What is the ruling on raising the hands in supplication during the sermon?
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The questioner : The questioner says, “Our esteemed Shaykh, may Allah reward you with good.”
What is the ruling on raising the hands in supplication during the Friday sermon for the worshippers, and what is the basis for those who consider it a recommended practice, given that the original ruling for supplication is to raise the hands?
The Shaykh : Yes, raising the hands in supplication during the Friday sermon is a recommended practice and prescribed if the supplication is for rain or for clear weather. Do you know what asking for rain is?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : It is saying, “O Allah, send us relief, O Allah, send us rain.” Here, it is prescribed for the imam and the worshippers to raise their hands, as established in Sahih al-Bukhari.
Or for clear weather. What does asking for clear weather mean? It means seeking clear skies. If the rain becomes excessive, he raises his hands in the sermon and says, “O Allah, around us and not upon us,” as established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The student: (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Shaykh : And here it is appropriate to mention this great incident. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering the sermon to the people on Friday, when a man entered and faced him, saying:Sahih Muslim 897a Did he say, “Call upon Allah to send us relief,” or did he say, “Send us relief”?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Verify it.
The student: “Call upon Allah.”
The Shaykh : “Call upon Allah to send us relief,” and he did not say, “Send us relief,” nor did he say, “Remove our hardship.” He said:As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 8:71 three times. Anas said: Sahih Muslim 897a A qaz'ah is a piece of cloud. Sunan an-Nasa'i 1518Sahih (Darussalam) What is Sal' ?
The student: A mountain.
The Shaykh : A mountain. Where is it located?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : West of the city, nearby. The clouds come from its direction. He said: meaning: it came from its direction. Do you know what a shield is?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Protection in war, like sheet metal, by which a warrior protects himself from arrows. meaning: the cloud rose. Allahu Akbar! It is a sign from the signs of Allah and a sign from the signs of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). It is a sign from the signs of Allah: this great power in this short time; be, and it is.
It is a sign for the Messenger (may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him) that Allah answered his supplication with such speed, and the rain, my brothers, continued to fall for a full week. Then a man, or the first man, entered on the second Friday and said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 1528Sahih (Darussalam) The question is: “Call upon Allah to hold it back.” But the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not call upon Allah to hold it back, because rain is a blessing. But he called upon Allah to remove the harm. What did he say? By the power of Allah or by the power of the Messenger?
The student: By the power of Allah.
The Shaykh : By the power of Allah. Otherwise, he asks, saying: “O Allah, around us and not upon us.” Just as the wind carried Sulayman (may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him), its journey taking a month and its return taking a month, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), by the command of Allah, said “around us” and gestured, and “not upon us.” So the Companions went out walking in the sun. Subhan Allah al-Azim! So the imam raises his hands in the sermon during the prayer for rain, complete?
The student: And during the prayer for clear weather.
The Shaykh : And during the prayer for clear weather.
But if he supplicates for the Muslims, saying “O Allah, forgive the Muslims” and the like, he does not raise his hands. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) rebuked Bishr ibn Marwan when he raised his hands in the sermon, and they said: He gestures like this toward the Highness of Allah and does not raise his hands. So it is not recommended for the imam, nor for the worshippers listening to his sermon, to raise their hands if he supplicates on Friday in the sermon. It is not recommended for the imam to raise his hands. As for the imam, you have known the evidence. As for the worshippers, they follow him; if he does not raise his hand, they do not raise their hands. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good and do you good. The last question says, “May the peace of Allah, His mercy, and His blessings be upon you, esteemed Shaykh.”
The Shaykh : You have been deceptive. Deceptive?! Except for a quarter?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Fine, let’s go, it’s not a problem.
What is the ruling on raising the hands in supplication during the Friday sermon for the worshippers, and what is the basis for those who consider it a recommended practice, given that the original ruling for supplication is to raise the hands?
The Shaykh : Yes, raising the hands in supplication during the Friday sermon is a recommended practice and prescribed if the supplication is for rain or for clear weather. Do you know what asking for rain is?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : It is saying, “O Allah, send us relief, O Allah, send us rain.” Here, it is prescribed for the imam and the worshippers to raise their hands, as established in Sahih al-Bukhari.
Or for clear weather. What does asking for clear weather mean? It means seeking clear skies. If the rain becomes excessive, he raises his hands in the sermon and says, “O Allah, around us and not upon us,” as established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The student: (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Shaykh : And here it is appropriate to mention this great incident. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering the sermon to the people on Friday, when a man entered and faced him, saying:
Messenger of Allah, the camels died and the passages were blocked; so supplicate Allah to send down rain upon us.
يا رسول الله، هلكت الأموال وانقطعت السبل فادع الله يغيثناThe student: ...
The Shaykh : Verify it.
The student: “Call upon Allah.”
The Shaykh : “Call upon Allah to send us relief,” and he did not say, “Send us relief,” nor did he say, “Remove our hardship.” He said:
Call upon Allah to send us relief. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his hands and said: O Allah, send us relief, O Allah, send us relief, O Allah, send us relief.
فادع الله يغيثنا، فرفع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يديه، وقال: اللهم أغثنا، اللهم أغثنا، اللهم أغثناwe did not see any cloud or any patch of it
فوالله ما في السماء من سحاب ولا قزعةthere were no houses or buildings between us and (the mountain of ) Sal'
وما بيننا وبين سلع من بيت ولا دارThe student: A mountain.
The Shaykh : A mountain. Where is it located?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : West of the city, nearby. The clouds come from its direction. He said:
There was nothing between us and this mountain, and there was no cloud in the sky, so a cloud emerged from behind it.
ما بيننا وبين هذا الجبل من شيء وما في السماء من سحاب، فخرجت من وراءه سحابةLike a shield.
مثل الترسThe student: ...
The Shaykh : Protection in war, like sheet metal, by which a warrior protects himself from arrows.
When it reached the middle of the sky.
فلما توسّطت السماءWhen it reached the middle of the sky, it spread out, thundered, flashed, and rained. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not descend from the pulpit until the rain was dripping from his beard.
فلما توسّطت السماء انتشرت ورعدت وبرقت وأمطرت فما نزل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم من المنبر إلا والمطر يتحادر من لحيتهIt is a sign for the Messenger (may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him) that Allah answered his supplication with such speed, and the rain, my brothers, continued to fall for a full week. Then a man, or the first man, entered on the second Friday and said:
O Messenger of Allah, buildings have been destroyed and wealth has drowned; pray to Allah (SWT) for us.
يا رسول الله، تهدّم البناء وغرق المال، فادع الله يمسكها عنّاO Allah, around us and not upon us. O Allah, upon the hills, the high places, the valleys, and the places where trees grow. And he kept saying “around us” and gesturing with his hand. Wherever he gestured, the clouds parted.
اللهم حوالينا ولا علينا اللهم على الأكام والضراب وبطون الأودية ومنابت الشجر وجعل يقول حوالينا يشير بيده فما يشير إلى ناحية إلا انفرجتThe student: By the power of Allah.
The Shaykh : By the power of Allah. Otherwise, he asks, saying: “O Allah, around us and not upon us.” Just as the wind carried Sulayman (may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him), its journey taking a month and its return taking a month, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), by the command of Allah, said “around us” and gestured, and “not upon us.” So the Companions went out walking in the sun. Subhan Allah al-Azim! So the imam raises his hands in the sermon during the prayer for rain, complete?
The student: And during the prayer for clear weather.
The Shaykh : And during the prayer for clear weather.
But if he supplicates for the Muslims, saying “O Allah, forgive the Muslims” and the like, he does not raise his hands. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) rebuked Bishr ibn Marwan when he raised his hands in the sermon, and they said:
Allah cut off these two hands. The Prophet (may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him), when he supplicated, only gestured.
قطع الله هاتين اليدين كان النبي عليه الصلاة والسلام إذا دعا يشير فقطThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good and do you good. The last question says, “May the peace of Allah, His mercy, and His blessings be upon you, esteemed Shaykh.”
The Shaykh : You have been deceptive. Deceptive?! Except for a quarter?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Fine, let’s go, it’s not a problem.