Istikhara.. What is Istikhara? People these days are being robbed in the name of Istikhara. In this article I will try to explain what Istikhara is and how it is performed, the one which was taught by the Prophet SAW.
Firstly, when or why should the Istikhara be performed?
I would suggest making Istikhara for every critical decision that you make but if you can't then whenever you want to make a crucial decision about something in life whether it be business transaction, or you want to marry a girl (marriage) or something else. First thing you should do is, (It is not a part of Istikhara and it is not compulsory this is just my advice nothing to do with Shariah and should be done if you don't know anything about that field or else) discuss the matter at hand with people who have experience of that field, for example if you want to start a business of cloths discuss it with people who are in this field and whom you trust and once you come to a decision, then do the Istikhara (make up your mind first then ask Allah whether this is good for me or not).
What is Istikhara?
Istikhara means to ask "Khair" or in simple words, good from Allah. One thing to keep in mind is that "Khair" doesn't mean wealth or money.
Example1:
A person might say that I did Istikhara before doing this business transaction and I suffered loss. This loss might be good for you. Allah might have saved you from some big calamity or Allah might have wanted to reward you by giving you loss in this world.
Allah says
..it may be that you dislike a thing and the same is good for you, and you love a thing and the same is bad for you: Allah knows but you do not.[Al Baqarah 2:216]
Example2:
Or A person might say that I did Istikhara before marrying this girl but she died a few months later or she was not obedient or the other way around girl might complain of these things.
I am no body, Shiekh can you do Istikhara for me 🤦♂️
People now days are being robbed by fake molvis and agencies telling them that we will do Istikhara for you. Firstly if you read the translation of the dua which the Prophet SAW taught us for the Istikhara it is a one to one conversation with Allah.
So what happens is you ask Allah that I have made this decision if it is better for ME for my religion, for my economic purposes and for my hereafter then make it easy for ME.(its a really powerful dua translation will be below). It is not said that make it easy for Ahmad or Ibrahim etc. If someone else was allowed to do Istikhara for someone else then the Sahaba would have asked Prophet SAW to perform Istikhara for them but this didn't happen.
So it should be performed by the person who want's to do the work or make a decision no matter how sinful he/she thinks of himself or whatsoever
How to perform it?
It is a simple Ibadah and can be done anytime except in those time when it is not allowed to pray, some people might say to do it before you go to sleep. It's not true, if it was, the Prophet SAW would have said so. So, what you have to do is perform two rakah Nafl prayer like the normal prayer and then after the prayer recite this dua. It is better to know the meaning of the dua and not read it like a parrot, the dua is in the Hadith below.
Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:
The Prophet (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 Qur'an. He said, "If anyone of you thinks of doing any job he should offer a two rak`at prayer other than the compulsory ones and say (after the prayer):
للَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي اصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ
--(dua) '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-lamra 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. 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. 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).
The Prophet (ﷺ) added that then the person should name (mention) his need.
[Sahih Bukhari 1166]
What will happen afterward?
After performing the Istikhara what will happen? some people say that when you sleep if that thing is right for you, you will see a green color indicating that you should do it. I ask a simple question did Prophet SAW said that? if Yes then OK if not then I don't care what people say.. Then people might say that it happens, this this shiekh or imam said that you see a green color. I ask so what does it indicate that it is true and the Prophet didn't know about it han?! Your shiekh is more intelligent than the Prophet?!
So, what will really happen after Istikhara? actually nothing will happen, simply if that work is good for you Allah will make the work easier for you and if not then you won't be able to finish or even do that work.
Some people might say how would we know that we should do that work. There is no clear indication, If a person feels like doing it, start the work if it would be better it would be made easy for you, if not then it won't. You can make Istikhara more than once as well there is no restriction of it.
Wallahu Alam.
May Allah guide me and you to the straight path.
O Allah! Enable us to see the Truth as Truth and give us the ability to follow it. And show us the falsehood as false and give us the ability to refrain from it. Ameen
Will be waiting for feedback either as a personal email or a comment below
JazakAllah Khair
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