The Prayer for Seeking Rain (Salat Al-Istisqa)
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 80
وَ سَأَلَ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنِ اَلرَّعْدِ أَيَّ شَيْءٍ يَقُولُ قَالَ «إِنَّهُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ اَلرَّجُلِ يَكُونُ فِي اَلْإِبِلِ فَيَزْجُرُهَا هَايْ هَايْ كَهَيْئَةِ ذَلِكَ» قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَمَا حَالُ اَلْبَرْقِ فَقَالَ «تِلْكَ مَخَارِيقُ اَلْمَلاَئِكَةِ تَضْرِبُ اَلسَّحَابَ فَيَسُوقُهُ إِلَى اَلْمَوْضِعِ اَلَّذِي قَضَى اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِيهِ اَلْمَطَرَ.
Abu Basir asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام about the thunder, saying, "What does it say?" Imam عليه السلام said: "It is like a man among the camels who drives them, saying 'Hai, Hai,' just as it is." I asked: "May I be your ransom, what about the lightning?" Imam عليه السلام said: "Those are the whips of the angels striking the clouds, driving them to the place where Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Glorious, has decreed the rain to fall."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh