Salatul - Isstikhara (Prayer To Seek Allah's Guidance)

It is natural that in his day to day a Muslim is confronted with important issues regarding decisions making and which may force the person to undergo much thinking and anxiety and even worry before the person is able to decide affirmatively or negatively. 

It is with due regard to such situations that the Prophet Salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam  accustomed for the Muslim Ummah a voluntary prayer to which a person may resort to and through which he/ she seeks from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala true guidance and the ability to reach the proper decision over the particular matter.

This prayer is known in Arabic as Salatul-Isstikhara and it its importance is such that the Prophet Salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam  used to teach his companions about it in the same way he used to teach them the verses of the Holy Qur'an.

The companions Jabir( may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet Salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam used to exhort us to practice Isstikhara for all our affairs.

The manner of performing this prayer  is that the person comes up with the voluntary prayer of two rakaats (units) at any time during the day or night and upon completing the same the person recites a private supplication in which he/she seeks the guidance of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala.

The supplication goes as follows:

" Allahumma inni astakhyiruka bi'ilmika wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika wa as-aluka min fadhlika-al-azim, fa innaka taqdii walaa aqdiru wata' Lamu walaa a'alamu, wa anta 'allamul-ghuyyub. Allahumma in kunta ta'alamu anna hadhal-amra ( Here the person makes a mention of the matter for which guidance is sought) Kheirun Lee fii dinii wama'aashii wa'aaqibata amri faqdhurhu lii, wa yaasir-hu lii fiihi, Wain kunta'ta Lamu anna hadhal-amra (-amra (-amra (Also at this point the person makes a mention of the matter for which guidance is sought) sharrun Lee fii dinii wa ma'aashii wa'aaqibata amrii fasrifhu 'anni wasrifnii 'anhu waqqur Lee al-kheyra Hetty kana thumma ardhinii bihii"

which means

"O Lord, I seek your guidance, through Your knowledge and power; and I ask You of Your grade bounties; for You decree and I do not decree; and You know and I know not; You are the knower of invisible. O Lord, if you know that this matter ( And here the person states the matter for which guidance is sought)  is of benefit to me in my religion, in my livelihood and in its outcome, decide it for me and make it easy for me and then bless it for me. And if you know that this matter (And here he names it again) is bad for me in my religion, in my livelihood, and it in its outcome, turn it  from me and divert me from it and decree good for me whatever it may be and make me pleaser with it".

Having seeked Allah's guidance above, the person then resumes his/ her routine affairs and in the meantime awaiting the due response from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala which could appear to the person by way of feelings in the person's hearts of either confidence or otherwise. 

Thus where the person feels in his/her heart a sense of vigor, optimism and satisfaction about the intended undertaking,then the person may construe this as a positive response from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala and may accordingly proceed on with the intended undertaking, Where, however,  the opposite is true and the person's doubts, and/or worries are not cleared,  then the person may avoid the intended undertaking for it could mean doom for him/ her. 

Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala says

"... it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth and ye know not". (Qur'an 2:216)

Indeed the essence of this prayer is to test someone's trust in Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala, hence the need to abide by the guidance of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala accordingly whether this may mean pursuing  or abandoning the intended undertaking.

Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala also says:

"...And if anyone puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is Allah for him, for Allah surely accomplishes His purpose: Verily,for all things has Allah  appointed a due proportion". (Qur'an 65:3)