Assalamualaikum
I have asked a question about 2 weeks ago about whether it is acceptable that anyone who has minor or major decisions to make to open the Quran randomly and read the page and then see the answer in it. A lot of people do it – I also know that if anyone starts doing it, it will soon becomes a habit and it will be hard to stop. My question is whether it is acceptable to do that whenever faced with a problem or will it be considered as shrik/innovation as the Quran was not sent for this purpose. Your answer is important as if this is Shrik then many people are sinning without knowing they are. JazakAllah
In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalāmu ῾alaykum wa Rahmatullāhi Wabarakātuh
Randomly opening the Quran for an Ayat to make a decision in any matter is not a practice of Islam.
This has no basis in the Shari̒a and it was never practiced by Rasulullah Sallallahu ̒alayhi Wasallam, the Sahābah Radhiyallāhu ̒anhum, the Tabi ̒in, Mujathideen, Muhaditheen, Mufasireen or the Fuqahā Rahmatullāhi ̒alayhi ̒ajma̒een.
If anyone is faced with a minor or major decision in life; such as applying for a job, deciding to get married to a certain individual or migrate, then he should make Istikhārah Salāh.
Hazrat Jābir radhiyallāhu ̒anhu reports that Nabi Sallallāhu ̒alayhi Wasallam taught us Istikhārah in all matters like a Surah of the Quran. When one of you are faced with a matter, he should perform two Rakaats, then he should say:
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
[1]Translation in footnote. (Sahih Bukhari pg.207 vol. 7 Dārul Fikr)
Inshā Allah, if this method is adopted when faced with a decision, one will be successful in that matter.
And Allāh Ta῾āla Knows Best
Wassalāmu ῾alaykum
Ml. Zakariyya bin Ahmed,
Student Dārul Iftā
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Dārul Iftā, Madrasah In῾āmiyyah
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[1] “Oh Allah! I seek good through your knowledge and I seek ability through your ability and I ask you for your great virtue. Verily, you are able and I am not. You know and I know not and You are the knower of the unseen. Oh Allah! If You know this matter is good for me, in my Deen, my life and in conclusion of my matter, (in bringing it quickly or delaying it) then decree it for me, make it easy and place Barakah therein for me. And if You know this matter is bad for me, in my Deen, my life and in conclusion of my matter, (in bringing it quickly or delaying it) then turn it away from me, turn me away from it and decree good for me where ever it may be, then make me happy with it.
(N.B. At the point of mentioning “this matter” (as underlined), think of the matter that one seeks clarity on.)