Istikhara
*Istikhara* is a prayer offered when a person is torn between two matters and does not know which is better.
What it means for me: One answer says the prayer is performed when one is hesitant between two matters and does not know which is better. Another calls it a recommended act. It says the Prophet, peace be upon him, taught it to his companions as he would teach a surah of the Quran. A third answer calls it a specific supplication. It lists among the impediments to acceptance: doubt and testing, a heedless heart, and haste.
Example: A man has two job offers and cannot tell which is better. He hears the word istikhara. He wants to know what it is and when it is prayed.
Where it appears in rulings: On timing, one answer says the prayer should not be performed during times when prayer is prohibited. Another allows it in those times if delay would cause the matter to be missed, such as travel after Asr. This entry reports these answers and adds no ruling of its own.
Appears in about 1,300 English answers on this site.
See the term in context
Is it permissible to perform the Istikhara supplication without prayer, and is one Istikhara prayer sufficient for all matters of life, or is it better to perform Istikhara for each matter separately?
The origin and Sunnah regarding Istikhara is through prayer and supplication in every matter of concern to a Muslim, based on Jabir's statement: "The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to teach us…
A person proposed to marry my daughter. After performing Istikhara prayers for a week, I saw in my dream a small, heart-shaped golden ring, designated for children, lying on the ground surrounded by pins. When a Pakistani worker saw me, he asked me about it, so I hid the ring and gave him some of the pins. I ask about the interpretation of this dream in conjunction with the Istikhara.
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. Thank you for contacting us. We clarify that the Fatwa Center does not specialize in dream interpretation. The sunnah of Istikhara…
Is it permissible to perform the Istikhara prayer for marriage to someone one admires, without an engagement or any discussion about marriage?
Istikhara is legislated for permissible matters and is performed when one is hesitant between two options, based on the hadith: "When one of you is concerned about a matter, let him pray two rak'ahs other than the…
Questions that use it
What is meant by "al-hamm" in the Istikhara supplication, "If any of you is concerned about a matter (idha hamma ahadukum bi al-amr)"? And is saying "O Allah, decree it for me and make it easy for me" sufficient when wishing to get a job? And did the Companions seek Allah's guidance (Istikhara) in matters they thought were good for them?
Does Istikhara stop after one feels reassured about the engagement and before the marriage is finalized, or does one continue it due to the possibility of new developments?
Is it permissible to perform Istikhara again after marriage due to disputes, despite having performed it before marriage, and must Istikhara be performed with the spouse?