Translation of Salat Al-Istasqa Khutba

This Khutbah was performed on 3rd March 2008, or 25th Safar 1429 by Sheikh Shuraim. The orginial Khutbah can be found here: http://www.haramainrecordings.com/2008/03/high-qaulity-makakh-fajr-2nd-march-2008.html. A very gracious and close friend of mine worked diligently and spent a plethora of time and effort in translating this Khutbah. She deserves a myriad of thanks for her magnanimous effort. May Allah bless her and grant her Jannat al-Firdous for her plentiful effort. Please do dua for her and for the entire Muslim Ummah and please also supplicate to Allah that He bless Makkah with rain and that He accepts the ibadah of the Shiekh and those who prayed behind him. Shukran.

Salatul Istisqa Khutbah – By Sheikh Shuraim

All praise is due to the One Who forgives sins, and the acceptor of repentance, Allah is severe in punishment, I bear witness that there is no deity worth of worship except for Him and that Muhammed (peace be upon him) is the messenger and servant of Allah. He spread the message, and advised the ummah. There is no deity except for Allah and to Him is the return. Oh Allah, send Your peace, blessings, and favours upon the Messenger peace be upon him, his companions, and his pure household and his followers, and whoever follows him with ihsan (excellence) until the day of repayment.

Oh Muslims fear Allah, and know that Allah gives and withholds, He gives health and brings harm, He is the one who shows you the lightning, for fear and for hope, and the thunder glorifies and praises Him and the angels too fear Him.

We seek forgiveness from Allah, we seek forgiveness from Allah and we seek forgiveness from Allah. Oh Allah we seek Your forgiveness and You are The One who Forgives. And send to us the rain in abundance.

And Allah has not send down upon man hardship except to know the truthful from those who lie (disbelieve). And Allah is not unjust against them but they oppress themselves.
And it is of the Wisdom of Allah, praised and glorifies He is, to unite us both through hardship and ease, and He shall try us with evil and with good, and to Him shall we be returned. The most benefit comes in, when you are full, you thank Allah, and when you are hungry, you thank Allah. Remember Allah in ease and Allah will remember you in the hardship. And if Allâh were to enlarge the provision for His slaves, they would surely rebel in the earth, but He sends down by measure as He wills. Verily! He is in respect of His slaves, the Well-Aware, the All-Seer (of things that benefit them). And He it is Who sends down the rain after they have despaired, and spreads His Mercy. And He is the Walî (Helper, Supporter, Protector, Lord), Worthy of all Praise.

We seek forgiveness from Allah, we seek forgiveness from Allah and we seek forgiveness from Allah. Oh Allah we seek Your forgiveness and You are The One who Forgives. You are the one who forgives so send to us the rain in abundance.
Oh Muslims, Verily evil and disobedience to Allah diminishes the blessings of Allah, And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much. Verily the spread of obscene disobedience, and its public appearance, is the biggest reason for the severe trial. And your Lord would never destroy the towns wrongfully, while their people were right-doers. Injustice has surfaced, and envy has increased, and there is a decrease in mercy towards one another, and an increase in lies, falsehood and backbiting. There are two evil things that reduce barakah and they are none but forbiddance of zakah and eating of ribaa (interest). Verily, zakah has been legislated, and charity, as purification of the spender and his money, and for protection of the country and his slaves. And the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said “If people should withhold Zakat, you should realize that this has never happened without the rain being stopped from falling; and were it not for the animals' sake, it would never rain again. (Ibn Majah). Improve and make excellent (ahasin) in your property through zakah and charity for you may be the reason why Allah withholds from his servants that ask. Do not be stingy with what Allah has given you and spend in the way of Allah. Yet amongst you are some who are niggardly(stingy). And whoever is niggardly,(stingy) it is only at the expense of his ownself. But Allâh is Rich (Free of all needs), and you (mankind) are poor.

We seek forgiveness from Allah, we seek forgiveness from Allah and we seek forgiveness from Allah. Oh Allah we seek Your forgiveness and You are The One who Forgives. You are the one who forgives so send to us the rain in abundance. Oh you Muslims, there are from the slaves of Allah that are selfish and self-centered; those who turn away. They accept Ribaa (interest), they love money and want it to increase. They call interest by another name and have reached a point where they do not know where they earn their money from, haraam or halaal means. There is no protection from evil and no power to do good except with the help of Allah

We seek forgiveness from Allah, we seek forgiveness from Allah and we seek forgiveness from Allah. Oh Allah we seek Your forgiveness and You are The One who Forgives. You are the one who forgives so send to us the rain in abundance. Oh you Muslims, verily the rain comes down from the heavens as glad tidings and mercy, And as Allah, all praises are due to Him, says about Hud, And O my people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him, He will send you (from the sky) abundant rain, and add strength to your strength, so do not turn away as Mujrimûn (criminals, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh)." And as Shuaib, peace be upon him, said to his people, "And ask forgiveness of your Lord and turn unto Him in repentance. Verily, my Lord is Most Merciful, Most Loving." And as Nuuh, peace be upon him, said 'Ask forgiveness from your Lord; Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving, 'He will send rain to you in abundance, 'And give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers.' " And Allah, praise be to him, also said, "Seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance, that He may grant you good enjoyment, for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding Grace to every owner of grace (i.e. the one who helps and serves needy and deserving, physically and with his wealth, and even with good words).

Oh Servants of Allah, as Allah says, And Allâh would not punish them while you (Muhammad SAW) are amongst them, nor will He punish them while they seek (Allâh's) Forgiveness. And as the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him said, and whoever sticks to istighafir (the seeking of forgiveness) his sorrow will be made relief and would cause for provisions to come from places he cannot imagine ( rough translation).

Oh Servants of Allah, another reason for the descend of the rain from the heavens is to be able to have taqwa in their hearts and Istiqama (to be on the straight path/to be upright) in the deen (religion) of Allah. In Hadith Al-Qudsi (speech of Allah) Allah says, if the people of the towns had believed and had the Taqwâ (piety), certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they belied (the Messengers). So We took them (with punishment) for what they used to earn (polytheism and crimes). And He Allah, all praise to Him, said, If they (non-Muslims) had believed in Allâh, and went on the Right Way (i.e. Islâm) We would surely have bestowed on them water (rain) in abundance. That We might try them thereby. If only my servants were to follow my command I would have showered them with rain in the night, and brought out the sun for them in the day and they would not have heard the sound of Thunder (Rough Translation -Narrated by Ahmed) .

And another reason for the descend of the rain from the heavens, oh Servants of Allah, is for the distancing of corruption from the earth and playing with the religion of Allah. As Allah, azza wa jal, says, Evil (sins and disobedience to Allâh) has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds), that He (Allâh) may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allâh, and begging His Pardon). And Allah, all praise is due to Him, said Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the aggressors. And do not do mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, and invoke Him with fear and hope; Surely, Allâh's Mercy is (ever) near unto the good-doers. And it is He Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His Mercy (rain). Till when they have carried a heavy-laden cloud, We drive it to a land that is dead, then We cause water (rain) to descend thereon. Then We produce every kind of fruit therewith. Similarly, We shall raise up the dead, so that you may remember or take heed. The vegetation of a good land comes forth (easily) by the Permission of its Lord, and that which is bad, brings forth nothing but (a little) with difficulty. Thus do We explain variously the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for a people who give thanks.

We seek forgiveness from Allah, we seek forgiveness from Allah and we seek forgiveness from Allah. Oh Allah we seek your forgiveness and you are The One who Forgives. You are the one who forgives so send to us the rain in abundance.

Oh you Muslims, you have left your homes thanking the lateef, al khabeer. However the rain has been delayed, and Allah, all praise is due to Him, accepts the repentance of he who repents, and answers to those who ask, so pray to Allah, and believe in his answering of this prayer. O Allah, You Are Allah and there is no deity except you. You are Ghaniyy (Self-Suficeint, Rich in all things) and we are Fuqara (Poor, in need of you). Descent upon us rain and make us not amongst those who despair.

All translations are mine and not validated, and therefore all mistakes are mine with regard to them; I pray that Allah will forgive me with regard to any errors I committed unwittingly, and grant me the knowledge of the Deen. This was done in order for you to get a picture of Shuraims speech and if there are any mistakes, please forgive me and do correct me. Jazakallahukhairan.