Natural disasters and calamities have been smashing different parts of the world simce the past few weeks.
Allah says in the Qur’an, “Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He [i.e., Allāh] may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].” (30:41)
As floods hit parts of the US, Europe, and Africa, the situation in Manitoba, Canada, is a different story, with severe drought hitting the place and threatening water shortage and natural life.
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Seeking guidance from Allah, members of the Muslim community in Winnipeg gathered Saturday to pray for rain.
The warm, dry summer weather this year has been causing all kinds of environmental detriments all over the province with issues varying in severity from dry grass, to major forest fires. (Mike Sudoma / Winnipeg Free Press)
The prayer, held outside the Winnipeg Grand Mosque, attracted dozens of Muslims who came to offer a prayer for rain or Salat-ul-Istisqa.
“As the Qur’an says, water is life — we’re appealing to God to send rain to all of us,” said Manitoba Islamic Association chair Idris Elbakri, CBC reported.
“We realize as human beings there’s limits to our power and what we can do and things that are beyond our control and [this is] recognition of that.”
Residents wade through flooded Ige Road, in Aboru, Lagos, after a heavy downpour on July 6, 2020. 
This image provided by the Colorado Department of Transportation shows mud and debris on U.S. Highway 6, Sunday, Aug. 1, 2021 west of Silver Plume, Colo. (Colorado Department of Transportation via AP)
Severe Drought
Throughout most regions in Manitoba, precipitation levels have been below average in the past month, leading to an extreme drought in the Pembina Valley area and making for tinder dry conditions with more than 150 wildfires currently burning in the province.
In the capital city, the 8.5 millimeters of precipitation recorded in July is the lowest since 2011 when the previous record of 9.6 millimeters was set. The third lowest precipitation level on record since 1873 was in 2006.
The Pembina Valley Water Cooperative and its 14 member municipalities in south-central Manitoba declared a drought state of emergency on Tuesday.
“This is a serious situation,” the agency said.
“Although we would like a month-long rain to make it go away, we need community, agricultural and business support to reduce usage and are proactively planning for a potential long-term drought and its impact on our region.”
Muslims’ prayer for rain is a well-known practice from the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
The prayer is a ritual of Islam to respond to a drought by asking God for rain to revive earth.