[viawbambutt]

As-salamu alaykum.

I plan to perform Salat al-Istikharah in order to gain guidance about a matter soon, insha'Allah. I have been taught that I am to make the intention of performing Salat al-Istikharah, then perform two rakats (units) of Nafl salah, then make the Salat al-Istikharah dua. However, when browsing online to find instructions on how to perform Salat al-Istikharah, I found many different instructions for performing it, including specific suras to read. As such, I have a few questions.

1) Can someone please provide me with a set of instructions on how to perform Salat al-Istikharah from a scholarly, Islamic source?

2) Would it be permissible for me to have the English transliteration (not translation) (I do not know Arabic) of the dua I am to read after finishing the two rakats of Salat al-Istikharah on a piece of paper and read it?

3) Am I allowed to make dua about the specific situation I am performing Salat al-Istikharah to receive guidance on, or am I only to recite the specific Salat al-Istikharah dua?

JazakAllahu Khayran for all of your help.

[leareliovag]

As-salamu alaykum.

I plan to perform Salat al-Istikharah in order to gain guidance about a matter soon, insha'Allah. I have been taught that I am to make the intention of performing Salat al-Istikharah, then perform two rakats (units) of Nafl salah, then make the Salat al-Istikharah dua. However, when browsing online to find instructions on how to perform Salat al-Istikharah, I found many different instructions for performing it, including specific suras to read. As such, I have a few questions.

1) Can someone please provide me with a set of instructions on how to perform Salat al-Istikharah from a scholarly, Islamic source?

2) Would it be permissible for me to have the English transliteration (not translation) (I do not know Arabic) of the dua I am to read after finishing the two rakats of Salat al-Istikharah on a piece of paper and read it?

3) Am I allowed to make dua about the specific situation I am performing Salat al-Istikharah to receive guidance on, or am I only to recite the specific Salat al-Istikharah dua?

JazakAllahu Khayran for all of your help.

1) http://www.askimam.org/public/question_detail/22465

2) Yes.

3) (If you're asking if you can make in your own words,) Yes, do both. Ask for khair..

wAllaahu A'lam

Some additional info:

1.None of the narrations of the Ahādīth that discuss Istikhārah have any mention of dreams or even performing the Istikhārah before sleeping. It is however preferred by some scholars that Istikhārah be performed before sleeping. If one chooses to do so, then he should sleep in the state of purity (i.e. with Wudhū’), facing the Qiblah.

2.If one does Istikhārah before sleeping, he should remember that the dream he sees will be given the same regard as other dreams. This means that his dream will fall under one of three categories, of which only the first category has meaning to it:

A true dream;
A dream instilled into the mind by Shaytān;
Imaginations.

In addition to this, it should be remembered that the dreams of the pious are generally true dreams and that the truest dreams are those seen at early dawn (i.e. at the time of Suhūr)

3.After making Istikhārah, it is not necessary to see a dream. A person should carry out whatever occurs to him, since Istikhārah is a humble supplication unto Allāh Ta‛ālā to bestow the best.[11]

4.The shortest form of Istikhārah is merely to recite the following Du‛ā’ when intending to do anything:

اَللَّهُمَّ خِرْ لِيْ وَاخْتَرْ لِيْ
“Oh Allāh, destine good for me and choose for me.”[12]


http://jamiat.org.za/blog/how-to-perform-istikhara/

[Michael-jeckson2]

brother,

Here is a thread on Istikhara with many details posted by Mufti Abu Hajira:

http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/show...o-do-istikhara

Also, my advice would be to just acquaint yourself with the basic knowledge of how to do it, and then don't delay in doing it. Don't keep searching for answers for every small thing, causing a delay in you performing the istikhara which you need to perform. We know that Salat-ul-Istikhara is to pray 2 rakat nafl with intention of Salat-ul-Istikhara and then make the istikhara dua, and it's really that simple. Yes, there may be many more specifics and Insha'Allah we can keep learning those as we go along, but we know the basics which are enough to perform the istikhara. Allah is Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem and He will forgive us for all the mistakes we make in worshiping Him and still show us the right way.

May Allah bless you, your family, and all of us with all that is good in this life and in the hereafter. Ameen.

[Michael-jeckson2]

Also, in regards to your question about reading the transliteration of the dua from a piece of paper after the 2 rakat, then that is what I do as well whenever I make Istikhara (read the dua from a book but in Arabic). That's not a scholarly advice obviously but in my mind it is better to do it that way than to not do it at all because you don't have the dua memorized. Alhamdulillah it has worked well for me, but I do have intentions to Insha'Allah just memorize the dua at some point.

Here's a video with recitation of the dua so you can hear the correct pronunciation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLJkXztjst8

[TimoDass]

Salatul Istikhara [The Guidance Prayer]

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

Rasoolullah(saw) 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:



"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.