Rain prayers performed all over UAE

Worshippers across cities, towns and villages of the country led by Their Highness Supreme Council Members and Rulers of Emirates, offered on Monday morning prayer for rain (Salatul Istisqa) at mosques and Eid Moussalas.

President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan urged on Sunday Muslims living in the UAE to congregate in mosques and places of worshipping across the country at 8 am to invoke the Almighty God in supplication for His divine mercy to bring down showers on the land.

Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi of Sharjah, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi of Fujairah and Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi of Ajman performed the prayer each in his emirate.

The special prayer was traditionally performed by the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) during times of drought and delay of rains.

In Salatul Istisqa, the Prophet supplicated :''O God give us rain that will replenish us, abundant, fertilizing and profitable, not injurious .............send down rain upon us and make it a source of strength and satisfaction...O God, give us a saving rain, good and productive, general and heavy, now and not later, beneficial and not harmful." Performing the prayer along with the leaders were a number of Sheikhs, top local government officials and senior police officers.

Prayer leaders exhorted worshippers to return to the path of God and supplicated to the Almighty to send down showers upon all corners of the country.

They also urged Muslims to confess their sins, purify the souls and hearts, stay away from wrongdoings and do good deeds to get the bless of God.

They said that piety,truth, justice, fraternity, kin relationship, fulfillment of promise and other good and charity acts were the main causes of answering supplications. (WAM)