Innovations in Seeking Rain and Clarification of the Sunnah in Requesting Rain

The first message in this episode is from the listener Ali Hajj Muhammad from Glemesko in Ethiopia. We addressed some of his questions in a previous episode, and in this episode he asks and says: When the rain stops falling in a country, the farmers take the trunks of dry wood on their backs and bring them to the majlis of the saint they visit, and they chant while carrying it. Usually, it rains after they come in this manner. Or they slaughter red or black sheep and place their legs or their foreheads on a tree under which they gather. Then a large bird comes from the direction of the qiblah, takes it, and eats it, and then it rains. Sometimes it does not eat it and it does not rain, so they slaughter another, believing that the first one was not accepted from them. What is your opinion in this? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer: This is from religious innovations and is not permissible. In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions.
As for what follows: This is one of the religious innovations that has no basis in the Shari'ah. What is prescribed is that Muslims seek aid from Allah when they are afflicted by drought, and that they call upon Allah to send them rain, sometimes in the mosques, sometimes in their homes, and sometimes after the Friday sermon, or during the Friday sermon when the imam or the preachers of the mosques seek aid from Allah . Sometimes the ruler or judge of the town and the people of the town go out to the prayer ground outside the town, pray two rak'ahs, and seek aid from their imam, whether he is the judge or someone else, asking Allah for relief, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did. He would sometimes seek aid in the Friday sermon, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, and sometimes he would go out to the prayer ground, pray two rak'ahs, deliver a sermon to the people, and seek aid for them. This is what is prescribed. He might also seek aid without a prayer, as occurred on some occasions in Madinah, where he sought aid for them in his gathering, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him. There is no harm in a person seeking aid in his home and calling upon Allah for the Muslims, or while on the road asking Allah to relieve the Muslims; all of this is permissible. However, taking wood or special items to carry, or going to the presence of a specific person such as the ruler or judge of the town and chanting improvised poetry, has no basis. This is among the religious innovations and superstitions that people have introduced. Similarly, slaughtering animals and placing some of them near certain trees or mountains or the like, all of this has no basis. However, it is prescribed to give charity, meaning that the wealthy among them give charity to the poor and needy in money, food, or clothing before or after seeking aid. This is good and is among the causes of mercy. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: , and charity extinguishes the sin, and charity is among the causes of relief and among the causes of excellence, as He said : [al-Baqarah:195], and He the Exalted said: [al-A'raf:56]. So if the wealthy give charity to the poor and be generous to them before or after seeking aid, all of this is good and is among the causes of rain.
Likewise, supplication, seeking forgiveness, repentance to Allah, sincerity in that, weeping out of fear of Him (Exalted and Majestic is He), increasing in acts of worship and obedience, and being cautious of sins—all of this is among the causes of relief. However, introducing something that Allah has not prescribed, such as carrying specific logs or specific trees, or performing sacrifices in a specific manner, placing their heads or parts of them in a specific place near certain trees so that a bird comes to take them, or near certain mountains, or by going to certain shaykhs or others—none of this has any basis; rather, it is from religious innovations and superstitions. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.