AsalamoAlaiqum all…I would like to know how to perform Istekhara..I have heard a lot of ways
Re: --How to do Istekhaara?
Salat ul Istikhara
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah (Radi Allah Anhu): The Allah’s Apostle (sal-allahu-alleihi- wasallam) 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 Quran. He said, "If anyone of you thinks of doing any job he should offer a two Rakat prayer other than the compulsory ones and say (after the prayer):
'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-l-amra 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–( or said: If it is better for my present and later needs)–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–( or said: If it is worse for my present and later needs)–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 (sal-allahu-alleihi-wasallam) added that then the person should name (mention) his need."
Re: --How to do Istekhaara?
Source: www.sunnipath.com
**Question : Is it permissible to ask someone else to do istikharah on your behalf (for example your mother, or a pious person)? **
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. May Allah’s blessings and peace be upon His Messenger Muhammad, his folk, companions, and followers
The ulema explain that the general sunna of istikhara (prayer of seeking guidance) is that it be performed by the individual seeking guidance.
There is nothing wrong with someone doing istikhara for another, however. The istikhara is a prayer for seeking to be guided to the best of matters. Just as one can pray for oneself, one can also do so for another.
Also, it is from the sunnas of seeking guidance in general, and the perfect following of the sunna of istikhara in particular, to seek relevant sincere counsel (nasiha) and advice (istishara).
Asking someone pious or learned to perform istikhara can be understood to be from seeking counsel and advice.
Re: --How to do Istekhaara?
Question: I just want to know whether the answer you may receive after reading istikhara is the best thing to do for all time, or if it is only the best thing to do for that particular point in time.
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
Istikhara (prayer of seeking guidance) gives the best answer, for one's worldly and religious life (not worldly life alone), when coupled with another essential sunna: istishara (seeking sound counsel) of those worthy of being consulted and taking the sound means of assessing the situation at hand.
This is why it is good to consult with people of wisdom, understanding, and experience regarding the results of one's prayer of seeking guidance (istikhara), because one's own interpretation is often clouded by one's inclinations and desires.
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam.
Faraz Rabbani
Re: --How to do Istekhaara?
Question: Several people I know are confused on the topic of salat ul- Istikhara. Is it meant to be prayed several days in a row until a decision is made, or only once? Is it meant to be prayed after one has pretty much made up their mind, or when someone hasn't really figured out what to do? Are their various valid opinions?
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-Sharani and IbnArafah 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.
Question :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 Shafiis. The Hanafis do not appear to have discussed this issue *al-Mawsua 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...
Re: --How to do Istekhaara?
Why cut and paste, when you have the ability to summarize it yourself? Really, succint answers please. This doesn't require a friggin' essay.
Re: --How to do Istekhaara?
True, actually I had to leave for my university so I thought to share the answers which I found related. I agree that one should summarize it himself before sharing..Insha'Allah would be more careful in future.
Re: --How to do Istekhaara?
very summarized: pray two rakaat nafal namaz and after it make the following duaa:
'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-l-amra 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--( or said: If it is better for my present and later needs)--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--( or said: If it is worse for my present and later needs)--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).
thats all....
Re: --How to do Istekhaara?
AsalamoAlaiqum all...I would like to know how to perform Istekhara..I have heard a lot of ways
Istikhaara shold be performed by the person who is the stakeholder (i.e himself/herself)
Any jaiz situation is worthy of istikhara, where you can choose between two right options (i.e no gunnah in choosing any option). b/w two job offers, b/w two houses to purchase, what not
This is what I heard form scholars (which is against the general beleif) that Istikhara is the request for khair from Allah (SWT) and not the request of his advice on certain matter. So the best way of doing Istikhara is to first make up your mind about one choice and then ask for Allah (Swt)'s khair, barakat in that matter and go to sleep.
Re: --How to do Istekhaara?
Thanks for the replies..Im going to go through them in detail:)
Re: --How to do Istekhaara?
I've heard of one other way of doing istikhaara and I was wondering if somebody knows the origin of that tradition because personally i found it a bit ridiculous.
Some people go to their maulana and ask them to do teh istikhaara. The maulana then reads some duaa and opens up the Quran and then reads the first line of the page opened and then interprets it for the situation. And thats the istikhaara.