can someone tell me how to perform ‘Istikhara’? I have the Istikhara Dua but i don’t know the actual procedure. I have heard that you have to read this Dua in some particular manner after Isha prayers and then sleep at a particualr side ..plus some other stuff but I am not sure..So if anyone can help please post asap..
And I thought it was quite popular..!
I dont know the arabic...
the following supplication which has been recorded by al-Bukhari in Jabir's narration: "The Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam would teach us al-istikhara for all of our affairs as he would teach us a surah from the Qur'an. He said: 'If one of you is deliberating over an act, he should pray two non-obligatory rak'at and say:
"O Allah, I consult You as You are All-Knowing and I appeal to You to give me power as You are Omnipotent, I ask You for Your great favor, for You have power and I do not, and You know all of the hidden matters . O Allah ! If you know that this matter (then he should mention it) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and for my life in the Hereafter, (or he said: 'for my present and future life,') then make it (easy) for me. And if you know that this matter is not good for me in my religion, my livelihood and my life in the Hereafter, (or he said: 'for my present and future life,') then keep it away from me and take me away from it and choose what is good for me wherever it is and please me with it."
I hope this helps
"According to a traditional report transmitted on the authority of Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir, it was Jabir ibn 'Abdi'llah (may Allah be well pleased with him and with his father) who said:
"Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to teach us how to seek guidance in choosing the best option available in a practical enterprise [al-istikhara fi 'l-amr], just as he would sometimes teach us a Chapter [Sura] from the Qur'an. :
"'If one of you is concerned about some practical undertaking, or about making plans for a journey, he should perform two cycles of ritual prayer [rak'atain], not as an obligatory observance [farida], but voluntarily. Then he should say:
'"O Allah, I ask You to show me what is best, through Your knowledge, and I ask You to empower me, through Your power, and I beg You to grant me Your tremendous favor, for You have power, while I am without power, and You have knowledge, while I am without knowledge, and You are the One who knows all things invisible.
Allahumma inni astakhiru-ka bi-'ilmi-ka wa astaqdiru-ka bi-qudrati-ka wa as'alu-ka min fadli-ka 'l-'azim fa-inna-ka taqdiru wa la aqdiru wa ta'lamu wa la a'lamu wa Anta 'Allamu 'l-ghuyub :
O Allah, if You know that this undertaking is in the best interests of my religion, my life in this world, and my life in the Hereafter, and can yield successful results in both the short term and the long term, then make it possible for me and make it easy for me, and then bless me in it.
Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha 'l-amra khairun li fi dini wa dunyaya wa akhirati wa 'aqibati amri wa 'ajili-hi wa ajili-h :fa-'qdir-hu li wa yassir-hu li thumma barik li fi-h :
If not, then turn it away from me, and make it easy for me to do well, wherever I may happen to be, and make me content with Your verdict, O Most Merciful of the merciful.'"
wa illa fa-'srif-hu 'an-ni wa yassir liya 'l-khaira haithu kana ma kuntu wa raddi-ni bi-qada'i-ka ya Arhama 'r-rahimin :"
Just pray 2 rakat nafls, n when u finish..say the dua..
u can read it any time of the day...not necessarily after isha.
hmm, ur answer or the result might not be in a dream..
it can be ur feelings towards a decision,,
or things might work out easily towards one thing...
etc...
Thanks for your help guys...needed to do it for a proposal..I've heard you get a hint in the dream maybe..Don't know for sure.
The correct procedure to seek divine guidance is to pray to 2 units of voluntary prayers and then read the Istikhara prayer and go with whatever decision your heart is firm on.
I’m not sure but I don’t think expecting a dream or sleeping facing the Kaabah etc. has any basis is Quran or Sunnah (if I’m wrong someone please correct me).
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well i know two procedures for Istekhara .
One is ... recite two rukat namaz-e-nafal and there is a dua-e-Istekhara recite it and after tht go to sleep ............do it after Isha .if u ll see something red it means it is wrong and if u see something green it means it is good .
The other procedure is ............ after namaz-e-Isha dont talk to anyone .....and go to bed ........recite three times darood (one in the namaz) then 11 times surah Ikhlas then again 3 times darood-e-pak . after tht just say GOD plz tell me is this thing is right for em or not ......and sleep as ur face ll b at right side . u ll see something in dream and if u dont then u ll find tht there is something in ur heart tht is this thing is ok or not .......and God ll take u to the right path .
May be this link can give some help…
istikhara
ISTIKHAARAH
WHAT IS ISTIKHAARAH?Istikhaarah is to seek guidance from Allah when one is faced with a
problem to
which no solution is apparent.Whenever a person is faced with a difficult problem, or becomes
hesitant in
making a decision and his knowledge of the matter is insufficient to
guide him
then after seeking advice from trusted friends he should turn to
Allah and
beseech His grace. He should willingly and with an open heart and mind
supplicate for divine guidance and ask for direction so that the
problem is
solved in his own best interest. The Du'aa at such an occasion is
called
Istikhaarah.Istikhaarah is in fact an invaluable teaching of Rasulullah
(Sallallaahu
Alayhi Wasallam) with which the Muslims have been favoured. This
blessing
could give solace to many for all times to come. It is related in
the Hadith
that Rasulullah (SAW) use to teach the Istikhaarah to the Sahaabah
(RA) like
the Qur'an is taught to children. In another Hadith it is stated
that 'He does
not fail who makes Istikhaarah and he does not regret who makes
Mashwarah
(consultation).In the Masnoon Istikhaarah, after one has carried out his
responsibility as
best as one can, one should hand over the entire matter and oneself
to the
limitless knowledge of Allah Ta'ala. By resorting to Istikhaarah one
is now
retrieved of making a decision on ones own.Whenever counsel is sought from a respectable and experienced
person, it is
expected that he will give good advise and assist to the best of his
ability.
Similarly Istikhaarah is to seek counsel that the all-Knowing and
Merciful
Allah? Once Istikhaarah is made then Allah Ta'ala will surely guide
him to do
what is best for him.Now there can be no perplexity. Only that will happen which Allah
Ta'ala wills
and which is good for ones own sake though one may not be able to
see it
immediately. It is not necessary that one must experience or see an
evident
change or vision. Allah Ta'ala alone knows what is best for His
servants. It
is related in the Hadith that 'Success and good tidings for the son
of Aadam
(Insaan) is in performing Istikhaarah and his misfortune lies in not
making
Istikhaarah'.METHOD OF ISTIKHAARAH
When making Istikhaarah begin with performing two Rakaats Nafl
Salaat. Then
with all sincerity recite the following Du'a.Allahumma INNEE Astakheeruka Bi-Ilmik
Wa Astaqdiruka Bi Qudratik
Wa As'aluka Min Fadhlikal-Azeem
Fa Innaka Taqdiru wa La Aqdir
Wa Ta'lamu wa La A'lam
Wa Anta Allamul-Ghuyoob
Allahuma In kunta Talamu Anna Hathal Amru Khairul-Lee
Fee Deenee wa Ma'ashee wa Aqibati Amree
Faqdirhu Lee Wa Yassirhu Lee Thumma Barik Lee Fee
Wa in Kunta Ta'lamu anna hathal amru sharrul Lee
Fee deenee wa Ma'ashee wa Aqibatu Amree
Fasrifhu Annee wa Asrifnee anhu
Wa Aqdir-liyal-Khaira Haitho Kana thumma ardhini bihee.Trans: O Allah!! Behold I ask You the good through Your Knowledge,
and ability
through Your Power, and beg (Your favour) out of Your infinite
Bounty. For
surely You have Power; I have none. You know all; I know not. You
are the
Great Knower of all things. O Allah! If in Your Knowledge this
matter be good
for my faith (Deen), for my livelihood, and for the consequences of my
affairs, then ordain it for me, and make it easy for me, and bless
me therein.
But if in Your Knowledge, this matter be bad for my faith (Deen) for
my
livelihood, and for the consequences of my affairs, then turn it
away from me,
and turn me away therefrom, and ordain for me the good wherever it
be, and
cause me to be pleased therewith.While reciting this Du'aa when one reaches HAADHAL AMR (THIS MATTER)
at both
places he should think of his problem.May Allah guide and assist us all, Aameen.
Watervall Islamic Institute
Re: How to perform Istikhara?
http://www.duas.org/istikhara.htm
On Main page it is just introduction download pdf or word file in which it clear out what actually it is and how to perform and its remove confusions too about what Istikhara is ?