ISTIKHARA (council with ALLAH SWT). How to pray Istikhaarah
The description of Istikhaarah Prayer was reported by Jaabir RAT
(may Allaah be pleased with him) who said:
?The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to teach his companions to make Istikhaarah in all things, just as he used to teach them soorahs from the Quran. He said: ?If any one of you is concerned about a decision he has to make, then let him pray two rak?ahs of non-obligatory prayer, then say:
(O Allaah, I seek Your guidance by virtue of Your
knowledge, and I seek ability by virtue of Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power, I have none. And You know, I know not. You are the Knower of hidden things. O Allaah, if in Your knowledge, this matter (then it should be mentioned by name) is good for me both in this world and in the Hereafter (or: in my religion, my livelihood and my affairs), then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if in Your knowledge it is bad for me and for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs (or: for me both in
this world and the next), then turn me away from it, ,and ordain for me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with it.? Ibn Hijr (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, commenting on this hadeeth:?Istikhaarah is a word which means asking Allaah to help one make a choice, meaning choosing the best of two things where one needs to choose one of them.
(matters that are waajib (obligatory)or mustahabb(liked or encouraged), there is no need for Istikhaarah to decide whether to do them, and with regard to matters that are haraam (forbidden) or makrooh (disliked), there is no need for Istikhaarah to decide whether to avoid them. The issue of Istikhaarah is confined to matters that are mubaah (allowed), or in mustahabb matters when there is a decision to be made as to which one should be given priority.?