hello all,
Can someone tell me what ISHTAKARA is??
Re: what is ISHTAKARA
its somthg tht u do for ur future … u do som pray for it n wil get the idea in dream either the things for vich u hav done ishtakhara is rgt or u or nt …things lik tht 
Why do people ask a Iman to do Ishtakara?
So is it like Astrology?
Re: what is ISHTAKARA
iman or Imam .. i didnt get it wht u mean
Re: what is ISHTAKARA
istikhara is a DUA. all rules apply to it as to any dua's acceptance.
Prophet Mohammad p.b.u.h. has said it is very unfortunate if people do not do istikhara.
istikhara dua was taught by Prophet just like he used to teach how to perform salah.
you can do istikhara for anything that you cannot decide....it could be if you shd select a certain subject to study, or should you accept this job, or should you move in another city or marraige.
so istikhara is not at all like astrology...its a dua asking Allah to guide you towards what is better for you.
Hi aramis09,
Thanks for your input. I have seen a couple of asian channels offer a service where by people call in and say nothing and the Imam say's a naat and then opens the Qua'ran and tells the caller yes or no.
what about haram or black majic. as if the caller say's nothing and he has a bad thought or if the caller has a medical condition like cancer can should they do Ishtakara?
Thanks
Re: what is ISHTAKARA
istikhara is not fortune telling. it also does not have any thing to do with dreams. you say istikhara dua after any namaz except for fard prayer meaning you can say istikhara dua after any sunnah prayer. and then you do what your heart tells you to do.
let me give you an example from my life.
my daughter was selecting subjects to take in her O-level. she had decided(at first) to take buisness study, accounting and economics. and she also did istikhara if this selsction is right for her.
by next day someone at school guided her to take computer study instead of buisness study. her heart settled on it and she started her year. with computer studies. in the middle of year we moved to saudi arabia. and we moved to a place where the school did not offer her subjects at all. but miraculously we were able to find a teacher who was in riyadh who helped her in only 2 sessions and my daughter secured an A* in computer.
and i have complete faith it was due to the blessings of istikhara that things smoothed out like they did for her.
as for tv shows that is totally wrong that is not istikhara. whatever it is its not part of islam.
istikhara is dua asking Allah to guide you towards what is good for u....and if its not good for you then to please remove you away from it.
i hope it clears any confusion. have faith in Allah.
as far as someone having cancer what will they do istikhara about..(.whether they should seek treatment from this doctor or not.....) or whether they should seek a second opinion etc.
i wanted to post a link for you but i am not allowed so see if you can find istikhaa dua at central-mosque dot com .....
The literal meaning of ‘Istikhara’ when used in Islamic Jurisprudence means to consult or ask Allah(swt) to guide the one seeking guidance concerning any affair in one’s life, especially when one has to chose between two or more permissible alternatives.
One willing to seek guidance should offer two rakah prayer and making the supplication as made and taught by the Prophet Mohammed (saws) to the believers when one seeks guidance from the All-Knowing, All-Wise Lord in making a decision in any matter or aspect of one’s life.
Re: what is ISHTAKARA
I've seen people call in on uk channels requesting guidance... is this correct!?
You mean people asking someone else to do 'istikhara' on there behalf?
Coolbreeze frankly speaking i know many people who ringup muftis and request him to do 'istikhara' on his/her behalf since they believe that a particular mufti or imam is pious and will be answered by Allah(swt). But who knows who is more pious in eyes of Lord??
Allah(swt) will forgive us and guide us even if our sins reaches the height of sky provided we should repent for our mistakes. If we think that we commited many sins and we are not in a position to face Allah(swt) then how can we survive?? where will be our destination???? One who is in trouble will seek Allah(swt) help with deep sorrow from his/her heart and with shedding tears. Can we expect some one else to seek help from Allah(swt) with same pain n sorrow???
First let us see what is the translation or meaning of the supplication which will clear this doubt
O Allah! I seek Your guidance (in making a choice) by virtue of Your
knowledge, and I seek ability by virtue of Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power, I have none. And You know, I know not. You are the Knower of all hidden things.
O Allah! If in Your knowledge, (this matter) is good for my religion, my **livelihood and my affairs; immediate and in the distant, then ordain for me, *make it easy for me and bless it for me. And if in Your knowledge, (this *matter) is bad for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs; immediate and *in the distant, then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it. And *ordain for me the good wherever it be and make me pleased with it.**
One more general doubt which troubles us when we do 'istakhara'. Is it neccessary that if a particluar thing is good for us then we see a green tree or a white cloth or river/sea/lake/pound, fishes, climbing staircase etc... in our dreams. I never get such dreams when i do 'istakhara'. I posted this question to a scholar and he said that it is not necessary that one gets a definitive or tangible answer or a dream every time one does Istakhara. When one does Istakhara, he basically asks Allah (swt) to make easy for him the option that is best for him in the world and in the Hereafter, and stop the happening of the options which are detrimental to him in the future.
If the choice made is right, Allah(swt) will make the option easily available and clear all the difficulties in the path of obtaining that good option; and as one sees the ease with which the option is carried out, he/she will realize that this is indeed the right choice and the result of the istakhara was in the affirmative.
But if the choice is wrong and detrimental in the future, Allah(swt) will make the happening of the option difficult and one will experience blockages and difficulties in the way of achieving that option; and at some stage, when after trying everything in one’s power the option is still not coming to a conclusion, one will realize that this was not the right choice and the result of the istakhara was negative.
Allah knows best!