the time; except that its time does not pass with the sun's reaching its zenith, because it does not have a specific day, so it does not have a specific time. Ibn 'Abd al-Barr said: "Going out for it at the time of the sun's reaching its zenith is the view of the majority of scholars, except for Abu Bakr ibn Hazm (10)." This is by way of choice, not that its performance is fixed to that time.

324 - Issue; He said: (Then he delivers a sermon, and faces the qiblah)

There is a difference of opinion regarding the sermon for the prayer for rain and its timing. The well-known view is that there is a sermon after the prayer. Abu Bakr said: They agreed upon the report from Abu 'Abd Allah that there is a sermon in the prayer for rain and an ascent upon the minbar. The correct view is that it is after the prayer. This is the opinion of Malik, al-Shafi'i, and Muhammad ibn al-Hasan. Ibn 'Abd al-Barr said: The majority of jurists follow this, based on the statement of Abu Hurayrah: "He prayed two rak'ahs, then he delivered a sermon to us." Also, based on the statement of Ibn 'Abbas: "He acted in the prayer for rain as he acted in the two 'Eid prayers." Furthermore, it is a prayer that involves takbir, so it resembles the 'Eid prayer. The second narrative is that he delivers the sermon before the prayer. This is reported from 'Umar, Ibn al-Zubayr, Aban ibn 'Uthman, Hisham ibn Isma'il (1), and Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn 'Amr ibn Hazm. Al-Layth ibn Sa'd and Ibn al-Mundhir adopted this view, based on what Anas and 'A'ishah narrated, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) preached and prayed (2). From 'Abd Allah ibn Zayd, he said: I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on the day he went out to seek rain, and he turned his back to the people and faced the qiblah, supplicating, then he turned his cloak inside out, then he prayed two rak'ahs, in which he recited aloud. Agreed upon (3). Al-Athram narrated with his chain of transmission from Abu (4) al-Aswad, who said: I reached Aban ibn 'Uthman, Hisham ibn Isma'il, 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz, and Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn 'Amr ibn Hazm; when they wanted to seek rain, they would go out to the open ground, and they would preach, then supplicate to Allah, and turn their faces toward the qiblah while supplicating, then one of them would turn his cloak from the right side to the left, and what was on the left to the right, and one of them would descend and recite in the two rak'ahs, reciting aloud. The third narrative is that he has the choice to deliver the sermon before the prayer or after it, due to the arrival of reports for both matters, and their indication for both modes; it is possible that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did both. The fourth is that he does not preach, but only supplicates and entreats; due to the statement of Ibn 'Abbas: "He did not preach like your sermon this, but he did not cease in supplication and entreaty (5)." Whichever of these he does is permissible, because the sermon is not obligatory according to all narratives; if he wishes, he performs it, and if he wishes, he omits it. The best is to preach after the prayer a single sermon, so that it may be like the 'Eid prayer, and so that they might have completed the prayer if their supplication is answered and they are aided with rain, then they would not need to pray during the rain. The statement of Ibn 'Abbas: "He did not preach like your sermon this (6)" is a negation of the mode, not the essence of the sermon; meaning, he did not preach like your sermon this, rather the bulk of his sermon was supplication, entreaty, and takbir.

325 - Issue; He said: (And he faces the qiblah, and turns his cloak inside out, making the right side left, and the left side right, and the people do likewise)

In summary, it is recommended for the khatib (preacher) to face the qiblah during the sermon; due to what 'Abd Allah narrated.