Istikharah (seeking Allah’s Counsel)
Jabir bin Abdullah
(RA) said: The Prophet (SAW) used to teach us to seek Allah's Counsel in
all matters, as he used to teach us a Surah from the Qur'an. He would
say: When anyone of you has an important matter to decide, let him pray
two Rak'ahs other than the obligatory prayer, and then say:
"اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ
بِعِلْمَكَ، 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- عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ- فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ
بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ
لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي- عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ-
فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ
كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ".
74. Allaahumma 'innee
'astakheeruka bi'ilmika, wa 'astaqdiruka biqudratika, wa 'as'aluka min
fadhtikal-'Adheemi, fa'innaka taqdiru wa laa 'aqdiru, wa ta'lamu,
wa laa 'a'lamu, wa 'Anta 'Allaamul-Ghuyoobi, Allaahumma 'in kunta
ta'lamu 'anna haathal-'amra-[then mention the thing to be
decided] Khayrun lee fee deenee wa ma'aashee wa 'aaqibati 'amree - [or
say] 'Aajilihi wa 'aajilihi - Faqdurhu lee wa yassirhu lee thumma baarik
lee feehi, wa 'in kunta ta'lamu 'anna haathal-'amra sharrun lee
fee deenee wa ma'aashee wa 'aaqibati 'amree - [or say] 'Aajilihi wa 'aajilihi
- Fasrifhu 'annee wasrifnee 'anhu waqdur liyal-khayra haythu kaana
thumma 'ardhinee bihi.
O Allah, I seek the
counsel of Your Knowledge, and I seek the help of Your Omnipotence, and
I beseech You for Your Magnificent Grace. Surely, You are Capable and I
am not. You know and I know not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O
Allah, if You know that this matter [then mention the thing to be
decided] is good for me in my religion and in my life and for my welfare
in the life to come, - [or say: in this life and the afterlife] - then
ordain it for me and make it easy for me, then bless me in it. And if
You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion and in my life
and for my welfare in the life to come, - [or say: in this life and the
afterlife] - then distance it from me, and distance me from it, and
ordain for me what is good wherever it may be, and help me to be content
with it.
Whoever seeks the
counsel of the Creator will not regret it and whoever seeks the advice
of the believers will feel confident about his decisions . Allah said in
the Qur'an :
"And consult them in the affair. Then when you have taken a decision ,
put your trust in Allah."
Reference: Al-Bukhari
7/162. and Aal-'Imran 3:159.
