The beloved Prophet (ﷺ) instructed us to recite dua for rain during extended spells of heat and drought. It is narrated by Anas ibn Malik (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) that the Prophet recited this dua after a man pleaded that the trees had dried and the livestock were destroyed due to drought (Sahih al-Bukhari 1021). The Prophet also recited this dua for rain to be beneficial and not harmful to the people and livestock (Hisn al-Muslim 169, 171).
Nature Duas
Allaahumma 'asqinaa ghaythan mugheethan maree'an maree'an, naafi'an ghayradhaarrin, 'aajilan ghayra 'aajilin.
O Allah, shower upon us abundant rain, beneficial not harmful, swiftly and not delayed.
Allaahumma 'aghithnaa, Allaahumma 'aghithnaa, Allaahumma 'aghithnaa.
O Allah, send us rain. O Allah, send us rain. O Allah, send us rain.
Allaahum-masqi 'ibaadaka, wa bahaa'imaka, wanshur rahmataka, wa 'ahyi baladakal-mayyita
O Allah, give water to Your slaves, and Your livestock, and spread Your mercy, and revive Your dead land.
This dua should be recited during extended drought spells and for heat relief. You should recite Bismillah before reciting this dua. It is recommended that worshippers recite the dua for rain after offering congregational prayers in the mosque. Some scholars recommend offering the prayer for rain called the Salat Al-Istisqa. This special salat includes two rak'ah nafil salat and then reciting the dua mentioned above to beseech Allah for rain.
Benefits of reciting the dua for rain include access to water for livestock and agricultural produce. It is also a means of asking for relief from intense heat spells. Asking for rain means asking for Allah's mercy to bring relief to all living creatures.
Water is life, and in landlocked areas, rain is the only source of freshwater needed to sustain life. There is a hadith quoted in ami'ul Usool, Hadith 5655, and Jam'ul Fawaid, Hadith 7539, claims that the Prophet Muhammad (ï·º) that drinking water can be beneficial for some diseases. However, the chain of narration is not mentioned, and it is a weak hadith.
In Bulugh al-Maram, hadith 449 in book 2 stated that "When they experienced drought 'Umar bin al-Khattab (RA) used to seek rain by asking al-'Abbas bin 'Abdul Muttalib (RA) to supplicate Allah for rain. He ('Umar) would say: 'O Allah, we used to ask our Prophet (RA) to supplicate to You for rain, and You would give us rain. We are now asking our Prophet's uncle to supplicate to You for rain, so give us rain." They would then be given rain. [Reported by al-Bukhari].
Therefore, the best way to ask for rain is to offer a two rak'ah salah, recite the dua mentioned above, and then ask Allah to send beneficial rain and give the reference of Prophet Muhammad to beseech Allah.