Istikhara: (The Guidance Prayer) How to make Istikhara prayer

Istikharah Prayer
Description: A brief explanation of the Istikharah prayer, including why performing it is a
recommendable act.
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Objectives:

· To understand both the the definition and importance of the Istikharah prayer.
· To learn when and how to perform the Istikharah prayer.
Arabic terms
· Sunnah - The word Sunnah has several meanings depending on the area of study
however the meaning is generally accepted to be, whatever was reported that the
Prophet said, did, or approved.
· Du’a - supplication, prayer, asking Allah for something.
· Hajj - A pilgrimage to the Holy House of Allah in the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, which every adult Muslim must undertake at least
once in their life if they can afford it and are physically able.
· Tasleem " The salutation of peace that ends the prayer.
What is Istikharah?
Istikharah is a du’a made in conjunction with non-obligatory
prayer; it is a voluntary prayer that Prophet Mohammad
recommended to anybody wanting to do something but feeling
hesitant about doing it. It is seeking guidance in order to make
the right decision. It is reported that Prophet Muhammad would
teach his companions to make Istikharah just as he would teach
them verses from the Quran. He said, oeIf any one of you is
deliberating about a decision he has to make, then let him pray
two units of non-obligatory prayer, then say…
Allahumma innee astakheeru-ka bi-’ilmik wa astaqdiru-ka bi-qudratik wa as-alu-ka min
Istikharah Prayer 1 of 3 www.NewMuslims.com
fadlikal-‘azeem fa-inna-ka taqdiru wa laa aqdir wa ta’lamu wa laa a’lam wa Anta
‘Allamul-ghuyoob. Allahumma in kunta ta’lamu anna hadhal-amr khairul-lee fee
deenee wa ma’aashee wa ‘aaqibati amree faqdur-hu lee wa yassir-hu lee thumma
baarik lee feeh. wa in kunta ta’lamu anna hadhal-amra sharrul-lee fee deenee wa
ma’aashee wa ‘aaqibati amree fasrifhu ‘annee wasrifnee ‘anh waqdur liyal-khayra
haythu kaan thumma ardhinee bih.
O Allah, I ask You to show me what is best, through Your knowledge, and I ask You to empower me,
through Your power, and I beg You to grant me Your tremendous favour, for You have power, while
I am without power, and You have knowledge, while I am without knowledge, and You are the One
who knows all things unseen.
O Allah, if You know that this matter (mention the thing to be decided) is good for me in my
religion and in my life and for my welfare in the life to come, then ordain it for me and make it
easy for me, and then bless me in it. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion
and in my life and for my welfare in the life to come, then distance it from me, and distance me
from it, and ordain for me what is good wherever it may be, and help me to be content with it.”
When to pray Istikharah
Islamic scholars agree that Istikharah is suggested when a person does not know the
right decision to make. If one is unsure about whether or not his possible actions would
bring about good in both this world and the hereafter. If a person is hesitating, not
knowing if oeit” is the right thing to do then Istikharah is the du’a that may set his mind at
ease. It is the du’a that acknowledges Allah as the only strength and only power in this
world. His guidance is necessary to ensure that human beings follow the straight and
correct path that leads to a blissful life everlasting. For instance, if a person wants to find
out the right time to do something, such as whether or not to do voluntary Hajj this year, or
to propose marriage to a particular person, then it is acceptable and recommended that he
or she prays Istikharah. Understand carefully that Istikharah is for matters that are
considered either recommended or permissible. It is for cases in which there is a conflict.
Should I give to this charity or the other? Should I apply for this halal job or another? One
should prays Istikharah concerning the thing he or she thinks is more likely to be better
and then go ahead with doing it.
Istikharah is not prayed for matters that are clearly known and understood to be either
good or bad such as obligatory acts of worship, staying away from sins and evil actions.
It is recommended, before praying Istikharah, to consult someone whom you knows is
sincere, caring and has experience, and who is trustworthy with regard to his or her
religious commitment and knowledge.
When to recite the du’a of Istikharah
It is permitted to recite the du’a of Istikharah either before or after the tasleem. Some
scholars recommend before, because Prophet Muhammad himself used to make a lot of
Istikharah Prayer 2 of 3 www.NewMuslims.com
du’a before the tasleem. In addition to this, du’a while still in a state of prayer is a
commendable action.
Common Mistakes
· Believing that there is a set number of times to pray Istikharah.
There is no set time period for praying Istikharah and it is permissible to repeat it more
than once.
· Believing in the need for a dream.
Some people believe that after praying Istikharah they should experience a dream or
feeling of ease. This is not correct. Even without such a thing, if a person makes a
decision it should be hoped, due to the sincere du’a of Istikharah, that this will be the best
decision.
· Believing that the du’a was not answered.
If a person does not succeed in a decision he takes after praying Istikharah this does
not mean that the du’a did not bring about what was best. Often it is a case of Allah
knowing what is best while we human beings do not. If we take particular note of the
words of the du’a we will notice we are not only asking Allah for what is best but also
asking Him to remove from us, things of no benefit to us, either in this life or in the
hereafter.
After praying Istikharah if Allah makes things easy for you then this is a sign that the
thing you decided is good for you and if obstacles come in the way and things become
difficult then this is an indication that Allah is pushing you away from a bad decision.

I have learned to support Muslims, wherever they are, who are striving to establish Islam
and to leave off from those who want to cast aspersions against them,
whether these blamers are Muslim or not

Those who have gone forth are smarter and better than those who lag behind

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1.   How to make Istikhara prayer

* Bismillahi-r-Rahmani-r-Raheem *
Assalamu 'alaikum.

The following is from the book "Selected Prayers" compiled by Dr. Jamal Badawi.

When seeking guidance in decision-making (Istikharah)

Allahomma Inni Astakheeroka Bi3ilmik. Wa'astaqdiroka Biqodratik. Wa'as'aloka min Fadlikal3azeem. Fa'innaka Taqdiru Wala Aqdir. Wata3lamo Wala-a3lam. Wa'anta-3allamul ghuyoob.

Allahomma In Kunta Ta3lamu Anna (Hathal-Amra) Khayul-lee Fi Deenee Wama3ashi Wa3ajila Amri Wa'ajilah, Faqdorho lee, Wayassirho lee, Thomma-barik lee fih.

Wa'in Konta Ta3lamo Anna (Hathal-Amra) sharrul-lee Fi Deenee. Wama3ashi. Wa3ajila Amri. Wa'ajilaho. Fasrifho 3annee. Wasrifnee 3anh. Waqdur leyal-khayr Haytho kan. Thomma ardini Bih.

Translation of du'a:

O Allah! I seek Your guidance (in making a choice) by virtue of Your knowledge, and I seek ability by virtue of Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power, I have none. And You know, I know not. You are the Knower of hidden things.

O Allah! If in Your knowledge, (this matter) is good for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs; immediate and in the distant, then ordain for me, make it easy for me and bless it for me. And if in Your knolwedge, (this matter) is bad for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs; immediate and in the distant, then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it. And ordain for me the good wherever it be and make me pleased with it.

Notes:

1. The above du'a is to be recited when there is uncertainty about the advisability of taking a decision, provided it is Islamically permissable.

2. After performing wudu' (ablution), one should offer two rakahs (sunnah required for this purpose).

3. Before receiting the dua' it should be made sure that the person is not already inclined to a given decision; otherwise it will mean the person is not serious about seeking guidance from Allah (SWT).

4. In making this dua' the actual matter or decision concerning which divine guidance is being sought should be mentioned instead of the words (Hathal Amra) in trasnliteration or the words "this matter" in the translation above.

5. After reciting the dua' (immediately or later on), one may feel more favorably disposed toward one choice or the other.

***************** End of Excerpt ***************************


Salatul Istekharah From The Book Fiqh Us-Sunnah By As-Sayyid Sabiq
It is a sunnah that, if one must choose between permissible alternatives, one should pray two rak'as sunnah, be they regular sunnah prayers or a prayer for entering a mosque, and so on, during any time of the day or night, and to recite therein whatever one wishes of the Qu'ran after reciting Al-Fatiha. Then one should praise Allah and send salutations to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and recite the following supplication which has been recorded by Bukhari in Jabir's narration:"The Prophet, peace be upon him, would teach us al-Istikharah for all of our affairs as he would teach us a surah of the Qu'ran. He said 'if one of you is deliberating over an act, he should pray two rak'ahs and say:

"O Allah, I consult You as You are All-Knowing and I appeal to You to give me power as You are Omnipotent, I ask You for Your great favor, for You have power and I do not, and You know all of the hidden matters. O Allah! If you know that this matter (then mention it) is good for me in my religion, my livlihood, and for my life in the Hereafter (or he said 'for my present and future life') then ordain it for me, make it (easy) for me and bless it for me. And if You know that this matter is bad for my religion, my livlihood and my life in the Hereafter (or he said 'for my present and future life') then turn it away from me and turn me away from it and ordain the good for me wherever it be and make me be pleased with it."

There is nothing authentic concerning anything specific that is to be recited in the prayer nor is there any authentic report concerning how many times one should repeat it.

An-Nawawi holds that "after performing the istikhara, a person must do what he is wholeheartedly inclined to do and feels good about doing and should not insist on doing what he has desired to do before making the istikhara. And if his feelings change, he should leave what he had intended to do, otherwise he is not completely leaving the choice of Allah, and would not be honest in seeking aid from Allah's power and knowledge. Sincerity in seeking Allah's choice means that one should completely leave what one oneself desired or determined."

http://members.lycos.co.uk/Shax2/islam/muslimwomen.html

You are not aware of the consequences that would result (if you were granted what you desire) because what you seek might be to your detriment. (O soul) be conscious that your Master is more aware about your well-being than you are.

~Ibn Al-Jawzee

Assalamu alaikum,

When one is not clear about the result of the istikhara, the fuqaha mention that it is recommend to repeat it, upto 7 times if necessary (usually done on separate occasions). [cf: Radd al-Muhtar]

It is not necessary that you get a dream or even a "feeling." Rather, the istikhara is a prayer that Allah guide you towards that which is best (khayr) for you. If you do the prayer of guidance (istikhara) with the proper manners, the most important of which is to truly consign the matter to Allah and suspend your own inclinations, then Allah will make events unfold in the direction that is the best for your worldly and next-worldly affairs.

In general, when it is not possible to perform the istikhara prayer itself (such as when one is out on the road, or in one's menstrual period), it is recommended to simply read the dua itself. [Radd al-Muhtar]

The istikhara prayer may be made for a specific matter or be made for a general seeking of all that is best. Some scholars, including Imam Abd al-Wahhab al-Sha`rani and Ibn `Arafah before him saw this kind of istikhara prayer as being superior. Others, including Shaykh Ibn al-Arabi, recommended performing a general istikhara prayer for all that is good every day, ideally at the time of the Duha prayer (after sunrise).

Imam al-Nawawi mentioned that before the istikhara prayer, one should seek advice (istishara) from those whose knowledge, wisdom, and concern one is confident. Ibn Hajar al-Haytami and others mentioned that one of the benefits of this is to further distance oneself from the desires of one's own egotistic inclinations.

It is recommended to open the dua of istikhara [below], with praise of Allah and sending blessings on the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace), and to close it in this manner, too.

Like other duas, it is recommended that one face the qibla.

It is disliked to 'hasten' in seeking the answer to one's istikhara, like other duas, because the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) said, "Your prayers are answered, unless you hasten, saying, 'I prayed, but no answer came.'"

One should be pleased with what Allah chooses for one, and not seek to follow one's whims after the answer to one's supplication becomes clear.

There is a pious lady in our community who has offered to pray istikhara for me to help me make a decision for marriage.... [ .... ] my question to you is if you know if this idea of relying on someone else's istikhara is a good idea and compatible with the teachings of Islam on how to make dua and decisions. should I follow her advice (according to her dreams and feelings) to me on this issue or not?

This is one means you can take: to seek the istikhara of a pious person. The permissibility of this was mentioned explicitly by the Malikis and Shafi`is. The Hanafis do not appear to have discussed this issue [al-Mawsu`a al-Fiqhhiyya, Kuwait], but there is nothing in it that would indicate its impermissibility. Rather, it is merely the taking of a means, which is permitted as long as one knows that the one who gives and takes, benefits and harms is Allah alone.

In such cases, though, one should not leave doing the istikhara oneself...

Salat al-Istikhara

CONCERNING THE RITUAL PRAYER FOR GUIDANCE IN CHOOSING THE BEST OPTION [SALAT AL-ISTIKHARA], AND THE PRAYER OF SUPPLICATION [DU'A'] APPROPRIATE TO IT.

According to a traditional report transmitted on the authority of Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir, it was Jabir ibn 'Abdi'llah (may Allah be well pleased with him and with his father) who said:

"Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to teach us how to seek guidance in choosing the best option available in a practical enterprise [al-istikhara fi 'l-amr], just as he would sometimes teach us a Chapter [Sura] from the Qur'an.  :

"'If one of you is concerned about some practical undertaking, or about making plans for a journey, he should perform two cycles of ritual prayer [rak'atain], not as an obligatory observance [farida], but voluntarily.  Then he should say: 

'"O Allah, I ask You to show me what is best, through Your knowledge, and I ask You to empower me, through Your power, and I beg You to grant me Your tremendous favor, for You have power, while I am without power, and You have knowledge, while I am without knowledge, and You are the One who knows all things invisible.

Allahumma inni astakhiru-ka bi-'ilmi-ka wa astaqdiru-ka bi-qudrati-ka wa as'alu-ka min fadli-ka 'l-'azim fa-inna-ka taqdiru wa la aqdiru wa ta'lamu wa la a'lamu wa Anta 'Allamu 'l-ghuyub :

O Allah, if You know that this undertaking is in the best interests of my religion, my life in this world, and my life in the Hereafter, and can yield successful results in both the short term and the long term, then make it possible for me and make it easy for me, and then bless me in it.

Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha 'l-amra khairun li fi dini wa dunyaya wa akhirati wa 'aqibati amri wa 'ajili-hi wa ajili-h :fa-'qdir-hu li wa yassir-hu li thumma barik li fi-h :

If not, then turn it away from me, and make it easy for me to do well, wherever I may happen to be,  and make me content with Your verdict, O Most Merciful of the merciful.'"

wa illa fa-'srif-hu 'an-ni wa yassir liya 'l-khaira haithu kana ma kuntu wa raddi-ni bi-qada'i-ka ya Arhama 'r-rahimin :

  please share for others, Jadzak Allahu Kaheeraan