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:

Assalam Ul Alaikum,

I never wanted to ask this but now I am desperate. I have been trying to cope with a problem for a very long time now. I am not the greatest muslim. But I always try to pray 5x a day on the other hand I do watch movies and listen to music.... I try my best to memorize the quran as well. I`m just giving you some background information on myself, so you can understand the situation easily. I have been doing salat-ul-istakhara ever since July. I have a concern in my life, it`s a very huge matter. Every time I do the istakhara it doesn`t work. I don`t know why, I follow all the instructions and try to do it appropriately, but I don`t get the answer, I don`t know if it`s worked and sometimes I get a dream that is completely irrelevant or shameful dreams, I get dreams that are of no significance. I understand dreams have hidden messages, but their content and the people in my dreams are sometimes just a big joke which are not close to what answer I am seeking. I have been doing istakhara continously for the past 6 months. For all I know it might even be a sin to do it everyday, but I still try. Usually I read Isha around 7:30. Then I read Witr like around 2:00 before I go to sleep, and right after I read witr I read 2 rakah`s of salat-ul-istakhara, I read any of the surahs I know and at the end I raise my hands and read the istakhara du`a. Can you please tell me why its not working. I`m seriously telling you, that this matter for me if about life and death. If commiting suicide was not a sin, I probably would have done it by now. I am very confused in my life, I need Allah`s help and I ask everyday. I need his guidance and I need an answer. I know no one can help me except Allah but I am asking you since you are more educated in deen (I hope so). Day and night I just search for the answer. Every night I do istakhara, sometimes I have done it even after Fajr. Because in one place i read that you should do it after Isha and another place said that you can do it anytime and just have to perform two rakah`s. Sir can you please tell me, where is it that I am going wrong. I need help from Allah in this matter, this is a serious matter that is why I have been trying for half a year. I mean am I wrong by reading the two rakah`s after witr, should I read any specific surahs? What should I dooooo? I`ll go cray, every second I just think of which step I should take. Or do you think cause I am not the best muslim maybe thats why it doesn`t work. Is the istakhara restricted to good muslims only who don`t commit sins usually (i know no one is perfect), I told you I know I`m a sinner, just cause I try to read 5 times namaaz (but I miss fajr sometimes, but I try not to) it doesn`t mean that I am good, I still behave like a typical teenager..... Please reply soon. What should I do for allah to accept my dua, mean if allah said to fast for a year then I surely would have, is there something I shoul read specifically and dua or tasbih? please reply soon. Thank you

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Answer:

Why dua and istakhara not answered?

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.

Hadrat Saad ibn abi-Waqas (r.a.) reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "Istikharah (seeking guidance from Allah) is one of the distinct favors (of Allah) upon man, and a good fortune for the son of Adam is to be pleased with the Judgment of Allah. And a misfortune of the son of Adam is his failure to make ‘istikharah’ (seeking Allah's guidance), and a misfortune for the son of Adam is his displeasure with the Judgment of Allah."

When the Messenger of Allah (saws) had to make any important decision regarding any affair, he would seek the guidance of Allah Subhanah and pray the two-rakah prayer of ‘Istikharah’. ‘Istikhara’ in Shariah terminology means to ask Allah to guide one to the right thing concerning any affair in one's life, especially when one has to choose between any number of permissible alternatives. What it signifies is that the person accepts his ignorance and weakness in the Presence of his Majestic Lord, believes that whatever is going to happen to him will happen with the Permission and Will of his All Mighty Lord, and he declares his absolute humility and submission in the Presence of his Merciful Lord and begs Him to guide him to the right decision.

And that is the basic message of the supplication one does when praying the salaat of ‘istakhara’:

Translation of supplication of ‘istakhara’ as taught by the Messenger of Allah (saws):
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 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.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not as if whenever one performs ‘istakharah’, one will get an immediate answer from the Merciful Lord in one’s dream (although it may happen!), or something tangible; but what happens is, if one completely puts his trust in Allah Subhanah and makes a choice between the permissible alternatives, one will easily be able to recognize the permissibility of his choice made.

If the choice made is right, Allah Subhanah will make the option easily available and clear all the difficulties in the path of obtaining that good option; and as one sees the ease with which the option is carried out, he/she will realize that this is indeed the right choice and the result of the istakhara was in the affirmative.

But if the choice is wrong and detrimental in the future, Allah Subhanah will make the happening of the option difficult and one will experience blockages and difficulties in the way of achieving that option; and at some stage, when after trying everything in one’s power the option is still not coming to a conclusion, one will realize that this was not the right choice and the result of the istakhara was negative.

The most important aspect while performing ‘istakharah’ is to recognize that All Strength and Power belongs to none except Allah Subhanah Alone; if the powers of the whole world got together and tried to give one something which Allah Subhanah has not Willed and Permitted, know it for sure that it can never happen! And if all the powers of the world got together and tried to take something which Allah has Pleased and Permitted one with, they would not be able withhold His Mercy! Thus one should know for sure, that everything, absolutely everything happens only with the Will and Permission of Allah Subhanah, the Lord of the Worlds.

Your Question: I mean am I wrong by reading the two rakah`s after witr, should I read any specific surahs? What should I dooooo? Every night I do istakhara, sometimes I have done it even after Fajr.

Dear and Beloved Brother, although one can call upon the Merciful Lord anytime of the day or night, the best time to perform the ‘istakhara’ prayers or make supplication is the last third part of the night.

Abu Hurairah reports that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night, inquiring: 'Who will call on Me so that I may respond to him? Who is asking something of Me so I may give it to him? Who is asking for My forgiveness so I may forgive him?"

Related by Muslim and Bukhari.

Amr ibn Abasah reports that he heard the Prophet (saws) say: "The closest that a slave comes to his Lord is during the middle of the latter portion of the night. If you can be among those who remember Allah, the Exalted One, at that time then do so." Related by al-Hakim.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) guided the believers to make the ‘witr’ prayers the last prayers of the night; thus if one intends to perform the ‘istakhara’ at night, one should do it before the ‘witr’ prayers and not after it.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) also forbade the believers to pray any type of prayers after the obligatory ‘fajr’ prayers until the sun has completely risen above the horizon.

One may recite any Surah or Aayahs from the Holy Quran that one has memorized after the recitation of Surah Fatihah in each of the two rakahs of the ‘istakhara’ prayers.

Your Question: What should I do for allah to accept my dua, mean if allah said to fast for a year then I surely would have, is there something I shoul read specifically and dua or tasbih?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 186: And if My servants ask you, O Prophet, concerning Me, tell them that I am quite near to them. I hear and answer the prayer of the suppliant, when he calls on Me. So let them respond to My call and believe in Me. (Convey this to them), perhaps they may be guided aright!

The All Knowing, All Wise Allah knows what is good and what is bad for us; therefore, if one asks for something good, Allah will give him/her one of three things:

Allah will give the believer what he/she has supplicated for.

If what the believer is asking is not good or harmful for the believer in this world, Allah will store it for him for the world of the Hereafter.

If what the believer is asking is not good or harmful for the believer in this world, Allah will turn away from the believer an equivalent amount of evil.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2257 Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri

The Prophet (saws) said, "Any Muslim who makes a supplication containing nothing which is sinful, or which involves breaking ties of relationship, will be given for it by Allah one of three things: He will give him swift answer, or store it up for him in the next world, or turn away from him an equivalent amount of evil." Those who heard it said they would then make many supplications and he replied that Allah was more ready to answer than they were to ask.

Nu'man b. Bashir reported that the Prophet (saws), said, "Verily supplication is worship."

Narrated by Ahmad and Sunan.

Abu Hurairah reported, "The Prophet (saws) said, "Nothing is more dear to Allah than one's supplication to Him.''

Narrated by Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.

Ibn Mas'ud reported that the Prophet (saws), said, "If any servant of Allah afflicted with distress or grief makes this supplication, his supplication will be accepted: 'O Allah, I am Your servant, son of Your servant, son of your maidservant. My forehead is in Your hand. Your command conceming me prevails, and Your decision concerning me is just. I call upon You by every one of the beautiful names by which You have described Yourself, or which You have revealed in Your book, or have taught anyone of Your creatures, or which You have chosen to keep in the knowledge of the unseen with You, to make the Qur'an the delight of my heart, the light of my breast, and remover of my griefs, sorrows, and afflictions'." A supplication in these words will be answered. Allah will remove one's affliction and replace it with joy and happiness.

Salman reported that the Prophet (saws), said, "Your Lord, the Blessed and the Exalted One, is Modest and Generous, and He loathes to turn away His servant empty-handed when he raises his hands to Him in supplication."

Narrated by Ahmad and Ibn Hibban.

Abdallah b. 'Umar reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "Hearts are like vessels, some more attentive and capacious than others. When you supplicate Allah you should be certain of being answered, and know that Allah does not answer a supplication that comes from a careless and inattentive heart."

Narrated by Ahmad

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2248 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "There are three whose supplication is not rejected: one who has just ended a fast, a just imam, and one who has been wronged, whose supplication is raised by Allah above the clouds and for which the gates of Heaven are opened. The Lord says, 'I swear by My might that I shall certainly help you, though it be after some time.'"

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "Your supplication will be answered if you are not impatient, and if you do not say, 'I supplicated but my supplication was not heard'."

Narrated by Malik.

In light of the above aayah and the various narrations from the Messenger of Allah (saws), it is evident that no supplication a believer makes to his Merciful Lord is ever left unanswered. Rest assured that the Lord is well-aware of the condition of each of His believing slaves and He Hears and Responds to each and every invocation made to Him with fear, humility, hope and patience.

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