[casinobonyanes]

I know istikhara is the guidance prayer, but i dont know how to pray and when to pray, can some one explain me about this?

[P1international]

Salatul Istikhara [The Guidance Prayer]

1. Pray two Rakats of sunna .
2. Make the dua mentioned below.

Rasoolullah said:

"'If one of you is concerned about some practical undertaking, or about making plans for a journey, he should perform two cycles of ritual prayer [rak'atain], not as an obligatory observance [farida], but voluntarily [Sunna].

Then he should say:

34e3u5i.jpg


Allaahumma innee astakheeruka bi ilmika wa-astaqdiruka biqudratika wa-as'aluka min fadhlika al-adheem.
Fa innaka taqdiru walaa aqdiru. Wa ta'lamu walaa a'alamu wa anta allaamul ghuyoob.
Allaahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna haadhal-amr khayrun liy fiy deeniy wa-ma'aashiy wa-aaqibat amriy,
fa'qdruhliy wa-yassirh liy thumma baarik liy feehi. Wa in-kunta ta'lamu anna haadhal amr sharrun liy fiy deeniy wa-ma'aashiy was-'aaqibat amriy.
Fa asrifh annee wa-srif 'anhu. Wa aqdurh liyal khayr hayth kaana thumma a-rdhiniy bihee

Translation: O Allah!! Behold I ask You the good through Your Knowledge, and ability through Your Power, and beg (Your favour) out of Your infinite Bounty.
For surely You have Power; I have none. You know all; I know not. You are the Great Knower of all things.
O Allah! If in Your Knowledge this matter be good for my faith (Deen), for my livelihood, and for the consequences of my affairs,
then ordain it for me, and make it easy for me, and bless me therein.
But if in Your Knowledge, this matter be bad for my faith (Deen) for my livelihood, and for the consequences of my affairs,
then turn it away from me, and turn me away therefrom, and ordain for me the good wherever it be, and cause me to be pleased therewith.

While reciting this Du'aa when one reaches the underlined part, HAADHAL AMR (THIS MATTER) at both places he should think of his problem.

Video of the Dua:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhF1HnM7LMY

[truck]

I know istikhara is the guidance prayer, but i dont know how to pray and when to pray, can some one explain me about this?

The below may of use:

The Guidance Prayer (Istikhara)

On the authority of Jabir ibn 'Abdi'llah (may Allah be well pleased with him and with his father) who said, "Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to teach us how to seek guidance in choosing the best option available in a practical enterprise [al-istikhara fi 'l-amr], just as he would teach us a Chapter [Sura] from the Qur'an. He would say:

"'If one of you is concerned about some practical undertaking, or about making plans for a journey, he should perform two cycles of ritual prayer [rak'atain], not as an obligatory observance [farida], but voluntarily. Then he should say:

'"O Allah, I ask You to show me what is best, through Your knowledge, and I ask You to empower me, through Your power, and I beg You to grant me Your tremendous favor, for You have power, while I am without power, and You have knowledge, while I am without knowledge, and You are the One who knows all things invisible.

Allahumma inni astakhiru-ka bi-'ilmi-ka wa astaqdiru-ka bi-qudrati-ka wa as'alu-ka min fadli-ka 'l-'azim fa-inna-ka taqdiru wa la aqdiru wa ta'lamu wa la a'lamu wa Anta 'Allamu 'l-ghuyub :

O Allah, if You know that this undertaking is in the best interests of my religion, my life in this world, and my life in the Hereafter, and can yield successful results in both the short term and the long term, then make it possible for me and make it easy for me, and then bless me in it.

Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha 'l-amra khairun li fi dini wa dunyaya wa akhirati wa 'aqibati amri wa 'ajili -hi wa ajili-h :fa-'qdir-hu li wa yassir-hu li thumma barik li fi-h :

If not, then turn it away from me, and make it easy for me to do well, wherever I may happen to be, and make me content with Your verdict, O Most Merciful of the merciful.'"

wa illa fa-'srif-hu 'an-ni wa yassir liya 'l-khaira haithu kana ma kuntu wa raddi-ni bi-qada'i-ka ya Arhama 'r-rahimin :

The guidance prayer (Istikhara) is recommended for those matters in which it is unclear to one what course of action one should take. [ Hashiyat al-Tahtawi, 217]

One begins by offering two rakats to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). One should then sit, (Preferably facing the qibla with hands raised) and recite the dua of Istikhara.

It is recommended to open the dua of istikhara with praise of Allah and sending blessings on the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace), and to close it in this manner, too. [ Radd al-Muhtar, 1:461]
The invoker chooses either to declare his or her matter of concern in place of, "this undertaking" (hadha 'l-amra) in the dua, or to declare it at the end upon its completion. [ Radd al-Muhtar, 1:461]
It is desirable to repeat the Istikhara seven times. [ Radd al-Muhtar, 1:461]

Also see the links below

http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.a...ID=1056&CATE=4.

http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?id=1117

[casinobonyanes]

Salatul Istikhara [The Guidance Prayer]

1. Pray two Rakats of sunna .
2. Make the dua mentioned below.

Rasoolullah said:

"'If one of you is concerned about some practical undertaking, or about making plans for a journey, he should perform two cycles of ritual prayer [rak'atain], not as an obligatory observance [farida], but voluntarily [Sunna].

Then he should say:

34e3u5i.jpg


Allaahumma innee astakheeruka bi ilmika wa-astaqdiruka biqudratika wa-as'aluka min fadhlika al-adheem.
Fa innaka taqdiru walaa aqdiru. Wa ta'lamu walaa a'alamu wa anta allaamul ghuyoob.
Allaahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna haadhal-amr khayrun liy fiy deeniy wa-ma'aashiy wa-aaqibat amriy,
fa'qdruhliy wa-yassirh liy thumma baarik liy feehi. Wa in-kunta ta'lamu anna haadhal amr sharrun liy fiy deeniy wa-ma'aashiy was-'aaqibat amriy.
Fa asrifh annee wa-srif 'anhu. Wa aqdurh liyal khayr hayth kaana thumma a-rdhiniy bihee

Translation: O Allah!! Behold I ask You the good through Your Knowledge, and ability through Your Power, and beg (Your favour) out of Your infinite Bounty.
For surely You have Power; I have none. You know all; I know not. You are the Great Knower of all things.
O Allah! If in Your Knowledge this matter be good for my faith (Deen), for my livelihood, and for the consequences of my affairs,
then ordain it for me, and make it easy for me, and bless me therein.
But if in Your Knowledge, this matter be bad for my faith (Deen) for my livelihood, and for the consequences of my affairs,
then turn it away from me, and turn me away therefrom, and ordain for me the good wherever it be, and cause me to be pleased therewith.

While reciting this Du'aa when one reaches the underlined part, HAADHAL AMR (THIS MATTER) at both places he should think of his problem.

Video of the Dua:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhF1HnM7LMY

Do we get any dream?

[P1international]

Do we get any dream?

I have read that either our heart will long for the favorable decision or one might have a dream which guides one to the decision.

[casinobonyanes]

It is desirable to repeat the Istikhara seven times. [ Radd al-Muhtar, 1:461]

Seven times? brother i did not understood.

Do we have to contunue 2 rakat for seven day's?

[P1international]

Seven times? brother i did not understood.

Do we have to contunue 2 rakat for seven day's?

Yes one can do that, One can pray 2rakats everyday for 7 days. Also I have read that its best to do it in the Mosque.

[casinobonyanes]

Yes one can do that, One can pray 2rakats everyday for 7 days.

So i think 7 times is not compulsory?
Can we stop it on 2 or 3 times also?

Also I have read that its best to do it in the Mosque. Insha allah that's not a problem.

[P1international]

So i think 7 times is not compulsory?
Can we stop it on 2 or 3 times also?

7 times is the optimum, not necessary.

Allahu a'lam