Du’aa: During a Windstorm

What did the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ say when there was a windstorm?

وَأَرْسَلْنَا ٱلرِّيَـٰحَ لَوَٰقِحَ فَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءًۭ فَأَسْقَيْنَـٰكُمُوهُ وَمَآ أَنتُمْ لَهُۥ بِخَـٰزِنِينَ (سورة الحجر: ۲۲)

“And We have sent the fertilizing winds and sent down water from the sky and given you drink from it.” (Soorat al-Hijr 22)

• From this aayah, it can be seen that the wind is commanded by the order of Allah ﷻ . Therefore, cursing the wind is like cursing Allah ﷻ For this reason, the Prophet did not allow people to curse the wind: ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas narrated that the wind blew away a man’s cloak during the time of the Prophet ﷺ and he (the man) cursed it. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Do not curse it, for it is under command, and if anyone curses a thing without a reason, then the curse returns upon him. (Reported in AbooDawood)
• The Prophet ﷺ knew the importance of the wind and how it played a vital part in the water cycle. For this reason he told the Companions to say the following du’aa:

قال رسول الله ﷺ :اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَهَا وَخَيْرَ مَا فِيهَا وَخَيْرَ مَا أُرْسِلَتْ بِهِ وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرْهَا وشَرُ مَا فِيْهَا وَشَرِّ مَا أُرْسِلَتْ بِهِ (رواه البخاري ومسلم والترمذي)

O Allah, I ask you for it’s goodness and the good in it and the good it has been sent with. And I seek refuge with You from it’s evil and the evil in it and the evil it has been sent with. (Narrated in Tirmidhi and also in Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)

• Without the wind, there would be no rain. However, sometimes the wind can be so strong that houses are damaged and cars are thrown into the air.
  This can be seen when there are hurricanes and tornados. But all these things are commanded by Allah ﷻ Because of this, Muslims do not curse the wind. Instead, Muslims make du’aa for the benefits of the wind and ask Allah ﷻ for protection against any harm that a windstorm may bring. This was what the Prophet ﷺ taught the people and this is the best guidance that anyone can follow.

What we learn from the lesson:

1. The wind blows by the command of Allah ﷻ .
2. One is not allowed to curse the wind.
3. The Prophet ﷺ used to make du’aa for the good of a windstorm.