Istikharah

what is iistikharah?

It is a prayer that is to be performed for seeking guidance in forming a decision or choosing the proper course in matters wherein you have difficulty deciding which way to take.

how do you pray it

- Perform ablution
- Pray 2 rakaah
- Ask Allah for guidance through the following du'ah:

اللّهُـمَّ إِنِّـي أَسْتَخيـرُكَ بِعِاْـمِك، وَأسْتَقْـدِرُكَ بِقُـدْرَتِـك، وَأَسْـألُـكَ مِنْ فَضْـلِكَ العَظـيم، فَإِنَّـكَ تَقْـدِرُ وَلا أَقْـدِر، وَتَـعْلَـمُ وَلا أَعْلَـم، وَأَنْـتَ عَلاّمُ الغُـيوب، اللّهُـمَّ إِنْ كُنْـتَ تَعْـلَمُ أَنَّ هـذا الأمْـرَ- وَيُسَـمِّي حاجَتَـه - خَـيْرٌ لي في دينـي وَمَعـاشي وَعاقِـبَةِ أَمْـري، فَاقْـدُرْهُ لي وَيَسِّـرْهُ لي ثـمَّ بارِكْ لي فيـه، وَإِنْ كُنْـتَ تَعْـلَمُ أَنَّ هـذا الأمْـرَ شَـرٌ لي في دينـي وَمَعـاشي وَعاقِـبَةِ أَمْـري، فَاصْرِفْـهُ وَاصْرِفْني عَنْـهُ وَاقْـدُرْ لي الخَـيْرَ حَيْـثُ كانَ ثُـمَّ أَرْضِـني بِـه

Allâhumma innî astakhîruka bi-cilmika wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratika, wa as-aluka min fadlika-l-cazîmi. Fa-innaka taqdiru wa lâ aqdiru, wa taclamu wa lâ aclamu, wa anta callâmu-l-ghuyûbi. Allâhumma in kunta taclamu anna hâdhâ-l-amra (que l'on explicite) khayrun lî fî dînî wa macâshî, wa câqibati amrî (ou : câjilihi wa âjilihi) fa-qdurhu lî, wa yassirhu lî, thumma bârik lî fîhi. Wa in kunta taclamu anna hâdhâ-l-amra (que l'on explicite) sharrun lî fî dînî wa macâshî, , wa câqibati amrî (ou : câjilihi wa âjilihi) fa-srifhu cannî, wa srifnî canhu, wa qdur lî-l-khayra haythu kâna thumma arddinî bihi.

"O Allah, I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge and by Your power I seek strength and I ask You from Your immense favour, for verily You are able while I am not and verily You know while I do not and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know this affair -and here he mentions his need- to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life, and end, then decree and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it, and if You know this affair to be ill for me towards my religion, my life, and end, then remove it from me and remove me from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it be and make me satisfied with such."

how do you know the outcome?

Allah may show you the way through dreams or make you you feel inclined to that which is better for you.

Hope this helps.
You can also check the following:
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/S...=1119503543882

http://www.islamicboard.com/advice-s...-guidance.html

if u read the above link it explains everything

u can read it off paper, u read 2 nafl, then read the dua after it before u go to sleep

There's no specified time, and you can read the du'aa from a piece of paper - though it's preferred if you memorise it.

By the way, you read the du'a after you pray the two raka'aat.

^ Thats what i said.

format_quote Originally Posted by - Brok3n -

^ Thats what i said.

We posted at the same time, so I didn't see what you posted. 'Afwan.

^ Safe, khayr inshaaAllaah (Whats 'Afwan?)

format_quote Originally Posted by anonymous

Salaam.

can someone please answer the following questions for me regarding istikharah:
1) what is iistikharah?
2) how do you pray it (step by step please, appreciated. )
3) how do you know the outcome?
jazakallah

What is iistikharah? How do I pray?

Just two or more rakahs of optional salah to be performed by two-rakah at a time.

How do you know the outcome?

A man has to pray to Allah only for good guidance and Allah alone knows what is best for his slaves.Istikhara is not any mechanism to know the unseen. Only Allah knows the unseen. Only cheaters and liars say that if you sleep after istikhara prayer you will dream what to do and what not. There is nothing like this for sure. We have only to seek grace and guidance from Allah and He knows how He will grace and guide us.

Be aware of religion cheaters! In our country, thousands of cheaters earn money by selling the unknown through their so-called dream.

اللّهُـمَّ إِنِّـي أَسْتَخيـرُكَ بِعِاْـمِك، وَأسْتَقْـدِرُكَ بِقُـدْرَتِـك، وَأَسْـألُـكَ مِنْ فَضْـلِكَ العَظـيم، فَإِنَّـكَ تَقْـدِرُ وَلا أَقْـدِر، وَتَـعْلَـمُ وَلا أَعْلَـم، وَأَنْـتَ عَلاّمُ الغُـيوب، اللّهُـمَّ إِنْ كُنْـتَ تَعْـلَمُ أَنَّ هـذا الأمْـرَ- وَيُسَـمِّي حاجَتَـه - خَـيْرٌ لي في دينـي وَمَعـاشي وَعاقِـبَةِ أَمْـري، فَاقْـدُرْهُ لي وَيَسِّـرْهُ لي ثـمَّ بارِكْ لي فيـه، وَإِنْ كُنْـتَ تَعْـلَمُ أَنَّ هـذا الأمْـرَ شَـرٌ لي في دينـي وَمَعـاشي وَعاقِـبَةِ أَمْـري، فَاصْرِفْـهُ وَاصْرِفْني عَنْـهُ وَاقْـدُرْ لي الخَـيْرَ حَيْـثُ كانَ ثُـمَّ أَرْضِـني بِـه

Allâhumma innî astakhîruka bi-cilmika wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratika, wa as-aluka min fadlika-l-cazîmi. Fa-innaka taqdiru wa lâ aqdiru, wa taclamu wa lâ aclamu, wa anta callâmu-l-ghuyûbi. Allâhumma in kunta taclamu anna hâdhâ-l-amra (que l'on explicite) khayrun lî fî dînî wa macâshî, wa câqibati amrî (ou : câjilihi wa âjilihi) fa-qdurhu lî, wa yassirhu lî, thumma bârik lî fîhi. Wa in kunta taclamu anna hâdhâ-l-amra (que l'on explicite) sharrun lî fî dînî wa macâshî, , wa câqibati amrî (ou : câjilihi wa âjilihi) fa-srifhu cannî, wa srifnî canhu, wa qdur lî-l-khayra haythu kâna thumma arddinî bihi.

"O Allah, I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge and by Your power I seek strength and I ask You from Your immense favour, for verily You are able while I am not and verily You know while I do not and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know this affair -and here he mentions his need- to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life, and end, then decree and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it, and if You know this affair to be ill for me towards my religion, my life, and end, then remove it from me and remove me from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it be and make me satisfied with such."

Who has composed this dua? Don't misguide people by preaching the necessity of reciting any man-made dua as any rite. A person can very well ask Allah in his mother tongue for what he needs. What is the use of a dua in a language if the supplicant does not know what he is asking Allah for? Obviously spreading the necessity of reciting man-made duas is the misguidance of liars who earn money by writing falsehood in their books.

When faced with important decisions in life, a believer is persuaded to use all of his Allah-given resources, as well as to consult people who are known for their knowledge, piety and sound opinion. After having done so, he can turn to Allah for guidance.


Humans are limited in knowledge, and Allah alone possesses perfect knowledge. Allah has told us that He alone possesses the keys to all that is good. He has also promised to help us if we turn to Him earnestly and sincerely.


We see around us people doing all sorts of things for confirmation when faced with important decisions in their life. The Pre-Islamic Arabs resorted to the practice of divining with arrows or the stirring of birds. In modern times, even some of the most prominent people consult astrologers, psychics, gurus or so called spiritual masters. Islam teaches that since Allah alone knows the unseen realities, and He alone is aware of what is good for us in an absolute sense, we must seek His help.

Imam An-Nawawi (may Allah bless his soul) adds:


“After making Istikharah, a person must do what he or she is wholeheartedly inclined to do and feels good about doing and should not insist on doing what he had desired to do before making the Istikharah. And if his or her feelings change, he or she should leave what he or she had intended to do, for otherwise he or she is not leaving the choice to Allah, and would not be honest in seeking help from Allah's power and knowledge. Sincerity in seeking Allah's choice means that one should completely abandon what one desired oneself.”

http://www.islamicboard.com/advice-s...-guidance.html

can you pray this if you want to find something out (not revolving around a decision making)

^ I'm not sure sis...

Ok, thanks anyways

format_quote Originally Posted by anonymous

Thanks all

one more question: DO YOU ONLY PRAY ISTIKARAH WHEN YOUR TORN BETWEEN TWO CHOICES ? BECAUSE I AM NOT TORN BETWEEN TWO CHOICES, I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THE DECISION I AM FACED WITH (REGARDING MARRIAGE) IS THE RIGHT ONE FOR ME.

You cannot know from Allah! You have to depend on Allah only.