SALAH AL-ISTIKHARAH

Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim

Assalam alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatu

Every day we have decisions to make about our lives. And who is the best to ask for the best guidance and wisdom? Allah alone. He knows what’s best for us, and there may be good in what we perceive as bad, and bad in what we perceive as good. Allah says in Surah Al-Imran (Q3:159), “Put your trust in Allah certainly, Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him).”  

If you are ambivalent or unsure about a decision you have to make, there is a specific prayer for guidance (Salah Al-Istikharah) that you can do to ask for Allah’s help in making your decision. When you’re facing a problem, a situation or being hesitant in making a decision, ask Allah to the path best for you concerning the affair. However Imam Nawawi mentions that before the Istikahra prayer, one should seek advice from those whose knowledge, widom and concern one is confident. Ibn Hajar and others mention that one of the benefits of this is to further distance oneself from the desires of egoistic inclinations.

Istikharah is a word which means asking Allah to help one make a choice, meaning choosing the best of two things where one needs to choose one from. Ibn Abi Jamrah said: ‘it is means something specific, with regard to matters that are waajib (obligatory) or mustahabb (liked), there is no need for Istikharah to decide wheter to do them, and with regard to matters that are haram (forbidden) or makrooh (disliked), there is no need for Istikharah to decide whether to avoid them. The issue of Istikharah is confined to matters that are mubaah (allowed), or in mustahabb matters when there is a decision to be made as to which one should be given priority.’

Salah Al-Istikharah is a powerful tool that Allah has given us to ask His guidance in all matters. We should not hesitate to pray Istikharah before making any choice, either big or small. With sincerity in our hearts then Allah will truly guide us even if it clashes with our own desires. Other than the Sunnah Salah, there is a dua that should be said in firm conviction, not begging or pleading but asking Allah clearly for guidance. The reason as to why Istikharah is prescribed is that it is submission to the command of Allah and a practical demonstration that one has no power or strength of one’s own and thus turns to Allah to seek guidance that will combine the goodness of this world and the hereafter.

The description of Salah Al-Istikharah was reported by Jaabir ibn Abd-Allah al-Salami who said, “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to teach his companions to make Istikharah in all things, just as he used to teach them Surahs from the Qur’an. He said, ‘If any one of you is concerned about a decision he has to make, then let him pray two rakaats of non-obligatory prayer, then say: Allahuma inni astakheeruka bi ‘ilmika wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika wa ‘asaluka min fadhlika, fa innaka taqdiru wa laa aqdir, wa ta’alamu wa laa a’lam wa anta ‘allam al-ghuyoob. Allahuma fa in kunta ta’alamu haadha’l-amra [then the matter should be mentioned by name] khayran li or fi deeni wa ma’ashi wa ‘aqibati amri faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li thumma baarik li fihi. Allahumma wa in kunta ta’alamu annahu sharrun li fi deeni wa ma’ashi wa ‘aqibati amri fasrifni ‘anhu waqdur li al-khayr haythu kaana thuma radni bihi. (O Allah, I seek 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 it is bad for me and for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs then turn me away from it, and ordain from me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with it.)” (Bukhari) The schools of thought have agreed that it is mustahabb, after reciting Al-Fatiha to recite Al-Kafirun in the first rakaah and Al-Ikhlas in the second. An-Nawawi said explaining the reason for that: it is appropriate to recite these in prayer, to show sincerity and expressing your leaving your affairs to Allah. They said that it is also permissible to add other verses from Qur’an where the context refers to the idea of making a choice or decision. For the dua’ it can be said either before (in the last sujood) or after salaam like the normal dua’.  The Salah can be repeated if doubts still fall in one’s mind.

When performing Istikharah, one should have an open mind, and not have decided on a specific course. That’s is why there is, ‘if anyone of you is concerned’ this indicates that it should be prayed when one starts to think of the matter, when through the blessings of prayer and dua’ what is good will become clear to him, in contrast to when the idea has taken root and his resolved to do it is firm, in which case his inclination will sway him. After the Salah we should not be impatient. Sabr is required, we do not put Allah on a timetable. We should expect the answers to be in a sort of dream full of sigs and symbols or expect a miracle or ‘feelings’. These things are not necessary, we simply pray and trust Allah to guide us and will answer us in a way that is best. Allah will unfold the events in the direction that will bring khayr for you. It is disliked to hasten in seeking the answer  because the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Your prayers are answered, unless you hasten, saying, ‘I prayed, but no answer came.’”

Another thing to keep in mind is that this Salah is not only when getting married but when choosing what school to go to, what career path to choose, when to go for Hajj and so on. It can be related to any significant or insignificant aspect of a person’s life. There is no room for Istikharah when it comes to things that are obligatory, haram or makrooh. The phrase ‘let him pray two rakaats of non-obligatory prayer.’ This clearly means it is not Fajr prayer, or any other obligatory prayer or Sunnah prayer done after the obligatory prayer. But if it prayed at the same time as intending to pray that particular prayer then it is fine, but not if he did not have this intention.

And Allah knows best.