WHAT IS ISTIKHAARAH?
Istikhaarah is to seek guidance from Allah when one is faced with a problem to which no solution is apparent.
Whenever a person is faced with a difficult problem, or becomes hesitant in making a decision and his knowledge of the matter is insufficient to guide him then after seeking advice from trusted friends he should turn to Allah and beseech His grace. He should willingly and with an open heart and mind supplicate for divine guidance and ask for direction so that the problem is solved in his own best interest. The Du'aa at such an occasion is called Istikhaarah.
hadrat Saad ibn abi-Waqas (r.a.) reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "Istikharah (seeking guidance from Allah) is one of the distinct favors (of Allah) upon man, and a good fortune for the son of Adam is to be pleased with the Judgment of Allah. And a misfortune of the son of Adam is his failure to make ‘istikharah’ (seeking Allah's guidance), and a misfortune for the son of Adam is his displeasure with the Judgment of Allah."
Istikhaarah is in fact an invaluable teaching of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) with which the Muslims have been favored. This blessing could give solace to many for all times to come. It is related in the Hadith that Rasulullah (SAW) use to teach the Istikhaarah to the Sahaabah (RA) like the Qur'an is taught to children. In another Hadith it is stated that 'He does not fail who makes Istikhaarah and he does not regret who makes Mashwarah (consultation) .
In the Masnoon Istikhaarah, after one has carried out his responsibility as best as one can, one should hand over the entire matter and oneself to the limitless knowledge of Allah Ta'ala. By resorting to Istikhaarah one is now retrieved of making a decision on ones own.
Whenever counsel is sought from a respectable and experienced person, it is expected that he will give good advice and assist to the best of his ability. Similarly Istikhaarah is to seek counsel that the all-Knowing and Merciful Allah? Once Istikhaarah is made then Allah Subhanah will surely guide him to do what is best for him.
Now there can be no perplexity. Only that will happen which Allah Subhanah wills and which is good for ones own sake though one may not be able to see it immediately. It is not necessary that one must experience or see an evident change or vision. Allah Ta'ala alone knows what is best for His servants. It is related in the Hadith that 'Success and good tidings for the son of Aadam (Insaan) is in performing Istikhaarah and his misfortune lies in not making Istikhaarah' .
METHOD OF ISTIKHAARAH
When making Istikhaarah begins with performing two Rakaats Nafl Salaat. Then with all sincerity recite the following Du'a.
[Sahih Bukhari : Volume 2, Book 21, Number 263]Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah (Radi Allah Anhu): The Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) used to teach us the way of doing Istikhara (Istikhara means to ask Allah to guide one to the right sort of action concerning any job or a deed), in all matters as he taught us the Suras of the Quran. He said, "If anyone of you thinks of doing any job he should offer a two Rakat prayer other than the compulsory ones and say (after the prayer): --
'Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi'ilmika, Wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratika, Wa as'alaka min fadlika al-'azlm Fa-innaka taqdiru Wala aqdiru, Wa ta'lamu Wala a'lamu, Wa anta 'allamu l-ghuyub. Allahumma, in kunta ta'lam anna hadha-l-amra Khairun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa'aqibati amri (or 'ajili amri wa'ajilihi) Faqdirhu wa yas-sirhu li thumma barik li Fihi , Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha-lamra shar-run li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa'aqibati amri (or fi'ajili amri wa ajilihi) Fasrifhu anni was-rifni anhu. Waqdir li al-khaira haithu kana Thumma ardini bihi.'
(O Allah! I ask guidance from Your knowledge, And Power from Your Might and I ask for Your great blessings. You are capable and I am not. You know and I do not and You know the unseen. O Allah! If You know that this job is good for my religion and my subsistence and in my Hereafter--( or said: If it is better for my present and later needs)--Then You ordain it for me and make it easy for me to get, And then bless me in it, and if You know that this job is harmful to me In my religion and subsistence and in the Hereafter--( or said: If it is worse for my present and later needs)--Then keep it away from me and let me be away from it. And ordain for me whatever is good for me, And make me satisfied with it).
While reciting this Du'aa when one reaches HAADHAL AMR (THIS MATTER) at both places he should think of his problem.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not as if whenever one performs ‘istakharah’, one will get an immediate answer from the Merciful Lord in one’s dream (although it may happen!), or something tangible; but what happens is, if one completely puts his trust in Allah Subhanah and makes a choice between the permissible alternatives, one will easily be able to recognize the permissibility of his choice made.
If the choice made is right, Allah Subhanah will make the option easily available and clear all the difficulties in the path of obtaining that good option; and as one sees the ease with which the option is carried out, he/she will realize that this is indeed the right choice and the result of the istakhara was in the affirmative. But if the choice is wrong and detrimental in the future, Allah Subhanah will make the happening of the option difficult and one will experience blockages and difficulties in the way of achieving that option; and at some stage, when after trying everything in one’s power the option is still not coming to a conclusion, one will realize that this was not the right choice and the result of the istakhara was negative.
The most important aspect while performing ‘istakharah’ is to recognize that All Strength and Power belongs to none except Allah Subhanah Alone; if the powers of the whole world got together and tried to give one something which Allah Subhanah has not Willed and Permitted, know it for sure that it can never happen! And if all the powers of the world got together and tried to take something which Allah has been Pleased and Permitted one with, they would not be able withhold His Mercy! Thus one should know for sure, that everything, absolutely everything happens only with the Will and Permission of Allah Subhanah, the Lord of the Worlds.
May Allah guide and assist us all, Aameen
