Discover the meaning of the term Al-astsqaʾ (استسقاء) in Islamic vocabulary.
Contents :
Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 3 min readIt is asking for rain after its long withholding.
It is asking for rain after long withholding; the texts of the foundations of fiqh agree that it has a prayer, though not in congregation, and supplication and seeking forgiveness, and the turning of the cloak. Know that its texts are not upon the school of Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him, but upon the school of the two companions, may Allah have mercy on them both; the necessary is to act upon the two companions' saying: the imam's going out, prayer in congregation, loud recitation, the sermon, and turning the cloak, so as to accord with the authentic hadiths and to match also Abu Hanifa's ruling, may Allah have mercy on him, since he commands us to follow them both where they agreed on an issue. And the shaykh 'Abd al-Haqq al-Dihlawi, may Allah have mercy on him, said in the translation of al-Mishkat: and the fatwas now according to Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him, are upon the school
The seeking of water; it is an istif'al form from saqa; one says 'saqaytu-hu' and 'asqaytu-hu' in the same sense; Labid combined them in his verse: 'May my people the Banu Majd water, and water: Namira and the tribes of Hilal.' One says: 'I watered it for its milk,' and 'I watered it for its beasts and land.' The noun: al-saqy, with kasra. Al-Zarqani said of its meaning: 'the seeking of water, which is rain, from Allah, the Most High, at the time of drought, in a specific manner.' (Al-Nazm al-Musta'dhab, 1/119; Sharh al-Zarqani 'ala al-Muwatta', 1/383).
A disease of strange matter that pervades the organs and makes them grow.
Asking for rain at the time of need.
It is asking for rain after long withholding. In 'al-Durr al-Mukhtar': 'it is, in law: asking for the descent of rain in a specific manner at the intensity of need, with supplication and seeking forgiveness.'
The seeking of water, of another for oneself, or for another. In law: asking for the descent of rain from Allah, the Most High, at the severity of drought, in a specific manner (Ibn Hajar). Al-saqiya: the small channel; : the name of the camel or cow upon which one draws from the well or the river. As-siqa': a vessel of leather for water and milk; (plural) asqiya; : everything into which drink is placed. As-siqaya: the watering place; : the vessel with which one waters. In the mighty Book: 'when he had furnished them with their provisions, he placed the drinking cup in his brother's saddlebag' (Yusuf, 70). : The water-carrier's craft.