Is istikharah possible for the work happened in past to know whether it was right or wrong or it is only for future plan to receive guidelines from the Allah? What is actual meaning of istikharah?
Answer
(Fatwa: 1206/764/L=1433)
Istikharah is a dua by which one seeks good; i.e. a man supplicates Almighty Allah through istikharah that O Allah! Whatever I do in future bring virtues in it and stop me from the things which do not carry virtues for me. Hence there is no use of doing istikharah for the work done in past. However, it is better to do istikharah for future work. Remember that istikharah is lawful for the affairs that are lawful in every aspect and istikharah is not lawful for things whose good and bad is fixed with Shariah evidence (i.e. istikharah is not lawful for salah, eating food, stealing etc).
Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) knows Best
Darul Ifta,
Darul Uloom Deoband