17/17. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 1527 — Dua During Drought and Heavy Rain
Imam asking for rain to be stopped if he fears that it may cause harm
Prayer for Rain Hadith: O Allah, Around Us and Not on Us
Sunan an-Nasai : 1527
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 1527
أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ قُحِطَ الْمَطَرُ عَامًا فَقَامَ بَعْضُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي يَوْمِ جُمُعَةٍ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَحَطَ الْمَطَرُ وَأَجْدَبَتِ الأَرْضُ وَهَلَكَ الْمَالُ . قَالَ فَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ وَمَا نَرَى فِي السَّمَاءِ سَحَابَةً فَمَدَّ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ بَيَاضَ إِبْطَيْهِ يَسْتَسْقِي اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ - قَالَ - فَمَا صَلَّيْنَا الْجُمُعَةَ حَتَّى أَهَمَّ الشَّابَّ الْقَرِيبَ الدَّارِ الرُّجُوعُ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ فَدَامَتْ جُمُعَةٌ فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ الْجُمُعَةُ الَّتِي تَلِيهَا قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ تَهَدَّمَتِ الْبُيُوتُ وَاحْتَبَسَ الرُّكْبَانُ . قَالَ فَتَبَسَّمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِسُرْعَةِ مَلاَلَةِ ابْنِ آدَمَ وَقَالَ بِيَدَيْهِ " اللَّهُمَّ حَوَالَيْنَا وَلاَ عَلَيْنَا " . فَتَكَشَّطَتْ عَنِ الْمَدِينَةِ .
Anas Narrated from:
There was no rain for a year, so some of the Muslims went to the Prophet (ﷺ) one Friday and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, there has been no rain; the land has become bare and our wealth has been destroyed.' He raised his hands, and we did not see any cloud in the sky. He stretched forth his hands until I could see the whiteness of his armpits, praying to Allah (SWT) for rain. When we finished praying Jumu'ah, even a young man whose house nearby was worried about how he would get home.That lasted for a week, then on the following Friday they said: 'O Messenger of Allah, houses have been destroyed and all travel has been ceased.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) smiled at how quickly the sons of Adam become weary, and he said with his hands raised: 'O Allah, around us and not on us,' and it dispersed from Al-Madinah.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1527In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 24English translation : Vol. 2, Book 17, Hadith 1528
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 1527
This prayer for rain hadith shows two moments of dua. First, there was no rain for a year. Some Muslims came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم on Friday and mentioned the dry land and destroyed wealth. The Prophet raised his hands and prayed to Allah for rain, even though no cloud was seen in the sky. Rain then came and continued for a week. The next Friday, people complained that houses were damaged and travel had stopped. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم smiled and raised his hands again, saying, “O Allah, around us and not on us.” The rain then moved away from Madinah. The hadith teaches balanced dua: asking Allah for relief, and also asking Him to protect people from harm when rain becomes too much.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم raised his hands when asking Allah for rain.
- People brought their hardship to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم during drought.
- The dua “O Allah, around us and not on us” was said when rain caused harm.
- Rain is a blessing, but people may ask Allah to make it safe and useful.
