Mufti Saahab, I want to know what is Ishtikhara salat and how to perform the Ishtikhara salat. Please explain in detail if there any authentic Hadith related to this. How sure we can be that whatever result obtained after Ishtikhara is genuinely true. I have heard that this will be a guidance from allah through a dream. But nowadays that we have so many mental worries that always reflect in our dreams, how we can believe whatever we see in dream is the destiny of ours. Please clarify my doubts regarding Ishtikhara salat and guidance. Jazakallah.
Sayyiduna Jabir (RA) reports that Rasulullah (Salla Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) taught us to make Istikharah concerning all matters just as he would teach us a surah of the Quraan. He (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) would say “When any of you wish to take up any task, he should perform two rakats of Salaah other than that of Farz (ie. Perform two rakats of nafl with the intention of Istikharah) He should then say the following supplication; (Translation) Oh Allah, I ask you the good through your knowledge & I ask you to grant me the ability through your power and ask You of Your great bounty. For surely you have power and I have none, You know all and I don’t know, and You are the knower of the unseen. Oh Allah, if in Your knowledge, this matter be good for me with regards to my Deen(religion), my livelihood and outcome of my affair (in the near and distant future), then ordain it for me and make it easy for me and bless me there in. But, if in Your knowledge, this matter be bad for me with regards to my Deen, my livelihood and the outcome of my affair, then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and ordain for me good where ever it may be and cause me to be pleased with it.
If one ponders carefully on the wording of this hadith, he would realize that firstly, there is no mention of any dream, and secondly, in the dua itself, we are taught to ask Almighty Allah for the good, wherever it may be. Furthermore, Istikharah, in the Arabic language literally means to seek good. In other words, when one makes Istikharah, he is actually beseeching Allah that whatever deed he intends doing, there should be good in it. And if there is no good in that deed, then it should be turned away from him. One who makes Istikharah is not asking Almighty Allah for the knowledge of what is better for him. And if this was the case, then only would it have been necessary to see a dream or feel an inspiration.
Maulana Muhammad Yusuf Al-Binori (RA) has also stated that it is not necessary in Istikharah for one to receive any sort of guidance through a dream because this is not promised in the hadith. (Ma’rifus Sunan vol.4 pg.278) Sultaanul Ulamaa, Izzu Deen ibn Abdi Salaam has stated that one should after making Istikharah do what ever he had intended to do, there after what ever the outcome may be, that would be good for him.
In the light of the above, one would understand that Istikharah is in essence a dua that a person makes to Almighty Allah in which he seeks a good outcome. Hence after doing so, he should make a decision to go ahead, if that task is fulfilled there would be good in it. If not, then too there would be good in it because he had actually asked Allah for good & not that the particular task be accomplished under all circumstances. So whatever the outcome may be, the servant of Allah should be pleased with it and he should understand that this is what Allah had chosen for him. (See Ithaafu Sadatil Muttaqin, Sharh Ihya Uloom Din vol. 3 pg. 469)
3) As for the two rakats of Salaah, it would be best if one
performs it. But, if due to time constraints, it is left out, then too the Istikharah would be correct by merely uttering the dua. (Al-Azkar of Imam Nawawi (RA) pg. 107) It should also be noted that Istikharah can be done at any time during the day or night. (Obviously, Salaah should not be performed during Makrooh times) It is not necessary to perform Istikharah before sleeping only.
Note: As far as possible one should try to make Istikharah in the most perfect & complete manner possible. The dua should also be recited in the Arabic language if one is able to do so. However, there is another short form of Istikharah that has been mentioned in the hadith. It is also reported to be the practice of the Sahabah and that is to recite the following words; “Allahumma khir lee wakhtar lee”
Translation: Oh Allah, destine good for me and choose for me. (Sunan Tirmidhe hadith no. 3516, Sunan ibn Majah, Tabaqat ibn Sa’d) There is no salaah to be performed in this instance. For more details, refer to the book “Istikharah in the light of the Sunnah” by Ml. Ayub Jeenah published by Madrasah Arabia, Azadville, South Africa.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
FATWA DEPT.