they thank Allah and ask Him for more of His bounty, and they do not establish the prayer. As for if the rain continues until the morning of Monday, then the prayer will be in the Grand Mosque, if Allah wills. As for what is turned around, what has been transmitted is turning the cloak, and the like of it is the bisht and the abaya for the woman. But if the woman is in an open mosque and has clothes under the abaya that draw attention, I fear that when she stands to turn the abaya, these clothes will be exposed, and that would be a greater harm than benefit. Some people turn the ghutrah and the shemagh, and I do not think this is prescribed, because it has not been transmitted that the turban is turned, and the ghutrah and shemagh are in the position of the turban. But is the coat or the T-shirt turned if he is wearing a T-shirt or a coat? I have some hesitation about this, and it appears that it is not turned, and he is not required to wear something in order to turn it; that is, he goes out in his natural state. Likewise, some people go out with their shawl turned around, so that when they turn it during the prayer for rain, it returns to normal, and there is no need for that; he remains as he is, and if he turns it during the prayer for rain, he will return it to its state when he removes it with his clothes; that is, he keeps it until he enters the house and does not change it.
As for the prayer for rain, some scholars said: it is recommended to offer charity before the prayer for rain, and some added that it is recommended to fast that day. However, there is no recommended practice in this regarding fasting for a person to go out fasting. But if one is accustomed to fasting on Mondays, then that is good; he fasts on Monday and combines this with that. It is recommended to go out with humility, submission, and supplication. The going out of the poor to Allah the Mighty and Majestic, the One in need of whom they are, hoping for His bounty, is closer to being answered. Some scholars mentioned that it is recommended to go out with the children, the old women, and the old men, because these people are closer to being answered. Some said to go out also with the livestock, sheep and cows, placing them around him. But all of this has not been transmitted in the Sunnah, and what has not been transmitted in the Sunnah, it is better to leave it. The people used to go out in their usual manner, the old man, the elder, and the young one. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward the honorable Shaykh for this meeting, and it is in fact the fifth meeting, not the second. And as I also remind the brothers, all these meetings, praise be to Allah, are available and preserved in the recordings for whoever wishes to benefit from them. May Allah reward our Shaykh with the best reward and benefit us with his knowledge, and may Allah reward you with the best reward. The meetings are on the third Saturday of every month after the 'Isha' prayer.
The Shaykh : May Allah will it
The questioner : If Allah wills, peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.