pouring." (15)
Section: Is the permission of the Imam a condition for this prayer? There are two narrations: One of them is that it is not recommended except with the exit of the Imam or a man appointed by him. Abu Bakr said: If they go out without the permission of the Imam, they shall pray and then disperse without [a formal] prayer or khutbah. Ahmad has explicitly stated this. According to the other narration, they may pray by themselves, and one of them shall deliver the khutbah for them. According to this narration, seeking rain (istisqa') is legislated for everyone: residents, travelers, people of the villages, and Bedouins, for it is a supererogatory prayer, and thus resembles the eclipse prayer. The argument for the first narration is that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not command it [generally], but rather performed it in a specific manner, and one should not exceed that manner, which is that he prayed it with his companions, as did his successors and those after them; therefore, it is not legislated except in that same manner.
Section: It is recommended to seek rain through someone whose righteousness is manifest, because he is closer to having his supplication answered. For 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) sought rain through al-'Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Ibn 'Umar said: 'Umar sought rain in the Year of Ashes through al-'Abbas and said: "O Allah, this is the uncle of Your Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), we turn to You through him, so give us rain." They had not yet departed before Allah (Mighty and Majestic is He) gave them rain. (17) It is narrated that Mu'awiyah went out to seek rain, and when he sat upon the minbar, he said: "Where is Yazid ibn al-Aswad al-Jurashi?" Yazid stood up, and Mu'awiyah called him (18) and seated him by his feet, then said: "O Allah, we seek intercession with You through the best and most virtuous among us, Yazid ibn al-Aswad. O Yazid, raise your hands." He raised his hands and supplicated
(15) Al-Suyuti attributed it in Jam' al-Jawami' 1/385 to al-Tabarani. (16) In the original: "bi-dhalika" [thereby]. (17) Recorded by al-Bukhari in: Chapter on the people asking the Imam for rain when they suffer drought, from the Book of Istisqa', and in: Chapter on the mention of al-'Abbas ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Book of Virtues of the Companions. Sahih al-Bukhari 2/34, 5/25. Also by al-Bayhaqi in: Chapter on seeking rain through those whose blessing of supplication is hoped for, from the Book of Istisqa'. Al-Sunan al-Kubra 3/352. The intent of seeking rain through those whose righteousness is manifest is to ask them to supplicate to Allah, as they are closer to having their supplication answered, not to perform tawassul [intercession/mediation] through them. (18) Omitted from the original.
مِدْرَارًا" (١٥).
فصل: وهل من شَرْطِ هذه الصلاةِ إذْنُ الإِمامِ؟ على رِوايَتَيْنِ: إحْدَاهُما، لا يُسْتَحَبُّ إلَّا بِخُرُوجِ الإِمامِ، أو رَجُلٍ من قِبَلِه. قال أبو بكرٍ: فإذا خَرَجُوا بغيرِ إذْنِ الإِمامِ دَعَوْا، وانْصَرَفُوا بلا صلاةٍ ولا خُطْبَةٍ. نَصَّ عليه أحمدُ. وعنه أنَّهم يُصَلُّونَ لِأَنْفُسِهِم، ويَخْطُبُ بهم أحَدُهم. فعلى هذه الرِّوايَةِ يكونُ الاسْتِسْقاءُ مَشْرُوعًا في حَقِّ كلِّ أَحَدٍ؛ مُقِيمٍ، ومُسافِرٍ، وأهْلِ القُرَى، والأعْرابِ؛ لأنَّها صلاةُ نَافِلَةٍ، فأشْبَهَتْ صَلَاةَ الكُسُوفِ. وَوَجْهُ الرِّوَايَةِ الأُولَى، أنَّ النَّبِىَّ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم- لم يَأْمُرْ بها، وإنَّما فَعَلَها على صِفَةٍ، فلا يَتَعَدَّى تلك (١٦) الصِّفَةَ، وهو أنَّه صَلَّاهَا بأَصْحابِه، وكذلك خُلَفاؤُه ومَن بَعْدَهم، فلا تُشْرَعُ إلَّا في مثلِ تلك الصِّفَةِ.
فصل: ويُسْتَحَبُّ أن يُسْتَسْقَى بمَن ظَهَرَ صَلاحُه؛ لأنَّه أَقْرَبُ إلى إجابَةِ الدُّعاءِ، فإنَّ عمرَ، رضِىَ اللهُ عنه، اسْتَسْقَى بالعَبَّاسِ عَمِّ النَّبِيِّ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم-. قال ابنُ عمرَ: اسْتَسْقَى عمرُ عَامَ الرَّمَادَةِ بالعَبَّاسِ، فقال: اللَّهُمَّ إنَّ هذا عَمُّ نَبِيِّكَ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم-، نَتَوَجَّهُ إليكَ به فاسْقِنَا. فما بَرِحُوا حتى سَقَاهُم اللهُ عَزَّ وجَلَّ (١٧). وَرُوِىَ أنَّ مُعاوِيَةَ خَرَجَ يَسْتَسْقِى، فلمَّا جَلَسَ على المِنْبَرِ، قال: أيْنَ يَزِيدُ بن الأسْوَد الجُرَشِىُّ؟ فقَامَ يَزِيدُ، فدَعَاهُ مُعاوِيَةُ (١٨)، فأجْلَسَهُ عند رِجْلَيْه، ثم قال: اللَّهُمَّ إنا نَسْتَشْفِعُ إليكَ بِخَيْرِنَا وأفْضَلِنَا يَزِيدَ بن الأسْوَد، يا يَزِيدُ، ارْفَعْ يَدَيْكَ. فَرَفعَ يَدَيْهِ، ودَعَا
(١٥) عزاه السيوطي في جمع الجوامع ١/ ٣٨٥ إلى الطبراني.(١٦) في الأصل: "بذلك".(١٧) أخرجه البخاري، في: باب سؤال الناس الإِمام الاستسقاء إذا قحطوا، من كتاب الاستسقاء، وفى: باب ذكر العباس بن عبد المطلب رضى اللَّه عنه، من كتاب فضائل الصحابة. صحيح البخاري ٢/ ٣٤، ٥/ ٢٥. والبيهقي، في: باب الاستسقاء بمن ترجى بركة دعائه، من كتاب الاستسقاء. السنن الكبرى ٣/ ٣٥٢. والمراد بالاستسقاء بمن ظهر صلاحه أن يطلب منه أن يدعو اللَّه، لأنه أقرب إلى الإجابة، لا أن يتوسل به.(١٨) سقط من: الأصل.
