Is the common saying upon the falling of rain, "صبت النو" (the "naw'" poured), included in the prophetic prohibition against saying, "We have been given rain by the "naw'" of such and such"?

If the intended meaning of the word "naw'" is rain or cloud, and it is not meant to be seeking rain from the stars, then there is no harm in saying it. Scholars have agreed that using "we were given rain by such and such a naw'" is permissible if it is intended that the rain fell at the time of this naw', meaning during its period, and not attributing the act to the star itself. The wording would then be as if one said, "we were given rain during such and such a naw'," because Allah Almighty has made it customary for rain to fall at specific times.

However, using the word "naw'" to mean stars and linking rain to them is an act of the Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic era of ignorance) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade, because the Arabs used to attribute rain to the stars, and this is shirk (polytheism).

Sheikh Ibn 'Uthaymeen explained that attributing rain to the naw' has three categories: 1. Attributing creation: This is shirk akbar (major polytheism). 2. Attributing causation: This is shirk asghar (minor polytheism). 3. Attributing time: This is permissible, as if one means, "rain came to us at the time of this naw'." For this reason, scholars distinguished between "we were given rain bi naw' (by such and such a naw')" and "we were given rain fi naw' (in such and such a naw')," where the letter ba' (ب) indicates causation and the letter fi (في) indicates time/ ظرفية.

The origin of naw' is rising. It was named naw' because when a star sets in the west, another rises in the east. The Arabs in the Jahiliyyah used to attribute rain to the star if it coincided with its time. This prohibition is specific to those who believe that the star is the doer. However, for one who says, "we were given rain by such and such a naw'" and intends that Allah quenched their thirst by His grace at that time, then that is permissible.