Salat al-Istisqa is a tradition that comes from a Hadith by Tirmidhi. I'll try to look for it and post it. But I know it's from Tirmidhi.
In my opinion, if you desperately want it to rain, you can definitely pray for it from home with either two rakats or four rakats or more reciting any Surahs you have memorized after Fatiha. And your supplication can be in your own words. The important thing is concentration and sincerity towards Allah only.
I agree with sis heba's opinion , absolutely right ,in fact , This view is itself based on the Quran
surah Nuh 71:10-11 And I have said: Seek pardon of your Lord. Lo! He was ever Forgiving.
He will let loose the sky for you in plenteous rain,
seeking rain simple method of supplication /dua asking forgiveness from Allah ,
'Ask forgiveness To Allah and turn to Him (in repentance): He will send you the skies pouring abundant rain.'" This is it? Q: No evidence of this separate title and method in Quran for offering the prayer for rain / salaat al-istisqa under such ruling , neither in following ahadith's of Bukhari ,Tirmidhi. Muslim then where from this specific wearied method come ?
Q: My question is why absence of rain is suppose to be the result of the sins of people and is a sign of divine wrath and chastisement ? any historical link with surah Nuh ? any other surah ?
@ Sis Heba is right Tirmidhi hadith detailed this method
http://www.hadithcollection.com/fiqh-ussunnah/345-Fiqh-us%20Sunnah%20Section%2022.%20Salatul%20Istisqa,%20Prayer%20For%20Rain/20963-fiqh-us-sunnah-volume-002-supererogatory-prayer-fiqh-2036b.html
Section : Salatul Istisqa, prayer for rain.
This prayer is taken recourse to when seeking rain from Allah during times of drought. It may be performed in one of the following manners:
1. The imam prays, with the followers, two rak'at during any time except those times in which it is not desirable to pray. In the first rak'ah, the imam recites al-A'la after al-Fatihah. And in the second rak'ah, he reads al-Ghashiyah after al-Fatihah, and he delivers a khutbah before or after the salah. As soon as he finishes the khutbah, the people present should turn their outer garments around, each placing its left side on his right side and its right side on his left, face the qiblah, supplicate Allah and raise their hands while doing so.
Ibn 'Abbas reports: "The Messenger of Allah went out [to make the salatul istisqa'] wearing old clothes, in a humble and lowly manner, and prayed two rak'at as he prayed the 'id, but he did not give a similar khutbah.
" This is related by the five. At-Tirmizhi, Abu 'Awanah, and Ibn Hibban grade it sahihhttp://sunnah.com/tirmidhi/6/13(43)Chapter: What Has Been Related About Salat Al-Istisqa (The Prayer To Request Rain) باب مَا جَاءَ فِي صَلاَةِ الاِسْتِسْقَاءِ
Abbad bin Tamim narrated from his uncle:
"The Messenger of Allah went out with the people to seek rain. So he led them in prayer for two Rak'ah, reciting aloud in them, turning his upper wrap around, raising his hands, requesting rain, and facing the Qiblah."
Grade : Sahih (Darussalam)
Reference :
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 556In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 13
English translation : Vol. 2, Book 1, Hadith 556
Jami` at-Tirmidhi - Book 6, Hadith 15It is narrated from Hisham bin Ishaq - and he was from Ibn Abdullah bin Kinanah - from his father who said:
"Al-Walid bin Uqbah, the governor of Al-Madinah, sent me to ask Ibn Abbas about how the Messenger of Allah would perform Salat Al-Istisqa. I came to him and he said: 'The Messenger of Allah would go out in modest dress, humbly, imploring, until he reached the Musalla. He would not give this Khutbah of yours, rather, he would continue supplication and imploring saying the Takbir, and pray two Rak'ah, just as he would pray for the Eid.'" (Hasan)
Other references
English translation Vol. 2, Book 1, Hadith 558
In-book reference Book 6, Hadith 15
Reference Jami` at-Tirmidhi 558
كتاب صلاة الاستسقاء 9 The Book of Prayer - Rain(2)Chapter: The Supplication When Praying For Rain(2) باب الدُّعَاءِ فِي الاِسْتِسْقَاءِ
Anas (b. Malik) reported:
It rained upon us as we were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) removed his cloth (from a part of his body) till the rain fell on it. We said: Messenger of Allah, why did you do this? He said: It is because it (the rainfall) has just come from the Exalted Lord.
وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ الْبُنَانِيِّ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ أَنَسٌ أَصَابَنَا وَنَحْنُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَطَرٌ قَالَ فَحَسَرَ رَسُولُ
Reference :
Sahih Muslim 898In-book reference : Book 9, Hadith 14
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1960
(deprecated numbering scheme)
here is 31 hadith found in 'Invoking Allah for Rain (Istisqaa)' of Sahih Bukhari.http://www.searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=17&translator=1