The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) – Volume III — Page 84
Seal of the Prophets - Volume III 84 together since their nature is identical. Ṭabarī has put it in 3 A. H. , after the occurrence of Ka‘b bin Ashraf. Wāqidī has mentioned it in 4 A. H. Referring to Ibni Isḥāq, Ibni Hishām has simply recorded it as being after the Ghazwah of Banū Quraiẓah, which took place towards the end of 5 A. H. and in this manner, it can be considered as having occurred in the beginning of 6 A. H. However, Ibni Sa‘d has specifically recorded it in 6 A. H. and most historians have taken the stance of Ibni Sa‘d. Allāh knows best. Drought in Madīnah & the Prayer of the Holy Prophet sa for Water During the month of Ramaḍān 1 of the same year, as it had not rained for quite some time, signs of drought began to develop in and around Madīnah. The companions presented themselves before the Holy Prophet sa and mentioned their suffering. They requested the Holy Prophet sa to pray for rain. Upon this, the Holy Prophet sa took a congregation of companions to the place of prayer and facing the Ka‘bah, he prayed for rain. Subsequently, by the grace of God, it quickly began to rain. 2 After this, Ṣalātul-Istisqā’ 3 was formally instituted. The distinction of this prayer is that although the Imām stands in front of the following as in normal prayers, in addition to a verbal prayer wherein the suffering of humans and animals is alluded to and God is invoked for rain, the Imām also holds the corner of a mantle and places it on his back. Then, he flips it in such a manner that all four corners of the cloth are switched, 4 which is a symbolic expression of invocation to God that, ‘O God, may these trying days be completely transformed for the better and may your mercy, which is hidden 1 Tārīkhur-Rusuli Wal-Mulūk (Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī), By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Jarīr Aṭ-Ṭabarī, Volume 3, p. 135, Dhikru Aḥdāthallati Kānat Fī Sanati Sittim-Minal-Hijrati/Dhikrul-Khabari ‘An ‘Umratin-Nabiyyi sa Allati Ṣaddāhul-Mushrikūna Fīhā ‘Anil-Baiti, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002) 2 * Fatḥul-Bārī Sharḥu Ṣaḥīḥil-Bukhārī, By Al-Imām Aḥmad bin Ḥajar Al-‘Asqalānī, Volume 2, p 634, Kitābul-Istisqā’i, Bābu Taḥwīlir-Ridā’i Fil-Istisqā’i, Ḥadīth No. 1012, Qadīmī Kutub Khānah, Ārām Bāgh, Karachi * Fatḥul-Bārī Sharḥu Ṣaḥīḥil-Bukhārī, By Al-Imām Aḥmad bin Ḥajar Al-‘Asqalānī, Volume 2, p 655, Kitābul-Istisqā’i, Bābu Istiqbālil-Qiblati Fil-Istisqā’i, Ḥadīth No. 1028, Qadīmī Kutub Khānah, Ārām Bāgh, Karachi * Tārīkhul-Khamīs Fī Aḥwāli Anfasi Nafīs, By Ḥusain bin Muḥammad bin Ḥasan, Volume 2, p. 14, Ḥadīthul-Istisqā’i, Mu’assasatu Sha‘bān, Beirut 3 The prayer for rain (Publishers) 4 * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Istisqā’i, Bābu Taḥwīlir-Ridā’i Fil-Istisqā’i, Ḥadīth No. 1012 * Mishkātul-Maṣābīḥ, Kitābuṣ-Ṣalāt, Bābul-Istisqā’i Al-Faṣluth-Thānī, Ḥadīth No. 1502-1503, Dārul- Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2003)