Arabic (Original)
أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ مُجَالِدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مُجَالِدٍ الْبَجَلِيُّ بِالْكُوفَةِ ثنا أَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ مُسْلِمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ التَّمِيمِيُّ ثنا الْحَضْرَمِيُّ ثنا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الْأَشْعَثِيُّ أنبأ عَبْثَرٌ عَنْ مُطَرِّفٍ عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ قَالَ أَصَابَ النَّاسَ قَحْطٌ فِي عَهْدِ عُمَرَ ؓ فَصَعِدَ عُمَرُ الْمِنْبَرَ فَاسْتَسْقَى فَلَمْ يَزِدْ عَلَى الِاسْتِغْفَارِ حَتَّى نَزَلَ فَقَالُوا لَهُ مَا سَمِعْنَاكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اسْتَسْقَيْتَ فَقَالَ لَقَدْ طَلَبْتُ الْغَيْثَ بِمَفَاتِيحِ السَّمَاءِ الَّتِي بِهَا يُسْتَنْزَلُ الْمَطَرُ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ {اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا} [نوح 11] وَقَوْلُهُ {وَيَا قَوْمِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا وَيَزِدْكُمْ قُوَّةً إِلَى قُوَّتِكُمْ وَلَا تَتَوَلَّوْا مُجْرِمِينَ} [هود 52] فَاسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ كَذَا وَجَدْتُهُ فِي كِتَابِي بِمَفَاتِيحِ السَّمَاءِ وَرَوَاهُ غَيْرُهُ عَنْ مُطَرِّفٍ فَقَالَ بِمَجَادِيحِ السَّمَاءِ
English Translation
Abu al-Qasim Mujalid ibn Abdullah narrated to us in Kufah... from al-Sha'bi who said: The people were struck by drought during the time of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Umar ascended the pulpit and sought rain, doing nothing but seeking forgiveness until he came down. They said to him: 'We did not hear you seek rain, O Commander of the Faithful!' He said: 'I have sought rain with the keys of heaven by which rain is brought down.' Then he recited these verses: {Seek forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send rain from the sky upon you in continuing showers} [71:10-11], and: {O my people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will send rain from the sky upon you in showers and increase you in strength to your strength. Do not turn away as criminals} [11:52]. So seek forgiveness of your Lord, then repent to Him. Thus I found it in my book with 'the keys of heaven.' Others narrated it from Mutarrif saying 'the rain-bringing stars of heaven.'