How do I know that my Istikaarah has been Answered ?

Answer:

Praise be to Allah, peace and blessings be upon His Messenger: Istikhaarah(Guidance prayer) is similar to any other supplication which is likely to be answered by one of the three things mentioned in the Prophet`s(PBUH) Hadith: “When a Muslim makes a supplication to Allah, and it neither involves a sin nor a severance of kinship ties, Allah grants him one of three: He grants him what he asked for, rewards him in the Hereafter, or spares him from an evil equal to it.”{Al-Imam Ahmad,’Al-Masnad”(17/241)}. If a Muslim asks Allah to choose what is better for him, and Allah wanted to grant him that : He guides him to one thing, and consequently he finds inner peace with doing it, and this way Allah helps him make a choice. The Muslim performing the Istikhaarah remains confused, and thus goes on with that which is manageable along with consulting the people of experience, and Allah will facilitate things and grant him success. It is not a condition that the Istikhaarah performer sees something in his dream; rather, he should carry on with what he is doing, and if it was good, then Allah will facilitate it for him, but if it wasn`t, then He will keep it away from him, and choose what is good for him. And Allah knows best.