The prayer of consultation, called in Arabic salat al istikhara, is one that Muslims perform when they need to make an important decision. In Islam, learning to consult Allah regularly is a recommendation that the books of Sunnah (the prophetic Tradition) insist upon. The Muslim is enjoined to make it a habit before undertaking any project in his life. In what circumstances should one perform the prayer of consulting God? What is the source of these teachings? Or again, how does one perform it according to the model of our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him? That is what we are going to see in this article.
Description and misconceptions about salat istikhara
There are many erroneous practices or beliefs surrounding this prayer, the substance of which is diverted from its primary purpose. Here are three of the best known:
1 Do I have to recite a specific surah during the prayer of consultation ?
No. There are no special surahs to recite for this prayer. The Muslim man or woman can perform the prayer of consultation with the surahs of their choice after having recited the Opening Surah (Al Fatiha).
2 Will I see my answer in dreams ?
There are no precise answers, nor any specific way of receiving an answer to one's supplications or to one's prayer of consultation. It is neither through a dream nor through a sudden realization, or a special feeling as one might hear, that the believer will know which decision to make following his salat istikhara. The supplication at the end of the prayer of consultation is clear: the Muslim asks Allah to make this matter easy for him if it is a good for him in both Worlds, or to keep it away from him if it is an evil.
Is salat istikhara reserved for a great occasion ?
No. It is both for everyday matters and for major projects or major decisions that Muslims perform this prayer of consultation.
What does salat istikhara (prayer of consultation) mean?
The salat istikhara is above all a supplication made at the end of two units of prayer.
" Salat " therefore means " prayer ".
" Istikhara " means " to seek the good, the best choice ". This Arabic verb comes from the word khayr, which means good. Thus salat istikhara means to seek, to ask Allah, azza wa jal, for what is better for us in the matter or decision that concerns us.
How to perform the prayer of consultation ?
There is no point in giving any credit to anyone posing as a raq (exorcist) who wants to induce you to learn the outcome of your life plans by means of a Quran recitation or a prayer. This is nothing but the product of charlatanism, a blameworthy act reproached by the Anger of Allah. For information, Quran recitations over a person are done only for curative purposes, by the sick man, or the sick woman herself, or a trustworthy pious person. Each seeking healing through the Book of Allah, which is a Healing for the heart, and not to know the future, which represents an act of polytheism, of disbelief, may Allah preserve us from it.
To return to the prayer of consultation, Allah, in the Quran, recommends that we seek help and assistance through prayer, the most beautiful act of obedience to Allah. Also, to perform this consultation of one's Lord before undertaking an important matter, or even an everyday matter. The Muslim purifies himself and performs two units of supererogatory prayer during which he recites the Fatiha and some verses of the Quran of his choice. Then at the end of this prayer he raises his hands and invokes Allah in these terms:
The supplication of the prayer of consultation in Arabic :
" اللهم إني أستخيرك بعلمك، وأستقدرك بقدرتك، وأسألك من فضلك العظيم، فإنك تقدر ولا أقدر، وتعلم ولا أعلم، وأنت علام الغيوب، اللهم إن كنت تعلم أن هذا الأمر (ويُسميه بعينه) خير لي في ديني ومعاشي وعاقبة أمري فاقدره لي، ويسره لي، ثم بارك لي فيه، وإن كنت تعلم أن هذا الأمر شرّ لي في ديني ومعاشي وعاقبة أمري فاصرفه عني، واصرفني عنه، واقدر لي الخير حيث كان، ثم أرضني به (رواه البخاري في « صحيحه »)
The supplication of the prayer of consultation in phonetics :
" Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi 'ilmika wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratika wa as`aluka min fadlika al-'adhim, fa-innaka taqdiru wa la aqdiru, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lamu, wa anta 'allamu al-ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha al-amra (wa yussamihi bi'aynihi) khayrun li fi dini wa ma'achi, wa 'aqibati amri, faqdurhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li fihi, wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha al-amra charrun li fi dini, wa ma'achi, wa 'aqibati amri, fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdur liya al-khayra haythu kana, thumma ardini bihi ". (rawahu l-Bukhari fi Sahihihi)
English version of the supplication of the prayer of consultation:
O Lord, I ask You, by Your Knowledge, to make me choose rightly; I ask You, by Your Power, to help me; and I ask You to grant me of Your immense Grace; for indeed You have the Power while I do not, You hold the Knowledge while I do not, and You are the One who perfectly knows the hidden things. O Lord, if You know that this thing (and one then names this thing) is a good for me in my religion, in my life here below, and in that of the hereafter, destine it for me, make its realization easy, then bless it for me. And if You know that this thing is an evil for me, in my religion, in my life here below and in that of the hereafter, turn it away from me, and turn me away from it; and destine for me the good wherever it may be, then make me content with it. " (reported by al-Bukhari in his Sahih)
When should one perform the prayer of consultation ?
As was said above, the Muslim asks Allah to direct him toward the best choice for him in all his affairs, for our beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said, in a hadith reported by Jabir Ibn Abd Allah as-Sulami, may Allah be pleased with him:
" The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to teach his Companions to consult [Allah] in every matter as he taught them a surah of the Quran.
The Muslim cannot, however, consult Allah for one of his affairs concerning something forbidden or detestable. In other words, if he hesitates to do something haram, he will not perform the prayer of consultation, for it is obvious that he must abstain from everything that harms him and everything that is forbidden by the Almighty. In general, everything that leads to the Anger of one's Lord is not a matter for the prayer of consultation.
Likewise, he cannot consult Allah about an obligatory or recommended matter. This means that the Muslim cannot, for example, consult Allah before performing an obligatory act such as the fast of Ramadan or the alms.
The projects for which he may consult his Lord before deciding to take action are:
- marriage
- work
- studies
- divorce
- travel
- the purchase of anything useful, etc...
Conclusion
The prayer of consultation is composed of two units of prayer, apart from the obligatory prayers, that the believer performs with the firm intention of consulting his Creator in order to make the best choice in the matter he is about to carry out. This is why he invokes Allah with raised hands at the end of this prayer, and that is where the secret lies: to ask Him to make this matter easy if it is a good, and to keep it away if it represents an evil. The secret of this du'a is neither a dream (even though that may happen), nor a sudden realization. The believer asks Allah to guide him toward the best of choices, all while being sincere and taking the initiative to undertake actions with a view to this matter.
May Allah grant us the best understanding of our religion so that we may strive toward His Satisfaction. May Allah grant us a favorable outcome in all our affairs, whether worldly or pertaining to our Future Life. Amin