By: Bint e Kemal
This Eid-ul-Adha and in the last ten days of Hajj, Karachi people have witnessed high amount of rainfall. Geo news is reported to have said: Heavy rainfall sinks parts of Karachi, ruins Eid-ul-Azha (Monday Jul 11 2022). According to the PMD data, Karachi received high amounts of rainfall in the last 24 hours. (News)
For many of us this memory is ghastly and would soon like to be forgotten. With the lack of infrastructure in Karachi, i.e no fit draining system that caters to more than a few inches of rain. There is constant electricity outages throughout the city. Houses have not been constructed to cater to heavy amounts of rain so seeping of the water is witnessed. Open wires all over the city causing cases of electrocution even with the ringing of the doorbell of one’s own house. Gutters are open and several deaths take place each monsoon season in Karachi where people are never found. With the Qurbani taking place and streets flooded with a disgusting mix of sacrificial blood and rainwater is quite a disturbing sight.
For some, they enjoy the rain. Children come out to play. They live in the moment, enjoying the newness in the weather of Karachi. Karachi people are usually tired of the scorching heat combined with humidity. They long for rain and are jealous of Punjab which is lush green and cools off after every rainfall. Here is a chance for Sindh to now indulge in the same. These people stay happy and live for the moment. The plants are all watered and the dust has been washed off.
Yet, there is another group of people, who are busy spreading out news about what is to come, predicting how much rain will fall this monsoon and how we can keep ourselves protected. They are the rescuers, who are caught in the moment not realizing the moments itself. I am not saying this is a blameworthy act; may Allah Ta’ala reward them for their concern, yet, it is quite a functional act. They put down the phone after sending out the emergency number or the do’s and don’ts of the monsoon season and they move on with life. That is the end of that.
A little group of the Believers, in this scenario, yet looks at another angle to all situations. This is the insight that knowledge gives. This is the perspective of Iman. This is the calling to all Muslims to maintain that balance that is required to enjoy the rain, not sulk into the disasters it brings with and nor get carried away with the splish and splash of joy.
The first thing that Seerah teaches us is that the Prophet ﷺ began pacing back and forth in fear whenever he ﷺ witnessed dark clouds. In a hadith we learn,
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ :
مَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَطُّ مُسْتَجْمِعًا ضَاحِكًا حَتَّى أَرَى مِنْهُ لَهَوَاتِهِ إِنَّمَا كَانَ يَتَبَسَّمُ وَكَانَ إِذَا رَأَى غَيْمًا أَوْ رِيحًا عُرِفَ ذَلِكَ فِي وَجْهِهِ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ النَّاسُ إِذَا رَأَوُا الْغَيْمَ فَرِحُوا رَجَاءَ أَنْ يَكُونَ فِيهِ الْمَطَرُ وَأَرَاكَ إِذَا رَأَيْتَهُ عُرِفَتْ فِي وَجْهِكَ الْكَرَاهِيَةُ فَقَالَ “ يَا عَائِشَةُ مَا يُؤَمِّنُنِي أَنْ يَكُونَ فِيهِ عَذَابٌ قَدْ عُذِّبَ قَوْمٌ بِالرِّيحِ وَقَدْ رَأَى قَوْمٌ الْعَذَابَ فَقَالُوا هَذَا عَارِضٌ مُمْطِرُنَا ”
‘A’ishah (RadiAllahu Anha), wife of the Prophet (ﷺ), said : I never saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ laugh fully to such an extent that I could see his uvula. He would only smile, and when he saw clouds or wind, his face showed signs (of fear). I asked him: Messenger of Allah! When the people see the cloud, they rejoice, hoping for that it may contain rain, and I notice that when you see it, (the signs of) abomination on your face. He replied: ‘A’ishah! What gives me safety from the fact that it might contain punishment? A people were punished by the wind. When those people saw the punishment, they said: this is a cloud which would give us rain.
(Sunan Abi Dawud 5098)
Rain and the 10 Days of Hajj
These days while it constantly started raining in Karachi were the last ten days of Hajj, for which the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:
مَا الْعَمَلُ فِي أَيَّامٍ أَفْضَلَ مِنْهَا فِي هَذِهِ
Ibn Abbas (RadiAllahu Anhu) reported: The Prophet ﷺ said, “No good deeds are better than what is done in these first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 969)
Did you stop to think that while many of us were fasting and making du’a, it was raining? We called out to our Rabb hoping that our prayers will be accepted. Yet, the double bonus that we may have missed was the fact that during the time it rains, is a time of acceptance of duas. Whilst the prescribed du’a for when it rains is:
“اللّهُمَّ صَيِّـباً نَافِعاً
“May Allah grant us beneficial rain”.
(Sunan An-Nisai)
In a hadith we learn, the Prophet ﷺ said
“Two will not be rejected. The Duaa after the Adhan and the Dua under the rain”.
Al-Hakim (Sahih)
Not only was the worshipper in a state of ibadah, while fasting or doing the takbeer (your exaltation of Him), tahleel (declaration of the oneness of Him), tahmeed your praise of Him), duas were constantly made and guaranteed acceptance, In Sha’Allah as per this the hadith given above.
These days of Ayyam Al-Tashreeq are also meant to be filled with gratitude for the blessings. In the Qur’an we learn:
وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْدُودَاتٍ
“And remember Allah during the appointed Days.”
[Al-Baqarah 2:203]
Many of the salaf regarded it as mustahabb (recommended) to make a lot of du’a during the Days of Tashriq. The days of Tashriq are the 11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah. Combined with rain and the mercy it brings with the acceptance of du’a – what a beneficial combination!
What you can do to make this rain rainy time more positive is to follow the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet ﷺ. Try to catch a few raindrops onto your clothing in hope of receiving some of the blessings of the rain. Anas Bin Malik (RadiAllah Anhu) reported:
“Whilst we were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ rain fell upon us. The Messenger then exposed part of his garment so that rain fell on his body. When we asked him why he did so, he replied “Because it has just come from the Exalted Lord”.
Sahih Muslim
What you can do is realize the Greatness of the Al-Maalik. Rain and thunder is a reminder of His Grandeur. When it thunders, it actually leaves us shaking almost. We feel so small and timid. Suddenly all our skills, capabilities and achievements we are so proud of seem all out of our control. There is a Greater Being Who controls this universe, and One Who is the Master of it.
When the Prophet ﷺ heard thunder he would leave talk and recite the verse:
يُسَبِّحُ الرَّعْدُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ مِنْ خِيفَتِهِ
“And the thunder exalts [ Allah ] with praise of Him – and the angels [as well] from fear of Him.”
[Ar-Ra’ad] 13:13
When this rain converts to a monsoon type state and people are adversely affected. Houses are washed away, belongings drown and wealth is destroyed, we are taught to make this du’a.
فَرَفَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ : اللهم حوالينا ولا علينا، اللهم على الآكام والظراب وبطون الأودية ومنابت الشجر
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raised his hands and said, “ O Allah, around us and not on us.; O Allah, on the hills and mountains, the bottoms of the valleys and where the trees grow.”
(Sunan an-Nasa’i 1518)
Hence, we see that a person connected to Allah Ta’ala connects with the environment. He/she stays in the moment digging out the pearls of the moment through ibadah and tafakkur (pondering over the creation and connecting it to its Rabb). This not only gives us a balance in life but helps maintain that positivity in the worst of situations that we feel is bad for us, yet even there is Hikmah in that also. May Allah Ta’ala protect us all. (Aameen)
Source:
News, G. (n.d.). From https://www.geo.tv/latest/427062-heavy-rainfall-sinks-parts-of-karachi-pmd-forecasts-more-showers-today
Picture Courtesy: Bol News
