Prayers for Rain Offered across Saudi Arabia
According to the Saudi Press Agency, worshippers in all regions of Saudi Arabia offered Istisqa prayers today to ask God for rain.
Saudi media wrote that the prayers for rain were held in accordance with the tradition of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), during times of drought and delayed rain, in the hope of God’s grace and mercy for rain throughout the country.
According to the reports, people went to mosques and places prepared for Istisqa prayers in various cities, provinces, centers and villages of the country to participate in this spiritual ceremony.
Earlier, the King of Saudi Arabia and the Mufti of the country had asked people to offer prayers for rain throughout the country.
In Islam, Salat al-Istisqa’ is a special prayer consisting of two rak‘ahs in which worshippers repent and ask God for mercy, relief, and rainfall. It is typically followed by a khutbah (sermon) in which the imam urges the community to seek forgiveness and sincerely ask God to send rain.
Following the worsening drought crisis and record-low rainfall in the West Asian region, several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Syria and Qatar, have called on people to perform the Istisqa prayer.
The calls come as concerns about the future of water resources and agriculture in the West Asian region are growing.
In Syria, the Ministry of Awqaf (Endowments) announced that the rain prayer will be held across Syria on Friday, November 14.
Emphasizing the spirit of sincerity and return to God, the ministry called on people to fast for three days before the prayer, return lost rights, and attend the ceremony with collective repentance and forgiveness.
The ministry has also identified prayer locations in different cities in the country and has asked Friday prayer imams to emphasize the importance of prayer, social solidarity and divine mercy in their sermons.
According to the official Qatar News Agency (QNA), the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, has also called on people to perform the Istisqa prayer on Thursday.
The Emir of Qatar is scheduled to lead the prayer with thousands of worshippers at the Lusail Mosque in Doha.
Like other Arab countries in the region, Qatar has been experiencing a significant decrease in rainfall and unprecedented heat in recent months.
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Along with Arab countries, the water shortage and drought crisis has also affected Iran. The government is trying to prioritize combating the crisis by expanding water-saving policies and repairing dilapidated infrastructure.
The simultaneous turn of several Arab countries to hold the Istisqa prayer indicates that Islamic societies are returning to their spiritual and innate roots in the face of natural disasters.
At the same time, this environmental crisis is a reflection of the consequences of unsustainable development policies and climate change caused by the excessive consumption of resources in the region.
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