Each one of us find ourselves in perplex situations where we are hesitant to select between the available options.

These situations could vary from crucial crossroads in the life to common day-to-day business. Decisions such as while choosing an elective, science or commerce, on choosing between some particular job offers/ business deals, while sending/accepting this or that marriage proposal or even while purchasing a house, mobile phone, car, etc require Allah’s help and advice too which one can easily seek through Istikhara- Divine guidance.

                                                                     وَمَاۤ أُوتِیتُم مِّنَ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ إِلَّا قَلِیلا

                                                                                (Surah al-Isra)

Everybody use his or her available knowledge and intuition and takes a decision which he/she thinks is the best. But our knowledge is neither complete nor we can think of all possible outcomes through our intuition.

Allah SWT loves us and has provided us a simple method for receiving divine guidance in our worldly matters. Allah SWT has the perfect knowledge about our past, present, and the future and knows (with perfection) which decision will lead us to the best outcome or what’s best for us. Consulting Him or rather seeking His help in decision making will definitely help us with the best outcome.

This consultation or seeking help is known as Istikhara. It is advised to make consultations with the domain-experts and perform Istikhara before taking decisions in our lives.

Jabir RA reports in Bukhari shareef that the Prophet [PBUH] used to teach us about Istikhara just like he used to teach us verses of Quran.

                                                      يعلمنا الاستخاره فى الامور كما يعلمنا السورة من القران

The process of Istikhara is quite simple. Offer two rika’at nafil salaat and make the dua of Istikhara with depth of the heart while think of the option you are perplexed about at the time of reading ھٰذَا in the dua. That’s it! Go and grab the world. Inshaallah.

The dua of Istikhara is as follows:

اَللّٰہُمَّ اِنِّیْ أَسْتَخِیْرُکَ بِعِلْمِکَ ، وَ أَسْتَقْدِرُکَ بِقُدْرَتِکَ، وَ أَسْأَلُکَ مِنْ فَضْلِکَ الْعَظِیْمِ ، فَاِنَّکَ تَقْدِرُ وَ لاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَ تَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ ، وَ أَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُیُوْبِ ․

اَللّٰہُمَّ اِنْ کُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ ھٰذَا الْأَمْرَ خَیْرٌ لِّیْ فِیْ دِیْنِیْ وَ مَعَاشِیْ وَ عَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِیْ وَ عَاجِلِہ وَ اٰجِلِہ ، فَاقْدِرْہُ لِیْ ، وَ یَسِّرْہُ لِیْ ، ثُمَّ بَارِکْ لِیْ فِیْہِ ․

وَ اِنْ کُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ ھٰذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌ لِّیْ فِیْ دِیْنِیْ وَمَعَاشِیْ وَ عَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِیْ وَ عَاجِلِہ وَ اٰجِلِہ ، فَاصْرِفْہُ عَنِّیْ وَاصْرِفْنِیْ عَنْہُ ، وَاقْدِرْ لِیَ الْخَیْرَ حَیْثُ کَانَ ثُمَّ اَرْضِنِیْ بِہ․(بخاری،ترمذی)