The Prayer for Seeking Rain (Salat Al-Istisqa)
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 80
وَ رَوَى حَفْصُ بْنُ اَلْبَخْتَرِيِّ عَنْهُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «إِنَّ اَللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وتَعَالَى إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَنْفَعَ بِالْمَطَرِ أَمَرَ اَلسَّحَابَ فَأَخَذَ اَلْمَاءَ مِنْ تَحْتِ اَلْعَرْشِ وَ إِذَا لَمْ يُرِدِ اَلنَّبَاتَ أَمَرَ اَلسَّحَابَ فَأَخَذَ اَلْمَاءَ مِنَ اَلْبَحْرِ» قِيلَ إِنَّ مَاءَ اَلْبَحْرِ مَالِحٌ قَالَ «إِنَّ اَلسَّحَابَ يُعْذِبُهُ.
Hafs ibn al-Bakhtari narrated from Him عليه السلام that He said: "When Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Blessed and Exalted, wishes to bring benefit through rain, He commands the clouds to take water from beneath the Throne. But when He does not intend for vegetation to grow, He commands the clouds to take water from the sea." It was said: "But sea water is salty." Imam عليه السلام said: "The clouds purify it."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh