Sayyidina Abu Hafsw ‘Umar ibn al-Khaththab al-Faruq (r.a.) Asked Sayyidina ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muththalib (r.a.) to Invoke Rain during His Caliphate

‎بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

It is recorded, in Swahih al-Bukhari, as narrated by Sayyidina Anas ibn Malik (r.a.), “Whenever drought threatened them, ‘Umar ibn al-Khaththab, used to ask ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muththalib to invoke Allah for rain.  He used to say, ‘O Allah!  We used to ask our Prophet to invoke You for rain, and You would Bless us with rain, and now we ask his uncle to invoke You for rain.  O Allah!  Bless us with rain.’  And so, it would rain.” 

Imam Shihab ad-Din Abu al-Fadhl Ahmad ibn ‘Ali ibn Hajr al-‘Asqalani (r.a.) wrote, in Fath al-Bari, “The episode involving ‘Abbas makes it clear that to seek intercession from the virtuous, the pious and members of the Prophet’s (s.a.w.) family is a desirable act.  In addition, this event proves the high status of ‘Abbas as well as reveals ‘Umar’s respect for him and the acknowledgement of his status.”