How many times is Salatul-Istikhara performed, and is it a condition for the answer to appear immediately thereafter?

The majority of scholars from the Hanafis and Malikis are of the view that it is recommended to repeat the Istikhara prayer due to the persistence in supplication that Allah loves, and because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when he supplicated, he would supplicate three times. The Shafi'is explicitly stated this and did not limit it to a specific number. As for limiting it to seven, the Huffaz (preservers of Hadith (definition)) weakened this opinion. The person performing Istikhara should abandon his own choice and desires after the Istikhara.