When the land is dry and you need rain
Said three times over, plainly, when the people came asking.
اللَّهُمَّ أَغِثْنَا، اللَّهُمَّ أَغِثْنَا، اللَّهُمَّ أَغِثْنَا
Allāhumma aghithnā. (×3)
“O Allah, send us relief.”
The same word covers rain and rescue. They were asking for water, and asking to be saved, in one breath.
The full narration
Narrated Sharik:Anas bin Malik said, "A person entered the Mosque on a Friday through the gate facing the Daril- Qada' and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was standing delivering the Khutba (sermon). The man stood in front of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), livestock are dying and the roads are cut off; please pray to Allah for rain.' So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) raised both his hands and said, 'O Allah! Bless us with rain. O Allah! Bless us with rain. O Allah! Bless us with rain!" Anas added, "By Allah, there were no clouds in the sky and there was no house or building between us and the mountain of Sila'. Then a big cloud like a shield appeared from behind it (i.e. Sila' Mountain) and when it came in the middle of the sky, it spread and then rained. By Allah! We could not see the sun for a week. The next Friday, a person entered through the same gate and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was delivering the Friday Khutba and the man stood in front of him and said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! The livestock are dying and the roads are cut off; Please pray to Allah to withhold rain.' " Anas added, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) raised both his hands and said, 'O Allah! Round about us and not on us. O Allah!' On the plateaus, on the mountains, on the hills, in the valleys and on the places where trees grow.' " Anas added, "The rain stopped and we came out, walking in the sun." Sharik asked Anas whether it was the same person who had asked for rain the previous Friday. Anas replied that he did not know
Source
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī · 1014
- Agreed upon as authentic (al-Bukhārī / Muslim)