By HARUN RAZAQ
One of the authentic recommended ways to seek guidance in Islam is through the performance of Salaat Istikhaarah. It literally means seeking or requesting for what is good or best for oneself concerning an affair – a prayer taught to the Sahabah, by the Prophet. Istikhaarah is performed whenever one has difficulty in determining what line of action to take on any given issue; or has difficulty in making a choice.

Istikharah therefore is prayer performed to seek Allah’s guidance and request him to make a choice for one from all the available options or others unknown. Muslim theologians have, however, emphasized that the performance of “Istikharah is allowed only on permissible (mubahat) matters such as marriage, journey, business transaction etc.; performance of Istikharah is not permissible on matters of unlawful, recommended and compulsory status in the Shari’ah.

Istikhaarah consist of two Rakaa’ts of nafilah (non-obligatory Salaat) and one Salama. And after Salama recite the following du’aa: “Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi’ilmika, Wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratika, Wa as’aluka min fadlika al-’azim Fa-innaka taqdiru Wala aqdiru, Wa ta’lamu Wala a’lamu, Wa anta ‘allamu l-ghuyub. Allahumma, in kunta ta’lam anna hadha-l-amra …(mention what you intend to do) Khairun li fi dini wa ma’ashi wa’aqibati amri (or say ‘ajili amri wa’ajilihi) Faqdirhu wa yas-sirhu li thumma barik li Fihi, Wa in kunta ta’lamu anna hadha-lamra shar-run li fi dini wa ma’ashi wa’aqibati amri (ao fi’ajili amri wa ajilihi) Fasrifhu anni was-rifni anhu. Waqdir li al-khaira haithu kana Thumma ardini bihi.”
Meaning

(O Allah! I ask guidance from Your knowledge, And Power from Your Might and I ask for Your great blessings. You are capable and I am not. You know and I do not and You know the unseen. O Allah! If You know that this job is good for my religion and my subsistence and in my Hereafter—(or said: If it is better for my present and later needs)—Then You ordain it for me and make it easy for me to get, And then bless me in it, and if You know that this job is harmful to me In my religion and subsistence and in the Hereafter—(or say: If it is worse for my present and later needs)—Then keep it away from me and let me be away from it. And ordain for me whatever is good for me, And make me satisfied with it).

The Prophetic Istikhaarah is very easy and simple to perform, however, after the Prophet (s.a.w) some Muslim introduced new system to its performance which time will not permit us to mention here. But, it must be noted that only the one that conform the Prophet (s.a.w) manner that endows Muslim tranquility, restfulness in dunya and unlimited reward in hereafter.