Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Making a decision is like rocket science to me. I know the istakhara prayer by heart and pray it constantly for things, but in the end, I really don’t know if I’ve done the right thing or not. It’s a really frustrating way to live. If you could shed a little more light on how Islam will help me find my heart and guide me CLEARLY, I would be sooo grateful.
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
The sunna is that one changes oneself by developing habits and realizations:
a) make it a habit not to second guess yourself after making a decision: once you take a decision, stick to it (unless there is a manifest and undeniable reason not to, such as obvious harm). If you get doubts or misgivings, just say, Tawakkaltu `ala Allah’ (“I have placed my trust in Allah”). This is taken from the Qur’an verse, “ And if you make a resolve, then place your trust in Allah.”
b) realize that all we are responsible for is taking sound means: it is Allah, not us, who creates the results.