Do I take the opportunity to travel abroad or just accept this job contract here? What should I do? How to choose the one that suits me best? Is this good for my future? Usually, when we make decisions about life issues, we get confused.
It’s like getting married, traveling, buying or selling something. Instead of waiting for a miraculous and symbolic vision, you need to look inside to find the answer and seek advice from a wise and knowledgeable person. Next, rely on Al-Istikharah.
What is al-Istikharah?
Al-Istikharah is a prayer of guidance recited during times of indecision.
Dua For Istikarah
The Istikhara prayer is a powerful tool in Islam to seek God’s guidance when faced with a decision. Here is a basic outline of doa istikharah:
Istikhara intention: Before starting the prayer, intend in your heart that you are doing Istikhara to seek guidance from Allah on a particular matter.
Perform Wudu’: Make sure you are in a state of purity by performing wudu.
Perform two rak’ahs of supererogatory prayer: salat al-istikharah consists of two rak’ahs of voluntary prayer, like any other Sunnah prayer. In each rak’ah, recite Surah Al-Fatiha and then another Surah.
How To Perform Istikharah
To perform al-Istikharah, you must be clean first, so perform wudu if necessary. Then make an intention for al-Istikharah.
Al-Istikharah has two pillars: as-salaah and ad-duaa’.
It first starts with offering a two-raka’a prayer without the obligatory prayer. And after finishing the prayer, we should say the next duaa’:
Dua Istikhara In Arabic
اللّهُـمَّ إِنِّـي أَسْتَخيـرُكَ بِعِاْـمِك، وَأسْتَقْـدِرُكَ بِقُـدْرَتِـك، وَأَسْـألُـكَ مِنْ فَضْـلِكَ العَظـيم، فَإِنَّـكَ تَقْـدِرُ وَلا أَقْـدِر، وَتَـعْلَـمُ وَلا أَعْلَـم، وَأَنْـتَ عَلاّمُ الغُـيوب، اللّهُـمَّ إِنْ كُنْـتَ تَعْـلَمُ أَنَّ هـذا الأمْـرَ- وَيُسَـمِّي حاجَتَـه – خَـيْرٌ لي في دينـي وَمَعـاشي وَعاقِـبَةِ أَمْـري – أَوْ قَالَ عَاجِلِ أَمْري وَاجِلِهِ – فَاقْـدُرْهُ لي وَيَسِّـرْهُ لي ثـمَّ بارِكْ لي فيـه، وَإِنْ كُنْـتَ تَعْـلَمُ أَنَّ هـذا الأمْـرَ شَـرٌ لي في دينـي وَمَعـاشي وَعاقِـبَةِ أَمْـري – أَوْ قَالَ عَاجِلِ أَمْري وَاجِلِهِ – فَاصْرِفْـهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْني عَنْـهُ وَاقْـدُرْ لي الخَـيْرَ حَيْـثُ كانَ ثُـمَّ أَرْضِـني بِـهِ
“O Allah, I ask guidance from Your knowledge, And Power from Your Might and I ask for Your great blessings. You are capable and I am not. You know and I do not and You know 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.”
What to do after “Al-Istikharah”
Now what should I do after al-Istikharah? After al-Istikharah, leave your command to Allah, relying on Him. It doesn’t mean to leave the matter completely. You should still strive in your request to the last thing you reach. If it is good, you will feel relaxed and satisfied, and Allah will make it easy for you. If this is not the case, you will feel dissatisfied and uncomfortable, and Allah will take it away from you, prescribe something better for you, and satisfy you.
Rules for Salat al-Istikharah
Finally, there are some rules for salat al-istikharah you should know about:
- Salat ul-Istikharah must be other than the obligatory prayers
- There is no specific time for al-Istikharah, you can do it anytime, except for the unpleasant times to pray
- The dua of al-Istikharah is recited before or after saying the salaam at the end of prayer.
- If you do not memorize the dua of al-Istikharah, you can read it from any written source
Istikhara offers a beautiful way for Muslims to seek God’s guidance when faced with important decisions. Through prayer and supplication, you open yourself up to God’s wisdom and find comfort in trusting His plan for you. Remember that Istikhara is not a means of predicting the future, but rather a tool to choose the path that best aligns with your well-being in this world and the hereafter.
FAQS:
What can I use Istikhara for?
Istikhara can be used for any important decision, big or small, such as career choices, marriage proposals, or even simple daily choices.
Is there a specific time to perform istikhara?
No, Istikhara can be performed at any time except during the hated times of prayer (Fajr, Sunrise, Maghrib, and immediately after the written prayer).
Do I need to memorise the Istikhara prayer in Arabic?
It is recommended to pray in Arabic, but if you are unable to memorise it, you can read it from a written source or translation.
What signs should I look for after Istikhara?
There are no guaranteed signs. Trust your gut feeling and inner peace after praying, and consider any external factors that might influence your decision.