This humble servant would like to ask a question on behalf of a muslim brother. He works in an engineering firm and has been greatly responsible for bringing in business for his employer. Even the employer has acknowledged his efforts. The question the brother would like to ask is whether he can approach his company and ask for a bonus taking into consideration the value of business he has brought to the company. The dilemma he is facing is that it is our firm belief that , whatever has to be asked is from Allah who is the creator and sustainer and not from the created Makhluq. Kindly elaborate Mufti saheb. Jazaakallah Khayran
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Certainly, it is Allāh Ta’ālā who is the Sustainer and it is He who we rely on. However, in addition to asking Allāh Ta’ālā, we have been commanded to pursue the worldly means towards achieving our goals, as well. This does not go against the principle of tawakkul (the reliance on Allāh Ta’ālā).
Therefore, the brother in question should make du’ā to Allāh Ta’ālā and ask for His assistance. Imām Bukhārī mentions in his Sahīh:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يعلمنا الاستخارة في الأمور كما يعلمنا السورة من القرآن يقول ( إذا هم أحدكم بالأمر فليركع ركعتين من غير الفريضة (صحيح البخاري، كتاب الصلاة، أبواب التطوع: 1/391؛ ابن كثير)
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to teach us Istikhārah for our affairs as he used to teach us a sūrah from the Qur’ān. He used to say, “If any of you are concerned with a matter, let him pray two nafl rak’ahs.
The brother should make two rak’ahs for Salāt al-Istikhārah to ask Allāh for guidance in his matter. After completing the two rak’ahs, he should recite the following du’ā:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّى أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِى فِى دِينِى وَمَعَاشِى وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِى فَاقْدُرْهُ لِى وَيَسِّرْهُ لِى ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِى فِيهِ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أنَّ هَذَا الْأمْرَ شَرٌّ لِى فِى دِينِى وَمَعَاشِى وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِى فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّى وَاصْرِفْنِى عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِىَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أرْضِنِى بِهِ
O Allāh, I seek the best from You through Your knowledge, the ability from You through Your power, and ask You of Your great bounty. Surely, You have the power and I have none, You know everything and I know not, and You are the Most Knowledgeable of the unseen. O Allāh, if You know this matter to be good for me regarding my religion, livelihood, and the outcome of my affair, then ordain it for me, make it easy, and bless me in it. And if You know this matter to be evil for me regarding my religion, livelihood, and the outcome of my affair, then turn it away from me, turn me away from it, and ordain good for me wherever it may be, and then make me pleased with it.
After praying Salāt al-Istikhārah, if he feels inclined to ask his employer for a bonus, then he should do so knowing that he is simply fulfilling his obligation of following the worldly means after having asked the true Sustainer. We adopt the means, and Allāh is the One who puts an effect in our means.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Wassalamu Alaykum
Ml. Abrar Mirza
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In’aamiyyah