Question:
Is cloud seeding considered as taking over Allah SWT’s power? This is because only Allah SWT is the One responsible for sending down the rain.
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia,
“…a type of weather modification that aims to change the amount or type of precipitation that falls from clouds by dispersing substances into the air that serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei, which alter the microphysical processes within the cloud. The usual intent is to increase precipitation (rain or snow), but hail and fog suppression are also widely practiced in airports where harsh weather conditions are experienced.”
While according to the official website of Malaysian Meteorological Department, the process of cloud seeding involves the usage of salt and water mixture stored in a tank, which then is transported by a jet to be sprinkled in the cloud. Normally, this will be done at the height of 5000 to 8000 meter above land.
Shari’ah’s Perspective on Cloud Seeding
إِنَّ اللَّـهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ
“Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain”
Surah Luqman (34)
Another verse:
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا نَسُوقُ الْمَاءَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ الْجُرُزِ فَنُخْرِجُ بِهِ زَرْعًا تَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ أَنْعَامُهُمْ وَأَنفُسُهُمْ
“Have they not seen that We drive the water [in clouds] to barren land and bring forth thereby crops from which their livestock eat and [they] themselves?”
Surah al-Sajdah (27)
Based on these verses, it is clear that the Most Powerful of sending down the rain is only Allah SWT. So, some people raise the question: Is the process of cloud seeding practised today considered as challenging Allah’s power?
The process of cloud seeding known in Arabic word as al-istimtor (الاستمطار) under the wazn al-istif’al and al-mator al-sina’ir (المطر الصناعي) or an artificial rain.
Fatwas from some renown fatwa institutions like Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta’ and Jordan Dar al-Ifta’ clearly state that the process of cloud seeding does not contradict the syarak and cannot be considered as challenging Allah’s power as long as our belief is clear that Allah SWT is the one who is capable to send down the rain. (Refer https://www.aliftaa.jo/Question.aspx?QuestionId=2573#.XYl-wSgzY2w and Fatawa al-Azhar 7/405)
Among the judgements of these authority bodies is, Allah SWT made this world with its law of order (sunnatullah) and reasons, while He Himself order us to live and employ the natural law to live. At the same time, we have to put our belief and absolute certainty upon Allah SWT. Allah SWT state in the Quran:
وَاللَّـهُ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ الرِّيَاحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابًا فَسُقْنَاهُ إِلَىٰ بَلَدٍ مَّيِّتٍ فَأَحْيَيْنَا بِهِ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ النُّشُورُ
“And it is Allah who sends the winds, and they stir the clouds, and We drive them to a dead land and give life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness. Thus is the resurrection.”
Surah Fathir (9)
Allah SWT explain the process of the formation of rain scientifically for the people to learn, take benefit and lessons from it, but at the same time always remember that He is the al-Musabbib (the One Who Causes Something) to the process of rain.
Hence, it is wajib (obligatory) for those who are involve in the process of cloud seeding to fully believe and depend on Allah SWT while not into the asbab or law of order that Allah created. He SWT remind men through His saying in the Quran:
فِي سِدْرٍ مَّخْضُودٍ ﴿٢٨﴾ وَطَلْحٍ مَّنضُودٍ ﴿٢٩﴾
“[They will be] among lote trees with thorns removed. [28] And [banana] trees layered [with fruit] [29]”
Surah al-Waqi’ah (28-29)
According to Syeikh ‘Atiyyah Saqr, the process of cloud seeding itself uses things that are made by Allah SWT, and they will never be able to make those of Allah SWT’s creation. Besides, it is normal for this process to fail, in fact, sometimes they ended up as failures. Among them are too little amount of rain produced and artificial rain which is destructive to the crops.
So, in this case, how can this process considered as challenging Allah’s power? In fact, the process is a sign of His power and man’s weaknesses. Allah SWT state:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَنتُمُ الْفُقَرَاءُ إِلَى اللَّـهِ ۖ وَاللَّـهُ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ
“O mankind, you are those in need of Allah, while Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.”
Surah Fathir (15)
The process of cloud seeding itself is permitted, but it is prohibited to state that the rain is absolutely and totally due to the cloud seeding process and forgetting the truth in which Allah SWT is the Most Powerful to send down the rain by His will.
Conclusion
Certainly, practising cloud seeding in order to make rain is not considered as challenging the power of Allah SWT, in fact, it is a human effort through knowledge given by Allah SWT.
As a Muslim, synergy between du’a, effort and tawakkal should always be aligned. While putting in the effort through the process of cloud seeding, du’a and istisqa’ prayer should be done. After that, we should submit our affairs to Allah SWT, the Most Powerful God to send down the rain and be faithful that the one who is capable of doing so is He and Him only.
Wallahua’lam.
[1] Refer https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pembenihan_awan and http://www.met.gov.my/pendidikan/sainsatmosfera/pembenihanawan
فِي سِدْرٍ مَّخْضُودٍ ﴿٢٨﴾ وَطَلْحٍ مَّنضُودٍ ﴿٢٩﴾