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:

I want to know about Ishtikhara ..My sister has some problems with her husband and so she is staying with parents..I Want to know by Ishtikhara if it how it was possible to get them together..And also is Black magic..could it be possible that some one has done some kind of black magic on them .??please guide me.. 

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Answer:

Istakhara and black magic

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 want to know about Ishtikhara ..My sister has some problems with her husband and so she is staying with parents..I Want to know by Ishtikhara if it how it was possible to get them together

The literal meaning of ‘Istikhara’ when used in Islamic Jurisprudence means to consult or ask Allah Subhanah to guide the one seeking guidance concerning any affair in one’s life, especially when one has to chose between two or more permissible alternatives.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 9.487 Narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah

The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to teach his companions to perform the prayer of ‘Istikhara’ for each and every matter (of life) just as he used to teach them the Surahs from the Qur'an. He (saws) used to say, "If anyone of you intends to do some thing, he should offer a two rakat prayer other than the compulsory prayers, and after finishing it, he should say: “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.”

Thus my beloved sister in Islam, the prayer and supplication of ‘Istakhara’ is not something which can be performed by any other than the person who is concerned with the matter; and this prayer and supplication is not something which by itself will bring two people who have separated to come together!

But if your sister in contemplating whether to return to her husband and form a compromise and thus get together or permanently separate from him, then indeed it would be prudent for her to perform the ‘Istakhara’ prayer and supplication herself and seek guidance from her All-Knowing, All-Wise Lord to guide her in doing what is best for her in her life of this world and the Hereafter.

Your Question: And also is Black magic..could it be possible that some one has done some kind of black magic on them .??

Beloved Sister, the first thing we, as believers, must understand is that those who claim to do magic do not have the power to hurt or benefit anyone, without the permission of Allah Subhanah. No harm and no benefit can happen to anyone without the Precise Will and Permission of Allah Subhanah. If Allah does not will it, all the magicians of the world can get together and try their magic on someone, they cannot harm him in the least! All Power and All Strength is with Allah Subhanah Alone; thus there is absolutely no need to fear any magic, or magicians, or spells, or charms, or anything else in the universe! Everything, absolutely everything happens only with the Will and Permission of our Lord Most Majestic, Most Supreme; thus those who believe in Him should keep their faith and trust in Him Alone.

Allah Says in His Holy Quran Chapter 35 Surah Fatir verse 2:

2 What Allah out of His Mercy doth bestow on mankind there is none can withhold: what He doth withhold there is none can grant apart from Him: and He is the Exalted in Power Full of Wisdom.

Thus, in essence, someone who has evil intentions and does not fear Allah and the Last Day, may in their disbelief try to perform some ‘magic’; but Allah is our witness, their evil intentions or ‘magical’ spells cannot harm or benefit anyone in the least, without the Precise Will and Permission of The Lord Most Majestic. Thus never ever fear or try to entertain anyone who claims to do or repel magic, but keep your faith and trust in none except your Lord and Creator, Allah Subhanah Alone. Allah is our witness, He Alone is sufficient to protect the believers against any and all evil.

Remain constant in your remembrance of The Lord Most Supreme, and if the Shaytaan ever inspires you to fear him, or magic which Allah and His Messenger (saws) have termed an act of disbelief (kufr), or anything else in creation….turn to your One and Only Lord for refuge and protection and remain constant in your recitation of the Muawwedaat (Surah 113 Al-Falaq and Surah 114 An-Naas). Allah is our witness, if you keep your faith and trust in your Lord All-Mighty Alone, He will protect you against any and all evil.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 1019 Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri

The Prophet (saws) used to seek Allah’s protection against the ‘Shayateen’ (amongst the Jinns) and the ‘evil eye’ (spells, charms, magic, envy, etc.) till Surahs al-Falaq and an-Naas were revealed. After they were revealed he stuck to them and discarded everything beside them.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan