How to pray Istikhaarah
Salatul al istikhaarah is performed by first praying two Rakkahs of non obligatory prayer and then raising ones hands in dua and reciting the following dua
Allaahumma inni astakheeruka bi ilmika wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika wa asaluka min fadlika, fa innaka taqdiru wa laa aqdir, wa talamu wa laa alam, wa anta allaam al-ghuyoob. Allaahumma fa in kunta talamu haadhal-amra ( then the matter should be mentioned by name) khayran li fi aajil amri wa aajilihi (or: fi deeni wa maaashi wa aaqibati amri) faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li thumma baarik li fihi. Allaahumma wa in kunta talamu annahu sharrun li fi deeni wa maaashi wa aaqibati amri (or: fi aajili amri wa aajilihi) fasrifni anhu [wasrafhu anni] waqdur li al-khayr haythu kaana thumma radini bihi
English Translation of the Istikharah dua
(O Allaah, 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 hidden things. O Allaah, if in Your knowledge, this matter (then it should be mentioned by name) is good for me both in this world and in the Hereafter (or: in my religion, my livelihood and my affairs), then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if in Your knowledge it is bad for me and for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs (or: for me both in this world and the next), then turn me away from it, [and turn it away from me], and ordain for me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with it.)
Ibn Hijr (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, commenting on this
hadeeth:
“Istikhaarah is a word which means asking Allaah to help
one make a choice, meaning choosing the best of two things where one
needs to choose one of them.
Ibn Abi Jamrah said: ‘It is a general phrase which refers to
something specific. With regard to matters that are waajib
(obligatory) or mustahabb (liked or encouraged), there is no need
for istikhaarah to decide whether to do them, and with regard to
matters that are haraam (forbidden) or makrooh (disliked), there is
no need for istikhaarah to decide whether to avoid them. The issue
of istikhaarah is confined to matters that are mubaah (allowed), or
in mustahabb matters when there is a decision to be made as to which
one should be given priority.’ I say: it refers to both great and
small matters, and probably an insignificant issue could form the
groundwork for a big issue.
Al-Nawawi said in al-Adhkaar: He
can pray istikaarah after two rak’ahs of regular sunnah prayer done
at zuhr for example, or after two rak’ahs of any naafil prayers
whether they are regularly performed or not… It seems to be the case
that if he made the intention to pray istikhaarah at the same time
as intending to pray that particular prayer, this is fine, but not
if he did not have this intention.
Evidence from hadith. The description of Salaat al-Istikhaarah was reported by Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Salami (may Allaah be pleased with him).
Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Salami (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
“The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to teach his companions to make istikhaarah in all things, just as he used to teach them soorahs from the Qur’aan. He said: ‘If any one of you is concerned about a decision he has to make, then let him pray two rak’ahs of non-obligatory prayer, then say: Allaahumma inni astakheeruka bi ‘ilmika wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika wa as’aluka min fadlika, fa innaka taqdiru wa laa aqdir, wa ta’lamu wa laa a’lam, wa anta ‘allaam al-ghuyoob. Allaahumma fa in kunta ta’lamu haadha’l-amra (then the matter should be mentioned by name) khayran li fi ‘aajil amri wa aajilihi (or: fi deeni wa ma’aashi wa ‘aaqibati amri) faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li thumma baarik li fihi. Allaahumma wa in kunta ta’lamu annahu sharrun li fi deeni wa ma’aashi wa ‘aaqibati amri (or: fi ‘aajili amri wa aajilihi) fasrifni ‘anhu [wasrafhu ‘anni] waqdur li al-khayr haythu kaana thumma radini bihi (O Allaah, 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 hidden things. O Allaah, if in Your knowledge, this matter (then it should be mentioned by name) is good for me both in this world and in the Hereafter (or: in my religion, my livelihood and my affairs), then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if in Your knowledge it is bad for me and for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs (or: for me both in this world and the next), then turn me away from it, [and turn it away from me], and ordain for me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with it.”
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6841; similar reports are also recorded by al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa’i, Abu Dawood, Ibn Maajah and Ahmad).
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