Procedure In Performing Istikhaarah
QUESTION:
Considering that a meeting with a prospective marriage partner goes well, what is the process of reading Istikhaarah? Should I read the short Dua or the longer version, and how should I communicate the decision?
ANSWER:
The method of performing Istikhaarah is as follows: Perform Wudhu and offer two Rakaats of Salaah with the intention of Salaat-ul-Istikhaarah. Upon completing the Salaah recite the following Dua:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ العَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الغُيُوبِ، 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 فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي
Oh Allah! I seek from You a decision by virtue of Your Knowledge (of what is best), and I seek from You the ability (to realise my object) by virtue of Your Power, and I ask You (to grant me) from Your Great Bounty, for indeed You have power and I do not have power, and You know and I do not know, and You are the Knower of the Unseen. Oh Allah! If, according to Your Knowledge, this matter is good for me with regards to my religious affairs, my worldly life and my final outcome (i.e. in the Hereafter), then direct it towards me and ease it for me, thereafter, grant me blessing in it. And if, according to Your Knowledge, this matter is evil for me with regards to my religious affairs, my worldly life and my final outcome (i.e. in the Hereafter), then turn it away from me and turn me away from it. And direct towards me that which is good, no matter where it is, thereafter make me pleased with it (i.e. that good.)”
Think of your need while reciting the underlined portion of the Dua. Alternatively, if time does not allow a person to go through this entire procedure, one may recite the following Dua without having to perform any Salaah. This is the shortest form of Istikhaarah.
اَللَّهُمَّ خِرْ لِيْ وَاخْتَرْ لِيْ
Oh Allah, destine good for me and choose for me.
On completing one’s Istikhaarah, the heart will be guided to the correct decision, or one may be guided in a dream towards the best. If the heart inclines towards going ahead with the marriage, then one may proceed with the proposal.
“وندب صلاة الاستخارة” أي طلب ما فيه الخير وهي تكون لأمر في المستقبل ليظهر الله تعالى خير الأمرين (حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح شرح نور الإيضاح، ص٣٩٧))
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي المَوَالِي، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ المُنْكَدِرِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا، قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُعَلِّمُنَا الِاسْتِخَارَةَ فِي الأُمُورِ كُلِّهَا، كَمَا يُعَلِّمُنَا السُّورَةَ مِنَ القُرْآنِ، يَقُولُ: ” إِذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِالأَمْرِ، فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ مِنْ غَيْرِ الفَرِيضَةِ، ثُمَّ لِيَقُلْ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ العَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الغُيُوبِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي – أَوْ قَالَ عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ – فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي – أَوْ قَالَ فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ – فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي ” قَالَ: «وَيُسَمِّي حَاجَتَهُ» (صحيح البخاري ج٢ ص٥٧))
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Maulana Ahmed Saeed
Date: 02 Safr 1446 / 07 August 2024
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb