Kingdom prays for rain

On a directive from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, istisqa (rain prayer) was performed in all parts of the Kingdom on Monday with the participation of governors of the regions and their deputies and senior government officials.
The sermons of the day pointed out that misdeeds prevent rainfall and they urged the members of the congregation to seek forgiveness and adhere to the Holy Qur’an and the teachings of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and be good Muslims.
According to Prophet’s traditions, istisqa prayers are conducted in the event of drought or delay in rainfall.
In a statement issued by the Royal Court, Muslims were urged to take part in the prayers, perform meritorious deeds, seek forgiveness and give charities magnanimously.
In addition to the major mosques in all parts of the Kingdom, the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah also conducted the prayers on Thursday. Istisqa prayers were also performed at universities and schools in various provinces of the Kingdom.
Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar performed the prayers at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque. The prayers were led by the president of Council of Senior Scholars and General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh.
In Makkah, Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal took part in the prayers conducted by Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais.
In Madinah, the prayers were performed at the Prophet’s Mosque and attended by Undersecretary of Madinah Region Governorate Abdulmohsen bin Mohammed Al-Munif.
An official from the department of mosques at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Dawa and Guidance said these prayers were conducted in mosques where the festival prayers are usually conducted during Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha.
An official from the Saudi Wildlife Authority (SWA) told Arab News that the rains are ideal for good plant cover. “They will benefit flora and fauna. In the event of good rains during this season, we could also expect a more successful breeding season for the wildlife in spring.”
“The wetness will freshen up the vegetation and grasslands in the Central Province,” he said, adding that the rains will greatly benefit the wildlife, providing water and necessary food for its sustenance.”