Rain in Islam: The sounds of rain and its tranquillity infusing beauty at times remind us of Allah’s grace. The live-giving nature of rain as a part of the water cycle and food for crops and vegetation remind us of Allah’s sustenance and gifts. Rain is one of the miracles of Allah and allows us to reflect and ponder over its beauty. There are places in the world where drought is endemic, and rain is extremely scarce.
Others where rain is all year round and is a source of constant flooding. Rain is versatile, changing, and adapting. It maintains the ecosystem’s flow and balance, and minor shifts in its nature and timing can have many effects. Rain for its various virtues and blessings is mentioned in the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
What Does Islam Say About Rain?
Of the four important angels, Mikael AS is responsible for rain and sustenance. He is responsible for plants and rain. This is interpreted by many as meaning that he is responsible for physical and spiritual sustenance.
7 – Islamic Quotes on Rain That Prove It Is a Blessing
Rain is a blessing and the hour that it is falling is considered a time of mercy. Making dua and asking for forgiveness is a common practice when it is raining. This Qur’anic ayat shows the blessed nature of rain. It is important to all levels of forestry from plants and seeds to trees. These trees and plants form the basis of the ecosystem and the simplest form of life. After trees, rain is a source of water and sustenance for all animals the start and animation of all life and living. In the 30th verse of Al-Anbiya, the Qur’an says:
Furthermore, the Qur’an also uses the words “giving life to the deadland”.
The rain that falls on barren land often brings with it metallic salts and fertilizing nutrients essential for the growth of vegetation. These nutrients are typically in the barren land and therefore the rain is what primes the land for growth. This is just one of the few ways we can reflect and appreciate the life-giving nature and blessings of rain.
6 – Mention of Rain In The Quran
Here rain is described in the Qur’an in its ‘due measure’ and the balance that Allah creates and sustenance. Rain is the counter-balancing portion of the water cycle where lands that do not have access to direct water from the sea or rivers are provided with essential water. The measure mentioned in the Qur’an refers to the balance and equilibrium associated with the water cycle. Water evaporates and falls as rain in the exact proportion as needed.
Furthermore, rain does fall in a form that is beneficial to life. Raindrops are of a specific shape due to surface tension, which makes them fall at a specific speed that does not hurt us or any other living thing. The raindrops also do not fall as crystalline pelts despite the freezing upper layers of the atmosphere. Allah also uses this life cycle to remind us of how we will be brought back to life. That life and death are both from His signs.
5 – Miracle of Rain
Rain is also the source of the oceans, rivers and glaciers that we see today. According to scientists’ hypotheses and studies, millions of years of rain from icy comets is what formed the oceans and rivers of today. Without this rain and subsequent water bodies, life on earth would have been difficult. The water-based ecosystem of today is what gives beauty to all living and non-living facets of earth.
The Arabic word for rain is mentioned 23 times in the Qur’an in 20 different verses. Flooding by rain was also the punishment for Nuh’s AS people. This rain flooded the entirety of the world until everyone except the Nuh AS and the passengers of the ark were drowned. When the flooding subsided and the 80 people on board descended, life on earth started anew and a new chapter began. Of those 80 people, only Nuh AS and his offspring were fertile making him our direct ancestor.
The story of Nuh AS and his people, therefore, teaches us the dichotomy and fundamentally adaptive nature of rain. It serves both as death and a means of extermination, eroding the land and taking away nutrients. But also as a breather of new life, like a barren field or swollen river rejuvenated. You can learn more on this from our post on 5 Most Important Lessons from the Story of Prophet Nuh (AS).
4 – Sunnahs of Rain
The Prophet PBUH had a habit of letting rainwater fall on his skin as rain is a blessing from Allah SWT. He would also thank Allah for the rain and ask Him for protection. According to a hadith,
“Two will not be rejected. The Duaa after the Adhan and the Duaa under the rain”. Al-Hakim (Sahih)
This is beautifully explained by Mufti Menk in this video:
I would also recommend that you go through these Sunnahs of Eating and Drinking That All Muslims Should Follow.
3 – Dua for When It Rains
The Prophet PBUH used to recite this verse whenever there was lightning and thunder. This verse describes Allah’s lightning as a show of His Anger or Fury. This is shown by the fear of the angels quoted in the verse and the Prophet’s PBUH practice of leaving the conversation and standing all the while. Since the Prophet recited this verse when it rains, reciting it would be fulfilling a sunnah by us as well.
2 – Dua to Make When It Stops Raining
The Prophet PBUH instructed us to make dua after the rain ended. To proclaim rain as a bounty and mercy of Allah. He further iterates that this is the difference between a believer in Islam and a believer in stars and astrology. In previous times rains were predicted using constellation readings and other forms of astrology. Sacrifices and rituals were used to cause rain. This goes against the tenets of Islam as rain and other meteorological phenomena are only caused by Allah’s will. To give this power to inanimate objects would be shirk.
1 – Dua To Ask For Rain
The Prophet PBUH used to pray for rain and ask for Allah’s blessings. He would never raise his hands above his heads while praying contrary to common practice at the time.
According to this hadith, holding back alms and greed means Allah holds back His mercy and bounty from you, signified by Him withholding rain from you. This means not giving charity adversely affects the whole community as rain is withheld from everyone. This is true in practice and common life as well. A society not built on the practice of generosity seizes to prosper. The action of one person’s greed or generosity translates to the whole community as well over time.
