Peak of Eloquence Nahjul Balagha By Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib - English Translation - Sermon 142

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Praying for Rain

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.

Certainly, Allah tries his creatures with regard to 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 One, has made the seeking of (His) forgiveness a means for the pouring down of livelihood and mercy on the people as Allah has said the following:

Seek the forgiveness, all of you, 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). (Holy Quran, 17: 10-12).

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

O Lord! we have come out to You from under the curtains and coverings (of houses) when the beasts and children are crying, seeking Your Mercy, hoping for the generosity of Your bounty and fearing Your chastisement and retribution. O Lord! give us to drink from Your rain and do not disappoint us, nor kill us by years (of drought) nor punish us for what the foolish among us have committed, O the most Merciful of all.

O Lord! We have come out to You to complain to You what is (already) not hidden from You, when the seven troubles have forced us, droughty famines have driven us, distressing wants have made us helpless and troublesome mischief has incessantly befallen us. O Lord! we beseech You 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.

O Lord! Do pour on us Your mercy, Your blessing, Your sustenance and Your pity and make us enjoy a drink which benefits us, quenches our thirst, produces green herbage with which all that was lost gets a growing and all that had withe red comes to life again. It should bring about the benefit of freshness and plenty of ripe fruits. With it plains may be watered, rivers may begin flowing, plants may pick up foliage and prices may come down. Surely, You are powerful over whatever You wills.