The conditions of the istisqa' prayer

Question

In most districts there is rain, but there are some districts where there is no rain, for example the district of Rohtak or its surroundings: because of the lack of rain the people are in extraordinary distress, and the condition of the livestock is truly harrowing — it is said that thousands of cattle have died licking the earth, because last year too, owing to the lack of rain, the harvest was not large, and this year too there has been no rain, so that matters have reached the point of famine.

Answer

When there is no rain, and there are no canals, wells and the like, or there are wells and the like but there is no water in them at all, or there is water but not as much as is needed, that is, it is not sufficient for drinking oneself, for watering the animals and for farming — then istisqa' is legislated (mashru‘)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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