Heatwave effect: Special Istikhara prayers for rain in Kustia

In a bid to seek relief from scorching temperatures, worshippers in Kushtia‍‍`s Kumarkhali upazila convened for ‍‍`Istikhara‍‍` prayers, a supplication for rain.

Residents of Ballabhpur village assembled under the open sky on Monday morning to offer prayers, led by Maulana Mufti Nasir Uddin Al Faridi, the teacher of Rasulpur Madrasa‍‍`s Hefzkhana. Around two hundred locals from nearby villages including Ballabhpur, Rasulpur, Bhavanipur, Jotmora, and Barichara participated in the prayer session.

Organizers have scheduled further ‍‍`Istikhara‍‍` prayers for rain at the same location next Tuesday and Wednesday at 8 am.

Attendees came prepared with prayer mats, palm mats, and towels, gathering on the field. Maulana Nasir Uddin instructed worshippers on prayer protocols before leading them in two rakats. The session concluded with everyone raising their hands, beseeching protection from the relentless heat and drought, and pleading for rainfall.

Expressing the dire need for rain, farmer Jalilur Rahman remarked, "There is no rain, and it‍‍`s excessively hot. Water sources are drying up, and crops are withering. We pray for relief and seek Allah‍‍`s mercy."

Echoing historical precedents, Maulana Nasir Uddin stated, "According to Quran and Hadith, droughts are often attributed to human transgressions. Just as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his Companions prayed for rain in open fields, we seek forgiveness and rain through these prayers."

Assistant teacher Maulana Russel Molla from Qaumi Hafezia Madrasah, Dahkhola South Bhavanipur, emphasized the widespread suffering caused by the prolonged absence of rain, reiterating the community‍‍`s plea for divine intervention.

Mamunur Rashid, an official at Kumarkhali Meteorological Observatory, lamented the persistent heatwave, with temperatures soaring up to 40 degrees Celsius in the afternoon. He noted the absence of rain for nearly a month and indicated no immediate prospects for precipitation.

As the region grapples with the sweltering heat and agricultural distress, the community continues to turn to prayer in hopes of relief from the relentless drought.