Chapter on the Prayer for Seeking Rain

And from him, from Ali ibn Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abi Umayr, from Hisham ibn al-Hakam, from Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said: I asked Imam al-Sadiq عليه السلام about the prayer of ‘al-Istisqa’ (the prayer for rain). Imam عليه السلام said: “It is like the (prayer of) two Eid prayers. In both of them, recitation is done and takbirs are pronounced. The Imam goes out and appears in a clean place with calmness, dignity, humility, and supplication. The people go out with him. Then he praises Allah سبحانه وتعالى, glorifies Him عز وجل, and extols Him عز وجل, and strives earnestly in supplication and increases in tasbih (‘Subhanallah’), tahlil (‘La ilaha illallah’), and takbir (‘Allahu Akbar’). Then he performs a prayer like the Eid prayer, two rak’ahs with supplication, entreaty, and striving (in prayer). Then when the Imam finishes (with salam), he turns his garment inside out and places the side that was on the right shoulder onto the left shoulder, and the one that was on the left shoulder onto the right shoulder for indeed the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, peace be upon him and his family, did so.”