The Seeking Prayer
Istikhara, sometimes called "the Seeking Prayer" in English, is a paryer which one can pray when one is faced with a decision between two or more (permissible) options and is confused or unsure which option to take.
Istikhara can thus be prayed, for example, by someone who is deciding whether to accept a marriage proposal or not or whether to quit a job or not, to name a couple of examples on how istikhara can be helpful.
Praying istikhara is very simple. The following are the basic rules of the istikhara prayer:
1. Pray two rakahs of a non-obligatory prayer at any time during the day or night.
2. At the end of the prayer recite the following supplication or "duŽa". (The duŽa is provided in English transliteration and English translation)
"Allahumma enny astakheeruka bi3ilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi qodratika wa as'aluka min fadlika al 3atheem, fa innaka taqdir wa laa aqdir, wa ta3lam wa laa a3lam wa anta 3allam al3`oyoob. Allahumma in kunta ta3lam inna hatha al amra (name your dilemma here) khairun li fi deeni wa ma3ashi wa 3aqibati amri aw fi 3aajila amri wa aajilahu fa aqdirhu li wa yassirhu li thomma barik li feeh, wa in kunta ta3lam inn ahatha al amra sharrun li fi deeni wa ma3ashee wa 3aqibat amri aw fi 3ajila amri wa aajilhu fa asrifhu 3aani wa asrifni 3anhu wa aqdir li alkhaira 7aitho kan thumma arddinny bihee".
"O Allah, I choose by your knowledge, and enable myself by your ability, and ask you from your great favor, for you can and I can not, and you know and I know not, for you are the one knowing the hidden. O Allah, ifyou judge that this matter (name your dilemma here) is good for me in my deen and life and my after life, and in my present and my future, then enable it for me, and ease it to me, and grace it on me. If you judge that this matter is not good for me in my deen and life and my after life, and in my present and my future, then make it go from me and make me go from it, anf will on me the good, wherever it is, and make me accept it." 3. The prayer can be repeated as often as ne likes before making a decision.
3. The prayer can be repeated as often as ne likes before making a decision.
Sources: Fiqh us Sunnah
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