Qassim Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar, center, joins officials and citizens to offer prayers seeking rain in Buraidah on Monday. (SPA)

Rain-seeking prayers or ‘Istisqa’ were performed across the Kingdom on Monday in line with a directive from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.

Governors and senior officials Kingdom-wide took part in the prayers in their respective regions.

Riyadh Gov. Prince Turki bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz performed the prayer at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in the capital. The prayer was led by Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia and President of the Council of Senior Scholars and the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Asheikh.

In Makkah, the prayer was performed at the Grand Mosque, and attended by the undersecretary of the Makkah governorate, Saad bin Muqbil Al-Maimouni.

In Madinah, the prayer was performed at the Prophet’s Mosque and attended by Prince Faisal bin Salman, governor of Madinah.

According to the Prophet’s sunnah (tradition), the ‘Istisqa’ prayers are conducted in the event of a drought or delayed rainfall.

In a statement issued on the occasion earlier, Muslims in the Kingdom were urged to take part in the prayers, perform meritorious deeds, seek forgiveness and give charity.

’Istisqa’ prayers were also performed at universities and schools in various provinces of the Kingdom.

An official from the Department of Mosques at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Dawa and Guidance said the prayers were conducted in mosques where Eid prayers are usually performed.

 
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