I would like to know what is "istekhara".
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa
Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
Dear Brother Burhan,
Assalam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah,
I would like to know what is "istekhara".
I see on "QTV", a TV channel from
Pakistan relaying this programme "istekhara", where people ask there
questions regarding there day to day life problems and someone gives answers
and also gives certain Ayah`s from the holy Quran to be repeated for certain
number of times to get relief from their problems.
May God reward you and your team for the mission you have undertaken for the
spread of true deen i.e. Islam.
God Bless you,
(There
may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum
does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from
our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)
Answer:
Istakhara and tasbih
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask
for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever
He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that
there is no one (no idol, no person, no
grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai,
nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that
Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Your Question: I would like to know what is
"istekhara".
The term ‘Istekhara’ when used in Shariah means a process
of offering a two rakah prayer and making the supplication as made and taught
by the Messenger of Allah (saws) to the believers when one seeks guidance from
the All-Knowing, All-Wise Lord in making a decision in any matter or aspect of
one’s life. It was the preferred Sunnah
of the Messenger of Allah (saws) that he would perform the prayer and
supplication of ‘Istakhara’, thus seeking guidance from the Lord All-Mighty
whenever he (saws) sought to make an important decision or choose between
several good options.
The Messenger of Allah (saws) would recite this beautiful
supplication after offering two rakahs whenever he sought guidance from Allah
in making an important decision:
Allahomma Inni Astakheeroka Bi'ilmik.
Wa'astaqdiroka Biqodratik. Wa'as'aloka
min Fadlikal-azeem. Fa'innaka Taqdiru Wala Aqdir. Wata'lamo Wala-a'lam.
Wa'anta-'allamul ghuyoob.
Allahomma In Kunta Ta'lamu Anna (Hathal-Amra) Khayul-lee Fi Deenee Wama'ashi
Wa'ajila Amri Wa'ajilah, Faqdorho lee, Wayassirho lee, Thomma-barik lee fih.
Wa'in Konta Ta'lamo Anna (Hathal-Amra) sharrul-lee Fi Deenee. Wama'ashi.
Wa'ajila Amri. Wa'ajilaho. Fasrifho 'annee. Wasrifnee 'anh. Waqdur
leyal-khayr Haytho
Translation of the du'a:
O Allah! I seek Your guidance (in making a choice) 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 all hidden things.
O Allah! If in Your knowledge, (this matter) is good for my religion, my
livelihood and my affairs; immediate and in the distant, then ordain for me,
make it easy for me and bless it for me. And if in Your knowledge, (this
matter) is bad for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs; immediate and
in the distant, then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it. And
ordain for me the good wherever it be and make me pleased with it.
Your Statement: I see on "QTV", a TV channel
from Pakistan relaying this programme "istekhara", where people ask
there questions regarding there day to day life problems and someone gives
answers and also gives certain Ayah`s from the holy Quran to be repeated for
certain number of times to get relief from their problems.
Dear and Beloved Brother in Islam, the truth is that I have not had the
opportunity to watch this programme, thus I would not be able to comment on it.
If one seeks help or guidance on any aspect of one’s life
and consults a good, God-fearing, pious and knowledgeable scholar in Islam who
guides from the Quran and the Sunnah, it is indeed a great and noble deed and
the brothers and sisters who seek guidance and the scholar who gives the
guidance will both have their rewards from the Lord Most Gracious. If the scholar advices and guides the
brothers and sisters from the Quran and the Sunnah, and gives them certain
verses from the Glorious Quran to be repeated a certain number of times to get
relief from their problems, there is absolutely no harm provided there is evidence
that the Messenger of Allah (saws) endorsed the repetition.
If there is no evidence in the Sunnah of the Messenger of
Allah (saws) whereby he (saws) practiced or endorsed the repetition, then it
does not behove a believer who believes in Allah and the Last Day to invent
anything in the deen which was not practiced or endorsed by the Messenger of
Allah (saws); for then it would constitute the following of a ‘bida’ or an
innovation, and innovations in the deen of Islam are absolutely prohibited.
It has been reported in an authentic
narration that the Prophet of Allah (saws) said: “Whoever introduces a ‘bida’ (innovation) in
this deen brought by me (saws), it will
be rejected.”
Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4515 Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib
That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said: “If
anyone introduces an innovation (in religion),
he will be responsible for it.
If anyone introduces an innovation or gives shelter to a man who introduces
an innovation (in religion), he is
cursed by Allah, by His Angels, and by all the people.”
Sahih Muslim Hadith 1885 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah
That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said in a
sermon: “The best speech is that which
is embodied in the Book of Allah, the Al Quran;
and the best guidance is the guidance given by me, Mohamed (saws). The most evil affairs are the innovations,
and every innovation is an error.”
If one trusts,
obeys, and follows the guidance
and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), he can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger
(saws), he can be assured of being led astray.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to
Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only
Source of Strength.
Your Brother in Islam,
Burhan
Wister