Salaatul Istikharrah

[Visionary]

Salaam people,

Just wondering what your views are on salaatul istikhaarah. Is this found in the Quran? If I not mistaken I don't think it is. Therefore, it is found in secondary sources. While praying for guidance in itself is not wrong (maybe all prayers are for guidance anyhow), but it's what people attach to it that is of concern E.g. when they do this prayer they expect some sort of sign, if not a sign some sort of divine inclination to make a decision. My humble understanding wherever it stems from, is that a prayer for guidance will not give you an answer, it will just enforce the decision you make with the remembrance of Allah so whatever the outcome. What do you all think?

Regards,

[chadiga]

Salamu aleikum
I've been praying a lot in my life Isticharas, it was always say to me . You say -is also my opinion- that  every prayer  itself can be a request for help or guidance. This requires no special prayer. This is needed only in traditional Islam, because there is a distinction between fard prayers and nafila. This difference only exists in the secondary sources of Islam. So, we will automatically, whenever we are faced with a decision, ask God for help when we not longer know what we can doing.
For the waiting for inspiration or characters on the part God: I got some several times-in the form of dreams hints.Here an unbeliever could now argue that these were things from my subconscious that have come to the surface. However,I found it was clear a divine intervention. But that I would wait all my life in order to get a inspiration in form of a dream? No. God  guides whom He wills. He has a million ways to help us. Thus, relying only one dream or inspiration  seems to me not right.. And I'm waiting  what brother Joseph say to  us!

[Visionary]

Salaam Chadiga thanks for your reply.

Yes you have a point there, God can guide whom He wills in whatever way whether it is a dream or a 'sign' of some sort. And yes I would agree that relying or waiting for an 'in your face' sign is not necessarily the sole aim of Istikharah. i guess it stems from my own bias in that I have also prayed for guidance, but I don't think I have received any 'divine' inclination that is obvious (maybe I have but didn't understand it!).

[Joseph Islam]

Dear All,

Thank you all for some great insights.  I thought I'd share my own humble thoughts on this matter.


SALATUL ISTIKHARA

This is indeed a very subjective area.

There is no prescribed 'ritualised' salatul istikhara in the Quran. However, prayer is open to one at any time and believers should be encouraged to pray to their Lord.

If we constantly think of God, we are constantly engaging with Him to show us the right way and to assist us to make the right decisions for our life in this world and hereafter. In any decision we make, there should be complete trust in our Lord that precedes it.

God has granted humans with the faculty of reasoning. This is a gift He has granted us and we are expected to make use of it in all spheres of life.

In my humble view, one should take all necessary steps to weigh up all the advantages and disadvantages of a given situation and pray sincerely to their Lord that if the outcome of the decision is in one's favour, then to make the action easy and if not, to remove any such inclination and give peace and satisfaction to the mind and heart.

Indeed there may be suggestions and hints that one may experience such as in feelings, dreams etc but signs may come through many other unexpected means. No particular method should become the basis of the interpretation of a sign as this akin to restricting God.  However, one should maintain complete trust in God in any decision they undertake.

This approach I feel is supported by the Quran in the story of the youths that fled and sought protection in the cave (18:10). They had no knowledge of their outcome or what would happen to them. Their prayer simply was:

"...Our Lord! bestow on us Mercy from Thyself, and dispose of our affair for us in the right way!" (18:10)

I hope this helps in some way God willing.

Joseph.







UPDATE BY QM FORUM MODERATOR

13th March 2013

This thread is now closed and a direct link to this post is now available at the dedicated Q&A page.

http://quransmessage.com/articles/q&as%20FM3.htm

Thanks.