CHAPTER No: 30 Untit798
CHAPTER No: 30
Seeking Rain through the Lunar Phases (Constellation)

Allah the Most Exalted said:
"And instead (of thanking Allah) for the provision He gives you, on the contrary, you deny Him (by disbelief) (and say that we have rained because of such and such lunar phase and such and such star)!" (56:82)

Abu Malik AI-Ash'ari (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated Allah's Messenger (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) as saying:
"My Ummah will not abandon four undesirable matters from the Period of Ignorance (period previous to Islam).

They are: (1) Over pridefulness in ancestors; (2) Defaming or slandering
someone's lineage; (3) Seeking rain according to the stars, i.e. believing that falling star causes the rain on the earth; and (4) Lamentation and wailing of women for the dead." He (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) further said, "If the bewailing woman does not repent before her death, she will be raised on the Day of the Resurrection covered with a dress of liquid pitch, and a cloak of itches." (Muslim)

Narrated Zaid bin Khalid (May Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) ~ led us in the Fair prayer at Hudaibiyah after a rainy night. On completion of the Salat (prayer), he faced the people and said, "Do you know what your Lord (May Allah be pleased with him) has said (revealed)?"

The people replied, "Allah and His Messenger know better." He said, "Allah has said, 'In this morning, some of Ibadi (My slaves) remained as true believers and some became disbelievers; whoever said that the rain was due to the blessings and the mercy of Allah is the one who believes in Me and he disbelieves in the star, and whoever said that it rained because of a particular star, is a disbeliever in Me and believer in the star.' " (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Al-Bukhari and Muslim also have a similar Hadith from Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) where it has been said that Allah revealed the following verses (Surah Waqi'ah 56:75-82); when some said that it rained because of such and such a star:
"So I swear by Mawaqi (setting or the mansions etc.) of the stars (they traverse). And verily, that is indeed a great oath, if you but know. That (this) is indeed an honourable recital (the Noble Qur'an). In a Book well-guarded (with Allah in the heaven i.e. Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz). Which (that Book with Allah) none can touch but those who are pure from sins (i.e. the angels). A Revelation (this Qur'an) from the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists). It is such a talk (this Qur'an) that you (disbelievers) deny? And instead (of thanking Allah) for the provision He gives you, on the contrary, you deny Him (by disbelief)!"

Important issues of the Chapter
1) Explanation of the verses in Al-Waqi 'ah (56: 75-82).
2) The four undesirable customs of the pre-Islamic period.
3) The Kufr (disbelief) contained in some of them.
4) That some acts of disbelief do not expel one from the religion (of Islam).
5) The Statement of Allah "In this morning, some of Ibddi (my slaves) remained as true believers and some became disbelievers..." due to the favor bestowed upon them (of rain).
6) The understanding of Iman in such a circumstance.
7) The understanding of Kufr (disbelief) in such a circumstance.
The understanding of his statement in response to some who verified: "It rained because of such and such star."
9) The scholar's teaching to students by way of a question to explain the issue as the Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: "Do you know what your Lord (May Allah be pleased with him) has said (revealed)?"
10) Punishment promised to the bewailing women.