the name of your Lord, the Most High} and {Has there reached you the report of the Overwhelming [event]?}, it is good, due to the statement of Ibn 'Abbas: He prayed two rak'ahs, as he used to pray in the 'Eid prayer. Ibn Qutaybah narrated in "Gharib al-Hadith" (6), with his chain of transmission from Anas, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went out to seek rain, stepped forward, and led them in two rak'ahs, in which he recited aloud. He used to recite in both the 'Eid prayer and the prayer for rain, in the first rak'ah with the Opening of the Book (Al-Fatihah) and {Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High}, and in the second rak'ah with the Opening of the Book and {Has there reached you the report of the Overwhelming [event]?}.
Section: It is not Sunnah to perform the adhan or iqamah for it, and we know of no disagreement regarding this. Abu Hurayrah narrated, saying: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went out one day to seek rain, and he prayed two rak'ahs with us, without adhan or iqamah. Then he delivered a sermon to us, supplicated to Allah the Almighty, turned his face toward the qiblah while raising his hands, and turned his cloak inside out, placing the right side over the left, and the left over the right. Recorded by al-Athram (7). This is because it is a voluntary (nafilah) prayer, so no adhan is called for it, just like other voluntary prayers. Our companions said: A call should be made for it: "As-salatu jami'ah" (the prayer is to be performed in congregation), just as they say for the 'Eid and eclipse prayers.
Section: There is no specific time for the prayer for rain, except that it is not performed during the forbidden times of prayer, without disagreement, because its time is broad, so there is no need to perform it at a forbidden time. It is preferred to perform it at the time of the 'Eid prayer, due to what 'A'ishah narrated, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went out when the edge of the sun had appeared. Recorded by Abu Dawud (8). It is also because it resembles it in location and manner, thus it is also similar in
3/30. And al-Nasa'i, in: The chapter on the Imam turning his back to the people while supplicating for rain, and the chapter on reciting aloud in the prayer for rain, from the Book of Rain. Al-Mujtaba 3/127, 133. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 4/39, 40, 41. (6) We did not find it in the printed edition of Gharib al-Hadith. (7) Recorded by Ibn Majah, in: The chapter on what has been narrated regarding the prayer for rain, from the Book of Establishing the Prayer. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/403, 404. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 2/326. (8) In: The chapter on raising hands during the prayer for rain, from the Book of Rain. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/267.
