The Prophet SAW's Apprehension At The Time Of A Storm

Aishah RA relates that whenever a strong wind bringing dense clouds started blowing, the Prophet Muhammad SAW's face turned pale with the fear of Allah. He (became restive and would go in and out with perturbation, and would recite the following prayer:

"O, my Allah! I ask of Thee the good out of this wind, the good out of that which is in this wind, and the good out of that which is the outcome of this wind. I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of this wind, from the evil out of that which is in this wind, and from the evil out of that which is the outcome of this wind."

Aishah RA says:

"And further when it began to rain, signs of delight appeared on his face.

I said to him once:

'O, Prophet of Allah when clouds appear everybody is happy as they foretell rain, but why is it that I see you so much perturbed at that time?'

He replied:

'O, Aishah! How can I feel secure that this wind does not portend Allah's wrath? The people of A'ad were punished with the wind. They were happy when they beheld the gathering dense clouds, believing that they brought rain, but actually those clouds brought no rain but utter destruction to A'ad.' "

The Prophet (SAW) was, obviously, referring to the following verses of the Qur'an:

"Then, when they (A'ad) beheld a dense cloud coming toward their valleys, they said: 'Here is a cloud bringing us rain.' Nay, but it is that very calamity which you did seek to hasten, a wind wherein is grievous penalty, destroying all things by commandment of its Lord. And morning found them so that naught could be seen, save their dwellings. Thus we treat the guilty folk." (Surah 6: Ayat 24 & 25)

Look at the fear of Allah in the heart of a person who is the best of all creation (SAW).

In spite of another clear verse in the Qur'an that affirms that Allah would not punish the people so long as the Prophet Muhammad SAW was with them (Al-Qur'an - Surah 8: Verse 33), the Prophet SAW has so much fear of Allah in him that a strong wind immediately reminds him of the punishment awarded to the people in the past.

Now let us peep into our own hearts for a moment. Although we are fully saturated with sins, yet none of the unusual phenomena e.g. earthquake, lightning, flood etc. arouse the least fear of Allah in our hearts and, instead of resorting to Istighfar or Solat at such times, we only indulge in absurd investigations.