Istikhara is a powerful act of seeking guidance from Allah Subhan Allah, as we recognize our weakness and complete dependence on Allah. Because we must remember that we cannot do anything without Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. If you are worried about your future life, marriage, business and any life problem, then you must do Istikhara, which can guide you right, and you can get the pleasure of Allah Subhan Allah.
If you are looking for how to do Istikhara from an Islamic perspective, then you are at the right place, have a look and try it, Inshallah it will be helpful for all that you want to do.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to teach us to do Istikhara in all our affairs in the same way as he used to teach any surah of the Qur’an. The Prophet ﷺ used to say that when there is an essential matter in front of you, after praying two rakah of Nafl in addition to the obligatory prayer, recite this dua (translated):
“O my Allah! I seek goodness from You because of Your knowledge, and I ask You for strength because of Your power, and I seek Your great grace that only You have control, and I have no influence. Knowledge belongs to You, and I do not know anything, and You are the Knower of all hidden things. Oh my God! If you know that this work for which Istikharah is being done is better for me in terms of my religion, the world and the end of my work or (the Prophet ﷺ said that) for me temporarily and in terms of the future. This (is good), grant it to me and make it easy for me to attain it, and then bless me with it, and if You know that this deed is terrible for my religion, the world, and the end of my work. Or (the Prophet ﷺ said that) in my case (it is awful) temporarily and in terms of the future, then remove it from me and also remove me from it. Then grant me good fortune, wherever it may be, and satisfy my heart. He ﷺ said to replace this work with the name of this work.
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ , قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي الْمَوَالِي ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا , قَالَ : كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُعَلِّمُنَا الِاسْتِخَارَةَ فِي الْأُمُورِ كُلِّهَا ، كَمَا يُعَلِّمُنَا السُّورَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ , يَقُولُ : إِذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِالْأَمْرِ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ مِنْ غَيْرِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ، ثُمَّ لِيَقُلِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ 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 أَوْ قَالَ عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي أَوْ قَالَ فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي ، قَالَ : وَيُسَمِّي حَاجَتَهُ .
WAY TO PERFORM ISTIKHARA:
First, pray Two Rakat of ritual Prayer (nafil) such that in the first raka’ after Surah Fatiha (Allhamd…), recite Surah al-Kafirun (Chapter 109) and in the second rakah’ after Fatiha (Allhamd…) recite Surah al-Ikhlas (Chapter 112). After finishing prayer, repeat this (supplication/dua’): Dua in Arabic Text above.
Jabir bin Abdullah Salma informed me, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said that the Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, used to teach his Companions to do Istikhara in every permissible work, just as he used to prepare the Surah of the Qur’an. He used to say that when one of you intends to do something, he should pray two rak’ahs of Nafil prayer apart from the obligatory one, then after the salam, he should say this dua: “O Allah! I ask for success in this work through your knowledge, and I ask for strength through your power and your grace. Because You have power and I do not, You know and I do not know, and You are the All-Knower of the Unseen, O Allah! So if you know this (at this time, the one doing Istikhara should name this work) that it is good for me in this work in this world and in the hereafter, or he said like this: “In my religion and my past and at every end of my life.” If it is good in faith, make me capable of it and make it easy for me, then bless me in it. O, Allah! And if you know that this work is terrible for me. From the point of view of my religion and livelihood and the point of view of my destiny, he said, “From the point of view of my world and religion, remove me from this work and predestinate good for me wherever it may be, and then make me agree to it and be happy.
حَدَّثَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْنُ بْنُ عِيسَى ، حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي الْمَوَالِي ، قَالَ : سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ الْمُنْكَدِرِ يُحَدِّثُ ، عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ الْحَسَنِ ، يَقُولُ : أَخْبَرَنِي جَابِرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ السَّلَمِيُّ ، قَالَ : كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُعَلِّمُ أَصْحَابَهُ الِاسْتِخَارَةَ فِي الْأُمُورِ كُلِّهَا كَمَا يُعَلِّمُهُمُ السُّورَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ، يَقُولُ : إِذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِالْأَمْرِ ، فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ مِنْ غَيْرِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ، ثُمَّ لِيَقُلْ : اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ ، اللَّهُمَّ فَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ ، ثُمَّ تُسَمِّيهِ بِعَيْنِهِ خَيْرًا لِي فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ ، قَالَ : أَوْ فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي ، فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ ، اللَّهُمَّ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي ، أَوْ قَالَ : فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ ، فَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ، ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ .
How often do Istikhara?
It depends. Sometimes it takes only one time to get a reply, and sometimes it takes more time. It is preferable to perform Istikhara seven (7) times. If you receive a response as described in the section below, stop doing Istikhara. You don’t have to keep doing Istikhara for seven days. It is better to perform ablution immediately after reciting the above dua and go to sleep (those who cannot perform ablution for a long time due to health problems should not worry about ablution before going to sleep) facing the Qiblah. Go to sleep (Qibla is not wajib. But it is a Sunnah of our beloved Prophet PBUH. Before and after the above dua, it is preferable to recite Durood and Salam upon Rasulullah PBUH).
How to know the answer to Istikhara?
Sometimes you get an answer by seeing different colours in your dream, like something white and green it means that your work will go well for you; if you see something black and red, it means Avoiding and changing your direction. Listen to your heart if you do not find any indication in the dream.
IDARA ROHANIYAT.
For the sake of Allah, share it with your friends, maybe someone will be happy because of you, and you will be rewarded for it.