Anas (ra) said: "The Prophet (s) used to break the fast with fresh dates before praying, and if not with fresh dates then with older ones, and if not with dates then with some mouthfuls of water." (Ahmad) The best du’aa that is reported from the Prophet (s) is: "The thirst has gone, the veins moistened and the reward is certain, if Allah wills." (Abu Dawood)

Ninety-nine % of NSW has been declared drought-stricken and voluntary water restrictions were implemented from midnight 14 November 2002. The effects of the drought have been devastating particularly on our farmers.

Form the Sydney Morning Herald 3/12/2002 (Food prices on the way up as production plummets, by Matt Wade): "The drought (in Australia) now one of the worst since records began in 1913, spells devastation for summer harvests and is already pushing up food prices as farmers endure one of the driest years in nearly a century."

"The Big Dry has already ravaged the winter harvest, now expected to be down 56 per cent on last year. NSW was hit hardest, with its crop forecast to plummet from 9.9 million tonnes in 2001-02 to 2.8 million tonnes in 2002-03."

"The summer crop, centred on NSW and Queensland, is expected to plunge 59 per cent to about 2 million tonnes - the worst yield since the 1982-83 drought. Rice production will fall by 70 per cent and cotton by 45 per cent as irrigation water dries up. Consumers are already paying more for food, and falling production would continue to put pressure on prices, economists said."

"Tip Top Bakeries yesterday raised prices by 5 per cent, blaming a drought-related jump in the price of wheat and rising insurance premiums. The cost of meat and poultry is expected to follow because of pressure on grain feed prices."

Is there anything in Islam that mentions the causes of drought? Yes, they are sins, disobedience, and not paying zakah (alms). The Prophet (s) said: "There is not a people who give short weight and measure except that they are taken by the shortness of fruit and injustice of rulers. (And there is not a people who) abstain from paying zakah of their wealth except that they are forbidden water from the heaven. But for the animals, they would never have received rain." (Ibn Majah)

The Prophet (s) taught us to turn to Allah (swt) during times of drought seeking rain. Aisha (ra) said: "The people complained to the Messenger of Allah about the drought, so he gave orders for a pulpit, and when it was set up for him, he appointed a day for the people to gather. He came out on that day when the sun had just appeared and sat down on the pulpit. He extolled Allah’s greatness and praised Him. Then he said: ‘You have complained of drought in your areas and of delay in receiving rain at the beginning of the season, but you have been ordered by Allah to supplicate Him and He has promised to answer your prayers.’ Then he said: ‘All praise is for Allah, the Merciful, the King of the Day of Judgment. There is no god but Allah Who does what He wishes. O Allah, there is no god but You. You are the Self-Sufficient and we are the poor. Send down rain upon us and make it a source of strength for us and satisfaction for us.’

He then raised his hands and kept raising them until the whiteness of his armpits could be seen. After this, he turned his back to the people and inverted his cloak, keeping his hands raised. Finally he faced the people, descended from the pulpit and prayed two rak’at.

At that time Allah (swt) produced a cloud, thunder, and lightning. And, by Allah’s permission, it rained and before he reached the masjid there was flooding. When he saw how quickly the people were running for shelter, he laughed until his molar teeth could be seen. He (s) said: ‘I bear witness that Allah has power over all things and I am Allah’s slave and Messenger.’" (Al-Hakim, sahih)

Ash-Sha’biy (ra) said: "`Umar went out to make istisqa’ and he did no more than seeking Allah’s forgiveness. The people said: ‘We did not see you making istisqa’.’ He said: ‘I sought rain by what makes it descend (ie, istighfar, seeking forgiveness of Allah), unlike those (people of jaahiliyyah) who sought it by the stars of the sky.’ Then he read the following two ayat: ‘Seek forgiveness of your Lord. Lo! He is ever forgiving. He will let loose the sky for you in abundant rain. (Q71:10) and ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him (in repentance): He will send you the skies pouring abundant rain.’ (Q11:52) (Al-Baihaqi)

Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (r) in his Fatawa, in the chapter on the conflict between good and bad, stated the adage that: "A wise man is not the one who can tell good from evil, but it is he who can tell the better of two good things and the lesser of two evils." And with regard to drought, he said that: "It has settled in people’s minds that at the time of drought rain becomes a blessing, for although it makes the harvest of tyrants bigger, its absence is harmful to all people."

"O Allah! (Let the saving shower of rain fall) and cause us to drink a saving rain that is useful, wholesome, producing, abundant, and fruitful. O Allah! Cause us to drink the saving rain and do not make us of the desperate… O Allah! We ask Your forgiveness; since You are the Oft-Forgiving. So send down the rain on us in a torrent." (Ibn Majah)

* Fasting in Ramadaan. Shaikh Saleem Al-Hilaalee, Shaikh ‘Alee Hasan ‘Alee ‘Abdul-Hameed.

* Minhaj Al-Muslim. Abu Bakr Jabir Al-Jaza’iry.

* Fiqh us-Sunnah. As-Sayyid Sabiq.

* Priorities of the Islamic Movement in the coming phase. Shaykh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi.