Ruling on organizing prayers for rain if this is not done by the ruler

If the ruler of a state is neglecting the Sunnah of praying for rain
(salaat al-istisqaa'), and he does not call the people to offer this
prayer when there is no rain or the wells have dried up, is it
permissible for the imaamof one of the mosques in that country to call
the people of his city to offer the prayer for rain and forthem to go
out on their own to offer this prayer?
Praise be to Allaah.
If the people of a city are not ordered by their ruler to offer the
Eid prayers or prayers for rain, then it is prescribed for them to
offer the Eid prayer and prayers for rain in the desert (i.e., outside
the city) if that is possible, or else in the mosques, because the
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prescribed that
for his ummah. Eid prayer is fard kafaayah (i.e., if some members of
the community undertake this duty, the rest are free from blame, but
if no one does it, all will be held to blame), so it is not
permissible for the Muslims in any city to neglect it. Some of the
scholars said that it is fard'ayn (an individual obligation) like
Jumu'ah prayers, because the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) did itand ordered others to do it.
Kitaab Majmoo' Fataawawa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh
'Abd al-'Azeez ibn 'Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him)