I read up on how to do Istikhara off the internet (2 rakat nafal followed by Istikhara dua before sleeping) and I have been doing it since last 3 nights but still don’t have a clue, neither in the dream nor in my heart. Can anyone please explain if this is normal or is it something I am doing wrong?
Re: Istikhara issue
What you are doing is all fine. Continue your istikhara until you complete 7 days & you will get the clue.
Re: Istikhara issue
i have read/heard mixed things about Istikhara... i think its a bit tricky! you may not get a direct clue but sometimes your heart shows a change, you feel inclined towards it or not..whatever you are wanting to get an opinion on.
Re: Istikhara issue
Peace ABC1111
Istikhara, as explained on many instances before, is a way to tie Allah (SWT) in to YOUR decisions. In order to do istikhara effectively you need to look at the decision you have to take:
a) Shall I do something?
b) Shall I do nothing?
or
a) Shall I do this?
b) Shall I do that?
In any case, there will always be two options or more in any decision. What you need to do is with the du'a that Allah (SWT) guides you ask certain respectable people for advice, weigh up the situation and MAKE THE INTENTION TO TAKE THE ADVICE.
On this do istikhara ... Doing istikhara without an intended action is futile. You should have already in mind the more favourable choice to make, if you are unsure then the advice will help - take it and see if your circumstances either expedite your choice or delay your choice - this infers that you will need to anaylse how your life unfolds **after making the decision **... in time you will see which way to go ... each night continue to do salat-ul-istikhara until the decision's result manifests ... Be sensitive to your circumstances it will become clear whether the decision was wrong because you will get delayed and when you arrive at this realisation start to reverse your decision for the other option. And if the decision is supported by Allah's (SWT) guidance then you will see it's fruits and they will encourage you ... Only where the decision to be taken is so vital and instantaneously hazardous will you get a dream - otherwise rely on the feeling ...
Re: Istikhara issue
What you are doing is all fine. Continue your istikhara until you complete 7 days & you will get the clue.
Thanks that is what I plan on doing.
i have read/heard mixed things about Istikhara... i think its a bit tricky! you may not get a direct clue but sometimes your heart shows a change, you feel inclined towards it or not..whatever you are wanting to get an opinion on.
I am already inclined towards one option but still need Divine validity as it is an important matter
Peace ABC1111
Istikhara, as explained on many instances before, is a way to tie Allah (SWT) in to YOUR decisions. In order to do istikhara effectively you need to look at the decision you have to take:
a) Shall I do something? b) Shall I do nothing?
or
a) Shall I do this? b) Shall I do that?
In any case, there will always be two options or more in any decision. What you need to do is with the du'a that Allah (SWT) guides you ask certain respectable people for advice, weigh up the situation and MAKE THE INTENTION TO TAKE THE ADVICE.
On this do istikhara ... Doing istikhara without an intended action is futile. You should have already in mind the more favourable choice to make, if you are unsure then the advice will help - take it and see if your circumstances either expedite your choice or delay your choice - this infers that you will need to anaylse how your life unfolds **after making the decision **... in time you will see which way to go ... each night continue to do salat-ul-istikhara until the decision's result manifests ... Be sensitive to your circumstances it will become clear whether the decision was wrong because you will get delayed and when you arrive at this realisation start to reverse your decision for the other option. And if the decision is supported by Allah's (SWT) guidance then you will see it's fruits and they will encourage you ... Only where the decision to be taken is so vital and instantaneously hazardous will you get a dream - otherwise rely on the feeling ...
Thanks! I already have an intended course of action I can't take advise from others because I know they will advise against what I want to do. I already talked to a couple of my friends and they advised against it but I already have made a decision/inclination in my heart that I have to do it.
Re: Istikhara issue
I read up on how to do Istikhara off the internet (2 rakat nafal followed by Istikhara dua before sleeping) and I have been doing it since last 3 nights but still don't have a clue, neither in the dream nor in my heart. Can anyone please explain if this is normal or is it something I am doing wrong?
You may do istekhara after any fard salah. It is not necessary to do it in night and see dream.
Istekhara will help you to pick one choice and set your heart/mind on one decision and you will feel comfortable.
Re: Istikhara issue
You may do istekhara after any fard salah.
So is it compulsory to offer Istikhara salat after fard salat? Because I don't pray. Maybe that is the reason?
Re: Istikhara issue
So is it compulsory to offer Istikhara salat after fard salat? Because I don't pray. Maybe that is the reason?
if you are muslim, fard salah is compulsory. istekhara is nafal salah therefore it is suppose to be performed after fard salah.
well your second question is tough and I can not say anything. You may consult with expert of deen and Allah (swt) knows best.
Re: Istikhara issue
Thanks that is what I plan on doing.
I am already inclined towards one option but still need Divine validity as it is an important matter
Thanks! I already have an intended course of action I can't take advise from others because I know they will advise against what I want to do. I already talked to a couple of my friends and they advised against it but I already have made a decision/inclination in my heart that I have to do it.
Then do what is in your heart and you will soon find out if it is not the right thing to do ... :)
You see many people fail to realise that "waiting for an answer" is the same as "not taking action" - you may have made your decision, but you are already going against it by delaying the action. "No action" is "taking the decision NOT to act" ...
Alternatively perhaps you feel that your inaction or inability to act is itself a sign that you should not be going down this path ... The choice is still yours to take ... it will never be Allah (SWT) telling you what to choose ...
Re: Istikhara issue
Then do what is in your heart and you will soon find out if it is not the right thing to do ...
I have to be absolutely sure as its a matter of whole life so cant take any risks
Re: Istikhara issue
I have to be absolutely sure as its a matter of whole life so cant take any risks
You've done istikhara so you have already mitigated the risks ... If it is not good for you - then you will find out and be able to stop it in due course ... but try to understand by not acting - you have made your decision NOT to do it.
Re: Istikhara issue
Istikhara is about using your reason, asking your advisers, making a decision and acting upon it - all the while trusting in Allah (SWT) that He will Guide you as you do this ... no where in this process does it involve "waiting for a sign" ...
Istikhara is about tieing Allah (SWT) in to your decisions, it is not a cure to indecisiveness
Last note: With istikhara you do not have to be absolutely sure ... you simply trust in Allah (SWT) as you take your prefered, reasoned decision.
Re: Istikhara issue
I read up on how to do Istikhara off the internet (2 rakat nafal followed by Istikhara dua before sleeping) and I have been doing it since last 3 nights but still don't have a clue, neither in the dream nor in my heart. Can anyone please explain if this is normal or is it something I am doing wrong?
The way to do istikhara is two nafl and that istikhara dua. But the part of doing it before sleeping is not mentioned in the Hadith. It is possible that a dream can be a clue, but it isnt necassary. What happens that you keep on doing it untill there is a feeling from inside you that automatically forces you to do or avoid the thing for which you are doing istikhara. Like I want to write a novel, but I dont know whether I should or not. So I do istikhara and give the keys to Allah. I do it for a while and see where I am being pulled, whther I am beeing pulled to write a book or not write a book. If there is no feeling then I think you lack Taqwa or Trust in Allah. So when you do it, put your full trust in Allah, and Insha Allah you might get an answer in one day.
Re: Istikhara issue
psyah has explained it very well as well
Re: Istikhara issue
The way to do istikhara is two nafl and that istikhara dua. But the part of doing it before sleeping is not mentioned in the Hadith. It is possible that a dream can be a clue, but it isnt necassary. What happens that you keep on doing it untill there is a feeling from inside you that automatically forces you to do or avoid the thing for which you are doing istikhara. Like I want to write a novel, but I dont know whether I should or not. So I do istikhara and give the keys to Allah. I do it for a while and see where I am being pulled, whther I am beeing pulled to write a book or not write a book. If there is no feeling then I think you lack Taqwa or Trust in Allah. So when you do it, put your full trust in Allah, and Insha Allah you might get an answer in one day.
Peace my21098
Let me explain it again because I still feel that there is some confusion from your latest post. This I want to write a novel but don't know whether I should or not is a case of indecisiveness ... it is not something that istikhara is requried for.
Consider a family have been on holiday and their return flight is the following day ... istikhara is about doing the prayer the night before "that you **will **be travelling the following day" and you seek initially protection and safety in this venture, but also to cover you from another angle you seek guidance from Allah (SWT), that if it is not right for you to be travelling tomorrow then for it to be put in your heart that it is not right.
The way to make your choices is by following this pattern:
a) Ask yourself why you want or don't want to do the act in question.
b) Ask yourself is it the only way to achieve this?
c) Ask is it halal/haram to do this?
d) Ask will you be hurting the feeling of others by doing this?
e) By now you should know whether your action is valid to take ... however, if you can't evaluate the validity then ask a person who is knowledgeable or a friend who understands the people and circumstances affecting the decision.
f) Take the advice of the person and do istikhara on that basis.
In istikhara - first you take the action and then you seek Allah's (SWT) council in the matter. The Arabic that you read clearly states that if the matter is good for you then for it to be made easy and if it is bad for you then for it to be made difficult to achieve. As you take steps towards your decision if it is one where there is no concern then you will probably never know so you should continue doing it ... it is not necessary to get a warm fuzzy feeling, but if it happens then that is good. The reason why it is not necessary is because you have already determined in steps a) to f) that it is jaiz and halal to do it.
On the other hand if you get a bad feeling or if things are slowing you down then think about it carefully and evaluate whether these were normal or whether they seem to be showing you not to go down that path ... when you are convinced that something is not right - slow down in doing that action and gradually become convinced and then stop it.
This feeling or no feeling blaming it on taqwa is not the case ... a person who chooses to do istikhara has already made a conscious choice of involving Allah (SWT) in their decisions. Istikhara is not like a crystal ball ... it is far more subtle than that ...
We should do istikhara at least for every major change of circumstance - for example new job, new home, travel ... Not asking whether we should or not ... but say "we have done what we can to be true to Islamic laws and we now going to do so and so, please Guide us in our decisions, by making the path to realising out intent easy if it is good, and making us realise we should not be taking that path if it is bad for us.
Re: Istikhara issue
So let's say that someone is thinking of accepting a marriage proposal, but others in the family are not sure. Then what the person does is goes through the list and ensures that he/she has validated the action. For example if the parents don't want the marriage to take place then the son or daughter should Islamically repsect their decision doing istikhara for going against their decision is not right ... rather they should be convinced first that the son and daughter has been given the decision to make ...
With their consent he or she will do istikhara to marry the person - the reason why they will decide to "marry" the person is because this is Islamically prefered provided the basis for marriage has been seen as good, i.e. deen, family, financial standing, etc ... Undertake the decision to accept the proposal and say in the istikhara "I shall accept the offer of marriage tomorrow or next week, Allah (SWT) if it is good for me ... etc etc"
Then when the day comes carry out the action ... there is nothing more to it.
Re: Istikhara issue
Peace my21098
Let me explain it again because I still feel that there is some confusion from your latest post. This I want to write a novel but don't know whether I should or not is a case of indecisiveness ... it is not something that istikhara is requried for.
Consider a family have been on holiday and their return flight is the following day ... istikhara is about doing the prayer the night before "that you **will **be travelling the following day" and you seek initially protection and safety in this venture, but also to cover you from another angle you seek guidance from Allah (SWT), that if it is not right for you to be travelling tomorrow then for it to be put in your heart that it is not right.
The way to make your choices is by following this pattern:
a) Ask yourself why you want or don't want to do the act in question. b) Ask yourself is it the only way to achieve this? c) Ask is it halal/haram to do this? d) Ask will you be hurting the feeling of others by doing this? e) By now you should know whether your action is valid to take ... however, if you can't evaluate the validity then ask a person who is knowledgeable or a friend who understands the people and circumstances affecting the decision. f) Take the advice of the person and do istikhara on that basis.
In istikhara - first you take the action and then you seek Allah's (SWT) council in the matter. The Arabic that you read clearly states that if the matter is good for you then for it to be made easy and if it is bad for you then for it to be made difficult to achieve. As you take steps towards your decision if it is one where there is no concern then you will probably never know so you should continue doing it ... it is not necessary to get a warm fuzzy feeling, but if it happens then that is good. The reason why it is not necessary is because you have already determined in steps a) to f) that it is jaiz and halal to do it.
On the other hand if you get a bad feeling or if things are slowing you down then think about it carefully and evaluate whether these were normal or whether they seem to be showing you not to go down that path ... when you are convinced that something is not right - slow down in doing that action and gradually become convinced and then stop it.
This feeling or no feeling blaming it on taqwa is not the case ... a person who chooses to do istikhara has already made a conscious choice of involving Allah (SWT) in their decisions. Istikhara is not like a crystal ball ... it is far more subtle than that ...
We should do istikhara at least for every major change of circumstance - for example new job, new home, travel ... Not asking whether we should or not ... but say "we have done what we can to be true to Islamic laws and we now going to do so and so, please Guide us in our decisions, by making the path to realising out intent easy if it is good, and making us realise we should not be taking that path if it is bad for us.
lol I agree with you, my bad
Re: Istikhara issue
Been doing it since 6 nights and not a single clue :(