In this article, we will understand the meaning of Istikhara in Islam, how to perform it, and what Dua to say, in addition to other important information.
What is the meaning of Istikhara?
Many times, in our lives we find ourselves in the situation of having to choose between two options and we don’t know how to do so. That’s when we turn to Allah and ask for his guidance through what is called in Islam ‘Istikhara’. We ask Allah to show us which one is best for us.
What does the Quran say about Istikhara?
Allah teaches us in the Quran that when we seek guidance or help we should pray, that’s what we understand from the following verse:
“Oh, you who believe! Ask for help through patience and offering the prayer. God is with those who are patient.” (al-Baqarah 2:153)
So, whenever we want to ask Allah for his guidance, we should pray Istikhara. Also, the prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) says:
إذا همّ أحدكم بالأمر، فليركع ركعتين من غير الفريضة، ثم ليقل، اللهم إني أستخيرك بعلمك، وأستقدرك بقدرتك، وأسألك من فضلك العظيم؛ فإنك تقدر ولا أقدر وتعلم ولا أعلم، وأنت علام الغيوب. اللهم إن كنت تعلم أن هذا الأمر خير لي في ديني ومعاشي وعاقبة أمري” أو قال: ”عاجل أمري وآجله ، فاقدره لي ويسره لي، ثم بارك لي فيه، وإن كنت تعلم أن هذا الأمر شر لي في ديني ومعاشي وعاقبة أمري” أو قال: ”عاجل أمري وآجله، فاصرفه عني ، واصرفني عنه، واقدر لي الخير حيث كان، ثم ارضني به“ قال: ويسمي حاجته.
“When one of you contemplates entering upon an enterprise, let him perform two Rak’ah of optional prayer other than obligatory prayers and then supplicate: ‘O Allah, I consult You through Your Knowledge, and I seek strength through Your Power and ask of Your Great Bounty; for You are Capable whereas I am not and, You know and I do not, and You are the Knower of unperceived things. O Allah, if You know that this matter (and name it) is good for me in respect of my religion, my life, and the consequences of my affairs, (or he said, the sooner or the later of my affairs) then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. But if You know this matter (and name it) to be bad for me in respect of my religion, my life, or the consequences of my affairs, (or he said, the sooner or the later of my affairs) then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it, and grant me the power to do good whatever it may be, and cause me to be contented with it.’ And let the supplicant specify the object.” (Bukhari, Da’wah/Invitation, 49; also Ibn Majah and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal)
When should Istikhara be prayed?
You can pray it any time of the day but it is better to pray it at the night.
Istikhara prayer is sunnah or nafl?
Istikhara prayer is a nafl prayer.
Can I say istikhara dua without salah?
Yes, you don’t have to do istikhara prayer you can simply say the Dua at any time, also istikhara on period is permissible.
And here is the istikhara Dua:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمَكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ، وَلَا أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ- خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي- عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ- فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي- عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ- فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ
Allaahumma ‘innee ‘astakheeruka bi’ilmika, wa ‘astaqdiruka biqudratika, wa ‘as’aluka min fadhtikal-‘Adheemi, fa’innaka taqdiru wa laa ‘aqdiru, wa ta’lamu, wa laa ‘a’lamu, wa ‘Anta ‘Allaamul-Ghuyoobi, Allaahumma ‘in kunta ta’lamu ‘anna haathal-‘amra-[then mention the thing to be decided] Khayrun lee fee deenee wa ma’aashee wa ‘aaqibati ‘amree – [or say] ‘Aajilihi wa ‘aajilihi – Faqdurhu lee wa yassirhu lee thumma baarik lee feehi, wa ‘in kunta ta’lamu ‘anna haathal-‘amra sharrun lee fee deenee wa ma’aashee wa ‘aaqibati ‘amree – [or say] ‘Aajilihi wa ‘aajilihi – Fasrifhu ‘annee wasrifnee ‘anhu waqdur liyal-khayra haythu kaana thumma ‘ardhinee bihi
O Allah, I seek the counsel of Your Knowledge, and I seek the help of Your Omnipotence, and I beseech You for Your Magnificent Grace. Surely, You are Capable and I am not. You know and I know not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter [then mention the thing to be decided] is good for me in my religion and in my life and for my welfare in the life to come, – [or say: in this life and the afterlife] – then ordain it for me and make it easy for me, then bless me in it. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion and in my life and for my welfare in the life to come, – [or say: in this life and the afterlife] – then distance it from me, and distance me from it, and ordain for me what is good wherever it may be, and help me to be content with it. Whoever seeks the counsel of the Creator will not regret it and whoever seeks the advice of the believers will feel confident about his decisions. Allah said in the Qur’an: “And consult them in the affair. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah.”
How to Do Istikhara prayer?
First of all, before you start praying you to start with Ablution (Wudu). Find a clean space to perform the prayer at and put the praying mat to face the direction of Qibla. Make your intention then raise your hands to your ears and say “Allah Akbar,” which means “Allah is the Greatest,”.
Now recite surah al-Fatiha followed by any other short surah you know by heart. Here is Surah al-Fatiha:
Alhamdul lil-lahi rab-bil ‘alameen
Ar rahma nir-raheem
Maliki yawmid-deen
Iyyaka na’budu wa iyyaka nasta’een
Ihdinas siratal mustaqeem
Siratal Lazeena an’amta ‘alayhim
Ghai-ril maghdubi ‘alayhim
Walad dal-leen. Ameen.
The English translation is:
Praise is only for Allah, Lord of the Universe.
The most Kind, the most Merciful.
The master of the Day of Judgement.
You alone we worship and to you alone we pray for help.
Show us the straight way,
The way of those whom you have blessed.
Who have not deserved your anger,
Nor gone astray
And for the second surah you could read surah al-Kafirun which is recited as follows:
Qul yaa-ai yuhal kaafiroon
Laa a’budu ma t’abudoon
Wa laa antum ‘aabidoona maa a’bud
Wa laa ana ‘abidum maa ‘abattum
Wa laa antum ‘aabidoona ma a’bud
Lakum deenukum wa liya deen.
The English translation:
Say O ye that reject Faith!
I worship not that which ye worship,
Nor will ye worship that which I worship.
Nor will I worship those whom you have worshipped;
Nor will ye worship that which I worship.
To you be your Way and to me mine.
Then say “Allah Akbar,” and do the Ruku and say “Subahaana Rabbiyal Azeem” three times. Stand up again and say “Allah listens to those who praise him” then make the first sajdah and say “Subahaana Rabbiyal Aa’la” three times. Sit up then go to the second sajdah and say “Subahaana Rabbiyal Aa’la” three times. Now rise up to continue to the second raka.
Stand up again and ay “Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-raheem”. Recite Surah Al-Fatiha, then read another surah you know by heart. You can repeat the same surah you said in the first raka if you don’t know any other Surah.
Go into Ruku and say “Subahaana Rabbiyal Azeem”. Stand up again and say “Allah listens to those who praise him” then make the first sajdah and say “Subahaana Rabbiyal Aa’la” three times. Sit up then go to the second sajdah and say “Subahaana Rabbiyal Aa’la” three times. Then sit and say the Tashahud.
After you finish the Tashahud recite the Istikhara supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمَكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ، وَلَا أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ- خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي- عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ- فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي- عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ- فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ
O Allah, I seek the counsel of Your Knowledge, and I seek the help of Your Omnipotence, and I beseech You for Your Magnificent Grace. Surely, You are Capable and I am not. You know and I know not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter [then mention the thing to be decided] is good for me in my religion and in my life and for my welfare in the life to come, – [or say: in this life and the afterlife] – then ordain it for me and make it easy for me, then bless me in it. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion and in my life and for my welfare in the life to come, – [or say: in this life and the afterlife] – then distance it from me, and distance me from it, and ordain for me what is good wherever it may be, and help me to be content with it. Whoever seeks the counsel of the Creator will not regret it and whoever seeks the advice of the believers will feel confident about his decisions. Allah said in the Qur’an: “And consult them in the affair. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah.”
Then turn your face to the right and say “Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullah” and then turn your face to the left and say the same. to his left and doing the same, and you’re done.
Now we understand that we say istikhara dua for guidance whenever we face any difficulties in our lives and we don’t know how to choose. For example, you could say istikhara dua for marriage or to choose which company to work at. You may experience mixed feelings after
istikhara that’s normal.
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