Sermon 143

Praying for rain

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام)

في الاستسقاء

]وفيه تنبيه العباد إلى وجوب استغاثة رحمة الله إذا حبس عنهم رحمة المطر[

Beware; the earth which bears you and the sky which overshadows you are obedient to their Sustainer (Allah). They have not been bestowing their blessings on you for any feeling of pity on you or inclination towards you, nor for any good which they expect from you, but they were commanded to bestow benefits on you and they are obeying, and were asked to maintain your good and so they are maintaining it.

أَلاَ وَإِنَّ الاْرْضَ الَّتِي تَحْمِلُكُم، وَالسَّماءَ الَّتِي تُظِلُّكُمْ، مُطِيعَتَانِ لِرَبِّكُمْ، وَمَا أَصْبَحَتَا تَجُودَانِ لَكُمْ بِبَرَكَتِهِمَا تَوَجُّعاً لَكُمْ، وَلاَ زُلْفَةً إِلَيْكُمْ، وَلاَ لِخَيْر تَرْجُوَانِهِ مِنْكُمْ، وَلكِنْ أُمِرَتَا بِمَنَافِعِكُمْ فَأَطَاعَتَا، وَأُقِيمَتَا عَلَى حُدُودِ مَصَالِحِكُمْ فَقَامَتَا.

Certainly, Allah tries his creatures in respect of their evil deeds by decreasing fruits, holding back blessings and closing the treasures of good, so that he who wishes to repent may repent, he who wishes to turn away (from evils) may turn away, he who wishes to recall (forgotten good) may recall, and he who wishes to abstain (from evil) may abstain. Allah, the Glorified, has made the seeking of (His) forgiveness a means for the pouring down of livelihood and mercy on the people as Allah has said:

... Seek ye the forgiveness of your Lord! Verily, He is the Most-forgiving, He will send (down) upon you the cloud raining in torrents, and help you with wealth and sons (children) . . .(Qur'an, 17:10-12)

Allah may shower mercy on him who took up repentance, gave up sins and hastened (in performing good acts before) his death.

إِنَّ اللهَ يَبْتَلِي عِبَادَهُ عِنْدَ الاْعْمَالِ السَّيِّئَةِ بِنَقْصِ الَّثمَرَاتِ، وَحَبْسِ الْبَرَكَاتِ، وَإِغْلاَقِ خَزَائِنِ الْخَيْرَاتِ، لِيَتُوبَ تَائِبٌ، وَيُقْلِعَ مُقْلِعٌ، وَيَتَذَكَّرَ مُتَذَكِّرٌ، وَيَزْدَجِرَ مُزْدَجِرٌ. وَقَدْ جَعَلَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ الاسْتِغْفَارَ سَبَباً لِدُرُورِ الرِّزْقِ وَرَحْمَةِ الْخَلْقِ، فَقَالَ: )اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّاراً * يُرْسِلِ السَّماءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَاراً* وَ يُمْدِدْكُمْ بِأمْوالٍ وَ بَنِينَ وَ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ أنْهاراً( ، فَرَحِمَ اللهُ امْرَأً اسْتَقْبَلَ تَوْبَتَهُ، وَاسْتَقَالَ خَطِيئَتَهُ، وَبَادَرَ مَنِيَّتَهُ!

O My God! We have come out to Thee from under the curtains and coverings (of houses) when the beasts and children are crying, seeking Thy Mercy, hoping for the generosity of Thy bounty an fearing Thy chastisement and retribution. O My God! Give us to drink from Thy rain and do not disappoint us, nor kill us by years (of drought) nor punish us "..for what the foolish among us have committed" (7:155), O the Most Merciful of all!

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا خَرَجْنَا إِلَيْكَ مِنْ تَحْتِ الاْسْتَارِ وَالاْكْنَانِ، وَبَعْدَ عَجِيجِ الْبَهَائِمِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ، رَاغِبِينَ فِي رَحْمَتِكَ، وَرَاجِينَ فَضْلَ نِعْمَتِكَ، وَخَائِفِينَ مِنْ عَذَابِكَ وَنِقْمَتِكَ. اللَّهُمَّ فَاسْقِنَا غَيْثَكَ، وَلاَ تَجْعَلْنَا مِنَ الْقَانِطِينَ، وَلاَ تُهْلِكْنَا بِالسِّنِين، وَلاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا )بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَّا (يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.

O My God! We have come out to Thee to complain to Thee who is (already) not hidden from Thee, when the severe troubles have forced us, drought-stricken famines have driven us, distressing wants have made us helpless and troublesome mischiefs have incessantly befallen us. O My God! We beseech Thee not to send us back disappointed nor to return us with down-cast eyes, nor to address us (harshly) for our sins, nor deal with us according to our deeds.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا خَرَجْنَا إِلَيْكَ نَشْكُو إِلَيْكَ مَا لاَ يَخْفَى عَلَيْكَ، حِينَ أَلْجَأَتْنَا الْمضَايِقُ الْوَعْرَةُ، وَأَجَاءَتْنَا الْمَقَاحِطُ الْـمُجْدِبَةُ، وَأَعْيَتْنَا الْمَطَالِبُ الْمُتَعَسِّرَةُ، وَتَلاَحَمَتْ عَلَيْنَا الْفِتَنُ الْمُسْتَصْعِبَةُ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ أَلاَّ تَرُدَّنَا خَائِبِينَ، وَلاَ تَقْلِبَنَا وَاجِمِينَ، وَلاَ تُخَاطِبَنَا بِذُنُوبِنَا، وَلاَ تُقَايِسَنَا بِأَعْمَالِنَا.

O My God! Do pour on us Thy mercy, Thy blessing, Thy sustenance and Thy pity, and make us enjoy a drink which benefits us, quenches our thirst, produces green herbage by which all that has died down grows again and all that had withered is revived. It should bring about the benefit of freshness and plentifulness of ripe fruits. With it plains may be watered, rivers may begin flowing, plants may pick up foliage and prices may come down. Surely, Thou art powerful over whatever Thou willest.

اللَّهُمَّ انْشُرْ عَلَيْنَا غَيْثَكَ وَبَرَكَتَكَ، وَرِزْقَكَ وَرَحْمَتَكَ، وَاسْقِنَا سُقْيَا نَافِعَةً مُرْوِيَةً مُعْشِبَةً، تُنْبِتُ بِهَا مَا قَدْ فَاتَ، وَتُحْيِي بِهَا مَا قَدْ مَاتَ، نَافِعَةَ الْحَيَا، كَثِيرَةَ الْـمُجْتَنَى، تُرْوِي بِهَا الْقِيعَانَ، وَتُسِيلُ الْبُطْنَانَ، وَتَسْتَوْرِقُ الاْشْجَارَ، وَتُرْخِصُ الاْسْعَارَ، إِنَّكَ عَلى مَا تَشَاءُ قَدِيرٌ.

Alternative Sources for Sermon 143

(1) Al-Daylami, A'lam, see al-Nuri, Mustadrak al-Wasa'il, I, 439;

(2) Ibn al-'Athir, al-Nihayah, I, 137 (b.t.n).