Istikhara

 There's just one Book for life's gladness;

One Book for the toilsome days;

One Book that can cure life's madness;

One Book that can voice life's praise.

A glory gilds its every sacred page,

Majestic like the sun:

It gives a light to every age;

It gives, but sorrows none.

With mercy and healing accord,

This Book is my manual, and connection with my Lord;

Obeying His commands in every line

Taking each verse as His sign.

Holy Qur’an, Book Divine,

Precious Treasure, Thou are mine.

Life is full of perplexities. New demands will emerge and pressure will accumulate. You will be pushed to the end of your rope or thrown in uncharted waters. Many people will binge eat or lose sleep, panic and even puke when worried or stressed but very few will do Istikhara. Istikhara is a simple duaa that almost guarantees you blessings from Allah and attainment of that which will support goodness in your Deen, Dunya and Akhirah.

This month I had to make a series of Istikharas. Alhamdulillah, like the bright sun in the sky, my Istikhara shone through the fog of many speculations. It gave me light, warmth and comfort when I most needed it. It increased my attachment to Allah and appreciation for the Qur'an. 
The answer to one's Istikhara (duaa) can come in form of a dream or a feeling. I usually seek my answer through the Qur'an, that is, when I make istikhara, I implore Allah to remedy my confusion in my readings of the Qur'an. This post is a reminder for myself: Allah is All Hearing, All Knowing and the Qur'an is a living Book for every human being.

Of the beautiful Names of Allah are Al Sami, Al Baseer and Al Muheet. 
Al Sami is from s-m-', it means to hear, to listen. Allah is the One Whose hearing and attention comprehends everything. The One Who pays attention to every supplication and call. One to listens to every voice. Al Basseer is from b-s-r, it means to see, behold and notice. Allah is the One Whose insight sees all things clearly, both the apparent and the hidden - the past, present and future. Allah is the One Who preceives and is acquainted with every detail, our thoughts, feelings, speech and actions.  Al Muheet is from root ma-ha-ta, which means to cover and to encompass. Allah is the One Who has knowledge and insight of everything, has power over everything. His mercy and control encompasses everything and He is dominant over everything.

To explain with some examples:

1.      In 8:47, we are instructed by Allah not to come home insolently, not to show-off and avert people from the way of Allah.

2.      In 4:134, Allah says if you want the reward of this world, Allah has the rewards of this world.

3.      In 26:218-222, Allah says He see us when we arise and our movements when we prostrate.

4.      In 58:1, Allah says He heard the speech of a the woman who was arguing with the Prophet (s.a.w) concerning her husband and directing her complaint.

5.      In 8:23, Allah says if He saw any good in a people, He would have guided them to Islam (to hear the truth) but they kept on turning away and refusing.

The message that I derive from these verses is that in the privacy of our home, in the depths of our thoughts, in the dead of the night and even in the confidence of our friends, Allah Watches us. He see our rude and cheeky behaviour with our family. Our secret dreams and hopes reach Him. It is in His knowledge when we wake up, where we go after we leave our bed and the sujuud we make for Him. Allah Listens to every gossip, slander and lie that we share with our friends. Allah is even aware of our potential: the capacity of good and evil within us.

However, this is only one sided relationship in which Allah is involved in our lives and we are absent. Allah watches the problems that we run into, He encompasses our depressions, He hears us grumbling. But we remain entirely unmindful of Him. Allah cares so much for us that He is actually paying attention to our pathetic little lives. Yet we turn away from Him and refuse His help? Jesus (peace be upon him) said to his disciples, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). Qur'an is the Spoken Word of Allah which He conveyed to the Prophet (s.a.w) for us. Allah wants to talk to us and share with us His infinite Wisdom. Fahal min muddakir? 

But the Christians made a detrimental mistake, they brought an intermediary between them and Allah - the Christians left the Word of God and God Himself and coveted after Jesus (a.s) who was only a prophet and a man. See: Exodus 4:16; 7:1 and John 7:16; 8:26; 14:24 Jesus admits to being only sent with God's message for the purpose of recalling humanity back to God's worship. Muslims are guilty of the same crime. We have made the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) and Ali and every Baba and Peer of our street corner an intermediary between us and Allah.  Allah says, "It is not permissible that a man, to whom is given the Book, and Wisdom, and the prophetic office, should say to people: Be ye my worshippers rather than Allah's: on the contrary, he would say, be رَبَّانِيِّينَ  for you have taught the Book and you have studied it earnestly" - Qur'an 3:79. Do we really get this? It is NOT permissible, acceptable, in the least bit tolerated to devout ourselves to the Prophets of Allah when in fact Allah has sent us a Book and He wants us to study it ardently and become رَبَّانِيِّي. Rabbani is a person whose status is of belonging to Allah alone. He/She has the distinct dominate characteristic of loving Allah and being fervently devouted to Him. This person does not cling to any race or ethnicity, any place or purpose - no cross, green paghri/turban or black banners. The Rabbani person's only identity, ambition and conviction is Allah. 

So how does one become Rabbani? How do we come close to Allah? QUR'AN. 
The Qur'an is the Book that goes with every human. Think about it,  we have like sixteen hours during the day during which we travel the highway of life. Without the Qur'an, it is not possible to find, let alone follow, the right road and escape all the bypaths and pitfalls. Without the Qur'an, life is one wreck and crash after another. So as for the people who are too busy to read the Qur'an every day, then dears friends you are busier than Allah ever intended any human being should be. Whenever I am having a bad day, like feeling lost or uncertain, can't finish my work or if my work lacks quality, a conflict at home or just feeling restless - its almost always because I didn't read Qur'an that day. 
Amr bin al A'as (r.a) used to say, "Every Ayah of the Qur'an is a rank you are raised in paradise, every ayah a lantern of light in your homes." Imagine a life of darkness. Thick, eerie, mysterious, uncanny, sinister blackness everywhere. Could we stay even for a minute in such a dreadful nightmare? Imagine Hellfire! Blazing abyss, flames that reach and engulf the hearts and faces of its occupants. Smoldering ember, blood, pus and boiling water. Scalding sparks and burning chains and shackles. Can we imagine being trapped in such a torture chamber forever? We don't have to if we read the Qur'an. Dunya and Akhirah don't have to be a big stress, annoyance, crazy or sad series of events but we make them this way because of our lazy, stubborn disassociation from the Qur'an. What would happen if we actually ready and follow the Qur'an? I don't know... I will leave it to your imagination :) Imagine two lush drak green gardens between which rivers of water, milk and honey flow. Sand of Yaqoot and Zafraan dust. Palaces of gold and sliver, rooms of hollowed pearl, silk cushions, rich and radiant dresses made from Tuba tree, and cups brimming with sweet scented drinks. Imagine seeing Allah and holding the Prophet's hand (s.a.w). Imagine your house stimulating with the brilliance of peace and love. 

Sound like a good deal?


So like, open the Quran ... from anywhere and just read. InshaAllah your heart will be satisfied and you will find your answer. This is the miracle of Qur'an that despite it being One Book, unchanged (not even edited or revised) for nearly 1446 years, its message will fit you like it was revealed just for you in that very moment. Its an "out of this world" experience, literally - because Allah guides from above the Seven Heavens with a Book that has been sitting in our shelf since the day we were born. The feeling is electrifying. The Qur'an has always been around. IT contains such awe inspiring solutions, its sad that we do not resort to it. So give it a try, you will be so blown away that you wouldn't know what to think and how to thank Allah enough. InshaAllah :)


The following are some of my Istikhara Answers from this through the Qur'an, alhamdulillah :) <3

1. Istikhara Answer:  Qur'an: 28: 22-30

وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلْقَاءَ مَدْيَنَ قَالَ عَسَىٰ رَبِّي أَن يَهْدِيَنِي سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ

وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَاءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ امْرَأَتَيْنِ تَذُودَانِ ۖ قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا ۖ قَالَتَا لَا نَسْقِي حَتَّىٰ يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَاءُ ۖوَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ

فَسَقَىٰ لَهُمَا ثُمَّ تَوَلَّىٰ إِلَى الظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ

فَجَاءَتْهُ إِحْدَاهُمَا تَمْشِي عَلَى اسْتِحْيَاءٍ قَالَتْ إِنَّ أَبِي يَدْعُوكَ لِيَجْزِيَكَ أَجْرَ مَا سَقَيْتَ لَنَا فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُ وَقَصَّ عَلَيْهِ الْقَصَصَ قَالَ لَا تَخَفْ ۖنَجَوْتَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

قَالَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا يَا أَبَتِ اسْتَأْجِرْهُ ۖ إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ اسْتَأْجَرْتَ الْقَوِيُّ الْأَمِينُ

قَالَ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُنكِحَكَ إِحْدَى ابْنَتَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ عَلَىٰ أَن تَأْجُرَنِي ثَمَانِيَ حِجَجٍ ۖ فَإِنْ أَتْمَمْتَ عَشْرًا فَمِنْ عِندِكَ ۖ وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَيْكَ سَتَجِدُنِي إِن شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ

قَالَ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ ۖ أَيَّمَا الْأَجَلَيْنِ قَضَيْتُ فَلَا عُدْوَانَ عَلَيَّ ۖ وَاللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌ

فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ مُوسَى الْأَجَلَ وَسَارَ بِأَهْلِهِ آنَسَ مِن جَانِبِ الطُّورِ نَارًا قَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا لَّعَلِّي آتِيكُم مِّنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ أَوْ جَذْوَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ

فَلَمَّا أَتَاهَا نُودِيَ مِن شَاطِئِ الْوَادِ الْأَيْمَنِ فِي الْبُقْعَةِ الْمُبَارَكَةِ مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ أَن يَا مُوسَىٰ إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ

2. Istikahra Answer: Qur'an, 13: 19-29

أَفَمَن يَعْلَمُ أَنَّمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ الْحَقُّ كَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْمَىٰ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ

الَّذِينَ يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ وَلَا يَنقُضُونَ الْمِيثَاقَ

وَالَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ وَيَخَافُونَ سُوءَ الْحِسَابِ

وَالَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنفَقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً وَيَدْرَءُونَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ أُولَـٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ

جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا وَمَن صَلَحَ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ ۖوَالْمَلَائِكَةُ يَدْخُلُونَ عَلَيْهِم مِّن كُلِّ بَابٍ

سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُم بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ

وَالَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مِيثَاقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أُولَـٰئِكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ

اللَّهُ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَيَقْدِرُ وَفَرِحُوا بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا مَتَاعٌ

وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْلَا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ آيَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ قُلْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ أَنَابَ

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ طُوبَىٰ لَهُمْ وَحُسْنُ مَآبٍ

3. Istikhara Answer: Qur'an, 23:28-42

فَإِذَا اسْتَوَيْتَ أَنتَ وَمَن مَّعَكَ عَلَى الْفُلْكِ فَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي نَجَّانَا مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

وَقُل رَّبِّ أَنزِلْنِي مُنزَلًا مُّبَارَكًا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْمُنزِلِينَ

إِنَّ فِي ذَ‌ٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ وَإِن كُنَّا لَمُبْتَلِينَ

ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ قَرْنًا آخَرِينَ

فَأَرْسَلْنَا فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِّنْهُمْ أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُ ۖ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ

وَقَالَ الْمَلَأُ مِن قَوْمِهِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِلِقَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ وَأَتْرَفْنَاهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا مَا هَـٰذَا إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يَأْكُلُ مِمَّا تَأْكُلُونَ مِنْهُ وَيَشْرَبُ مِمَّا تَشْرَبُونَ

وَلَئِنْ أَطَعْتُم بَشَرًا مِّثْلَكُمْ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا لَّخَاسِرُونَ

أَيَعِدُكُمْ أَنَّكُمْ إِذَا مِتُّمْ وَكُنتُمْ تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا أَنَّكُم مُّخْرَجُونَ

هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ لِمَا تُوعَدُونَ

إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ افْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا وَمَا نَحْنُ لَهُ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

قَالَ رَبِّ انصُرْنِي بِمَا كَذَّبُونِ

قَالَ عَمَّا قَلِيلٍ لَّيُصْبِحُنَّ نَادِمِينَ

فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ بِالْحَقِّ فَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ غُثَاءً فَبُعْدًا لِّلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ قُرُونًا آخَرِينَ

You know what I learned from these verses?

1. Seek the qualities of modesty, honesty, strength and commitment to hard work in a spouse (Allah Knows Best). Constantly beseech Allah for khayr, He can give it and listen to Allah. 

2.  Though marriage is a promise that binds two people, acceptance of a marriage proposal and the Nikkah itself is actually pledged to Allah. The couple actually makes Allah their Witness and Judge when they take each other as husband and wife. So the people who honour their promises with Allah with patience, seeking only His Face in return while establishing Salah and giving generously in charity will have the best place in Jannah and their family will join them in Paradise (inshaAllah). 

3. Praise Allah for this new occurring in my life because with it, He has saved me from some harm and brought me to a blessing greater than ever before. Fervently seek Allah's favour for the future. Increase myself in the mission to call humanity to worship Allah; inculcate in them Allah's fear (inshaAllah). 

Amazing advise isn't it? Very thorough and comprehensive but precise. Now imagine how sad it would have been if I didn't do Istikhara and then didn't read the Qur'an?