Istikharah (seeking Allah's Counsel)

قَالَ جَابرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا: كَانَ رسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُعَلِّمُنَا الْاسْتِخَارَةَ فِي الْأُمُورِ كُلِّهَا كَمَا يُعَلِّمُنَا السُّورَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، يَقُولُ: ((إِذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِالْأَمْرِ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ مِنْ غَيْرِ الْفَرِيضَةِ، ثُمَّ لْيَقُلْ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ العَظِيمِ؛ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الغُيُوبِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأمْرَ - وَيُسَمِّي حَاجَتَهُ - خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي – أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ - فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي – أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ – فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ)).وَمَا نَدِمَ مَنِ اسْتَخَارَ الْخَالِقَ، وَشَاوَرَ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَتَثَبَّتَ فِي أَمْرِهِ، فَقَدْ قَالَ اللَّه تعالى: ﴿وَشاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ﴾ .

On the authority of Jabir Ibn ʿabdullah , he said: ’The Prophet would instruct us to pray for guidance in all of our concerns, just as he would teach us a chapter from the Quran. He would say ’ If any of you intends to undertake a matter then let him pray two supererogatory units (two rakʿah nafilah) of prayer and after which he should supplicate:Allahumma innee astakheeruka biʿilmik, wa-astaqdiruka biqudratik, wa-as-aluka min fadlikal-ʿatheem, fa-innaka taqdiru wala aqdir, wataʿlamu wala aʿlam ,wa-anta ʿallamul ghuyoob, allahumma in kunta taʿlamu anna hathal-amr (say your need) khayrun lee fee deenee wamaʿashee waʿaqibati amree faqdurhu lee, wayassirhu lee, thumma barik lee feeh, wa-in kunta taʿlamu anna hathal-amr sharrun lee fee deenee wamaʿashee waʿaqibati amree fasrifhu ʿannee wasrifnee ʿanh, waqdur liyal-khayra haythu kan, thumma ardinee bih.)(One who seeks guidance from his Creator and consults his fellow believers and then remains firm in his resolve does not regret, for Allah has said:washawirhum fee al-amri fa-itha ʿazamta fatawakkal ʿala Allah)(chapter 3 verse 159

On the authority of Jabir Ibn AAabdullah , he said: ’The Prophet would instruct us to pray for guidance in all of our concerns, just as he would teach us a chapter from the Quran. He would say ’ If any of you intends to undertake a matter then let him pray two supererogatory units (two rakAAah nafilah) of prayer and after which he should supplicate:‘O Allah, I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge and by Your power I seek strength and I ask You from Your immense favour, for verily You are able while I am not and verily You know while I do not and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know this affair -and here he mentions his need- to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life, and end, then decree and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it, and if You know this affair to be ill for me towards my religion, my life, and end, then remove it from me and remove me from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it be and make me satisfied with such.)(One who seeks guidance from his Creator and consults his fellow believers and then remains firm in his resolve does not regret, for Allah has said:…and consult them in the affair. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah…

once