Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Istikarah


It is reported that Al-Fudayl b. ‘Ayyâd said:

If you can be unknown, be so; it doesn’t matter if you are not known and it doesn’t matter if you are not praised. It doesn’t matter if you are blameworthy according to people if you are praiseworthy with Allâh the Mighty and Majestic.

Al-Bayhaqî, Al-Zuhd Al-Kabîr p100.


" We met a people who loved it when it was said to them "Fear Allah the most high! " Today you find people become annoyed at this."
- Sufyan al-Thawri



"When Allah loves you, He places the love of you in the hearts of the people whose love is worth having." ♥ 

  • Feeling alone!
    Emptiness!
    Depression
    Stress and what not!
    Why?
    Because we rely so much on dunya!
    We find the ultimate peace here..
    No one can ever understand your situation better than ALLAH!
    All your worries will begin to fade away when you start reflecting on these Verses:
    Obviously the Qur'an is full of beautiful Verses but whenever I feel sad or lost the following ones cross my mind.

    "Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us."
    [Surat At-Tawbah :40]

    “Verily, with remembrance of Allah, do hearts find rest”.
    [Surah Ar-Ra’d :28]
    Feeling alone!
Emptiness!
Depression 
Stress and what not!
Why? 
Because we rely so much on dunya!
We find the ultimate peace here..
No one can ever understand your situation better than ALLAH!
All your worries will begin to fade away when you start reflecting on these Verses:
Obviously the Qur'an is full of beautiful Verses but whenever I feel sad or lost the following ones cross my mind.

"Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us."
[Surat At-Tawbah :40]

“Verily, with remembrance of Allah, do hearts find rest”. 
[Surah Ar-Ra’d :28]


While doing Istikhaarak #1:

1. When one says: Allaahumma innee astakheeruka, he is seeking Allaah’s Guidance.

Al-Istikhaarah linguistically means: seeking the good (Khair) in a thing; like seeking direction or helpful suggestions regarding a decision or future course of action. In Islaam it means: seeking Allaah’s guidance in choosing the proper course of action in a thing which concerns you: either to travel or not, to marry a particular person or not, whether to go into partnership with someone or not, whether to purchase a house or a car etc.

It is not only a Du`aa to know what is right or wrong, but it also a Du`aa to Allaah تعالى to facilitate one to act upon that knowledge As Shaikh al-Sa`dee رحمه الله in the Tafseer of aayah 13 of Surah al-Kahf defined al-Hudaa as: “Beneficial Knowledge and Righteous Deeds.”

The statement of the great companion Jaabir bin `Abdullaah رضي الله عنهما that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to teach them the way of doing Istikhaarah, in all matters as he taught them the Surahs of the Qur’aan shows the emphasis that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم placed on seeking Allaah’s guidance in all our affairs.

The importance of this is also understood from the point that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to supplicate to Allaah تعالى for guidance every night in Qunoot in Witr saying:

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ

“O Allaah, guide me among those whom You have guided” [Sunan Ibn Maajah (1178), Abu Dawood (1425), al-Tirmidhee (464) and al-Nasa’ee (1745) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

While doing Istikhaarak #2:

2. And when he says: bi`ilmika, he is acknowledging Allaah’s Perfect Knowledge.

Allaah تعالى has perfect knowledge of all things, past, present and future. Nothing happens in the Heavens and the Earth except that He تعالى is aware of it. And from the perfection of His knowledge is that He تعالى wrote down everything which is going to happen till the Day of Judgment in the Book with Him:

وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ ۚ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْأَرْضِ وَلَا رَطْبٍ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ﴾

{And with Him are the keys of the Ghaib (all that is hidden), none knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is in (or on) the earth and in the sea; not a leaf falls, but he knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record.} [Surah al-An`aam (6): 59]



While doing Istikhaarak #3:

3. And when he says: wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratika, he is acknowledging Allaah’s Absolute Power.

His is the absolute power and to Him belongs all dominion:

﴿إِنَّ اللَّـهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾

{Certainly, Allaah has power over all things.} [This phrase is repeated throughout the Qur’aan. In Surah al-Baqarah itself it is repeated 6 times.]

From His absolute power is that He تعالى gives whatever He Wills to whomever He Wills and none can prevent Him سبحانه وتعالى عما يشركون.

﴿قُلِ اللَّـهُمَّ مَالِكَ الْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ مَن تَشَاءُ وَتَنزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّن تَشَاءُ وَتُعِزُّ مَن تَشَاءُ وَتُذِلُّ مَن تَشَاءُ ۖ بِيَدِكَ الْخَيْرُ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾

{Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "O Allaah! Possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue with honor whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You are Able to do all things.} [Surah aal-`Imraan (3): 26]

Part of the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم supplication to Allaah تعالى, after getting up from bowing and after completing the prayers was:

اللَّهُمَّ لاَ مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَلاَ مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ، وَلاَ يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ

“None has the right to be worshiped but Allaah Alone Who has no partner. O Allaah! No-one can withhold what You give, and none can give what You withhold, and the fortune of a man of means is useless before You (i.e., only good deeds are of value).” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (844, 6330, 6615, 7292) and Saheeh Muslim (954, 968, 1230, 1234)]

The perfection of His dominion is well described in a long Hadeeth Qudsi that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that Allaah تعالى said:

يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّكُمْ لَنْ تَبْلُغُوا ضَرِّي فَتَضُرُّونِي وَلَنْ تَبْلُغُوا نَفْعِي فَتَنْفَعُونِي يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَتْقَى قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ مَا زَادَ ذَلِكَ فِي مُلْكِي شَيْئًا يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَفْجَرِ قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي شَيْئًا يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ قَامُوا فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ فَسَأَلُونِي فَأَعْطَيْتُ كُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ مَسْأَلَتَهُ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا عِنْدِي إِلاَّ كَمَا يَنْقُصُ الْمِخْيَطُ إِذَا أُدْخِلَ الْبَحْرَ

{O My servants, you can neither do Me any harm nor can you do Me any good. O My servants, even if the first amongst you and the last amongst you and even the whole of human race of yours, and that of Jinn even, become (equal in) God-conscious like the heart of a single person amongst you, nothing would add to My Power. O My servants, even if the first amongst you and the last amongst you and the whole human race of yours and that of the Jinn too in unison become the most wicked (all beating) like the heart of a single person, it would cause no loss to My Power. O My servants, even if the first amongst you and the last amongst you and the whole human race of yours and that of Jinn also all stand in one plain ground and you ask Me and I confer upon every person what he asks for, it would not. in any way, cause any loss to Me (even less) than that which is caused to the ocean by dipping the needle in it.} [Saheeh Muslim (6246)]



While doing Istikhaarak #4:

4. And when he says: wa as’alaka min fadhlika al-`azeem, he is asking Allaah تعالى to provide him out of His تعالى Great Blessings.

The air we breathe, the food we eat, the Sun, the Moon, our parents, our children, our own existence is great blessing from Allaah. Allaah تعالى has already provided us with so many blessings in this world that we can never count them:

﴿وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّـهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا﴾

{and if you count the Blessings of Allaah, never will you be able to count them.} [Surah Ibraaheem (14): 34 and al-Nahl (16):18]

Yet He تعالى promises to give us more if we ask and thank Him:

﴿وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ﴾

{And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: “If you give thanks, I will give you more (of My Blessings)} [Surah Ibraaheem (14): 7]

Among the Bounties of our Lord that we should ask Him تعالى are:

a. Obedience to His Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم:

﴿وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّـهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ ۚ وَحَسُنَ أُولَـٰئِكَ رَفِيقًا * ذَٰلِكَ الْفَضْلُ مِنَ اللَّـهِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّـهِ عَلِيمًا﴾

{And whoso obeys Allaah and the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), then they will be in the company of those on whom Allaah has bestowed His Grace, of the Prophets, the Siddiqoon, the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are! * Such is the Bounty from Allaah, and Allah is Sufficient as All-Knower.} [Surah al-Nisaa’ (4):70]

b. Recitation of the Qur’aan, its understanding and ability to implement it:
﴿ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَابَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا ۖ فَمِنْهُمْ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ وَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌ بِالْخَيْرَاتِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّـهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْكَبِيرُ﴾

{Then We gave the Book (the Qur’aan) for inheritance to such of Our slaves whom We chose (the followers of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم). Then of them are some who wrong their own-selves, and of them are some who follow a middle course, and of them are some who are, by Allaah's Leave, foremost in good deeds. That (inheritance of the Qur’aan), that is indeed a great grace.} [Surah Faatir (35): 32]

c. al-Firdous:

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

إِنَّ فِي الجَنَّةِ مِائَةَ دَرَجَةٍ، أَعَدَّهَا اللَّهُ لِلْمُجَاهِدِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ، مَا بَيْنَ الدَّرَجَتَيْنِ كَمَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ، فَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُ اللَّهَ، فَاسْأَلُوهُ الفِرْدَوْسَ، فَإِنَّهُ أَوْسَطُ الجَنَّةِ وَأَعْلَى الجَنَّةِ - فَوْقَهُ عَرْشُ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَمِنْهُ تَفَجَّرُ أَنْهَارُ الجَنَّةِ

“Paradise has one-hundred grades which Allaah has reserved for the Mujahideen who fight in His Cause, and the distance between each of two grades is like the distance between the Heaven and the Earth. So, when you ask Allaah (for something), ask for Al-Firdous which is the best and highest part of Paradise. Above it is the Throne of the Beneficent (i.e. Allaah), and from it originate the rivers of Paradise.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (2790, 7423)]



While doing Istikhaarah #5:

5. And when he says: fa-innaka taqdiru, he is acknowledging Allaah’s Ability to do all things.

The person acknowledges:

Firstly: that He تعالى alone is the Owner and Master of all the Bounties and the Creator of all things:

﴿وَاللَّـهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ﴾

{And Allaah is the Owner of Great Bounty.} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 105 – and this phrase is repeated throughout the Qur’aan]

Secondly: that when He تعالى wants to decree a matter, all He has to say is “Kun” and it comes into existence:

﴿إِنَّمَا قَوْلُنَا لِشَيْءٍ إِذَا أَرَدْنَاهُ أَن نَّقُولَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ﴾

{Verily! Our Word unto a thing when We intend it, is only that We say unto it: “Kun” (Be!) and it is.} [Surah al-Nahl (16): 40]

﴿إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُ إِذَا أَرَادَ شَيْئًا أَن يَقُولَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ﴾

{Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it: “Kun” (Be!) and it is!} [Surah Yaaseen (36): 82]

Our Lord neither sleeps, nor slumbers, nor does He تعالى needs rest and nor does He get tired.


While doing Istikhaarah #6:

6. And when he says: walaa aqdiru, he is acknowledging his inability and helplessness.

Allaah تعالى mentioned about Man’s creation saying:

﴿وَخُلِقَ الْإِنسَانُ ضَعِيفًا﴾

{and man was created weak} [Surah al-Nisaa (4): 28]

Weaknesses in man are of many types: Weakness in physical structure, willpower, determination, Imaan (Faith), patience etc.

In the long Hadeeth of al-Israa’ and al-Mi`raaj, in regards to the fifty prayers, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

ثُمَّ احْتَبَسَهُ مُوسَى عِنْدَ الْخَمْسِ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ رَاوَدْتُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَوْمِي عَلَى أَدْنَى مِنْ هَذَا فَضَعُفُوا فَتَرَكُوهُ فَأُمَّتُكَ أَضْعَفُ أَجْسَادًا وَقُلُوبًا وَأَبْدَانًا وَأَبْصَارًا وَأَسْمَاعًا، فَارْجِعْ فَلْيُخَفِّفْ عَنْكَ رَبُّكَ

“Then Moosaa stopped him when the prayers had been reduced to five and said: “O Muhammad! By Allaah, I tried to persuade my nation, Banee Israaeel to do less than this, but they could not do it and gave it up. However, your followers are weaker in body, heart, sight and hearing, so return to your Lord so that He may lighten your burden.”” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (7517)]


While doing Istikhaarah #7:

7. And when he says: wa ta`lamu and also when he says: wa anta `allaamu l-ghuyoob, he is acknowledging Allaah’s Complete knowledge about all things.

The praise and affirmation of Allaah’s تعالى Perfect Knowledge is repeated three times in this Du`aa, and as already mentioned earlier (under point 2), nothing in the Heavens and Earth is hidden from him. Allaah تعالى said to the Angels:

﴿قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ﴾

{He said: “Did I not tell you that I know the Ghaib (unseen) in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing?”} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 33]

He تعالى also said:

﴿إِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ الْجَهْرَ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْتُمُونَ﴾

{Verily, He knows that which is spoken aloud (openly) and that which you conceal.} [Surah al-Anbiyaa’ (21): 110]

He تعالى further said:

﴿يَعْلَمُ خَائِنَةَ الْأَعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِي الصُّدُورُ﴾

{(Allaah) knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal.} [Surah Ghaafir (40): 19]

Imaam al-Tabaraanee mentioned in al-Mu`jam al-Kabeer that every morning and every evening the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to supplicate to Allaah تعالى, and in that supplication he صلى الله عليه وسلم used to say:
والسر عندك علانية

“The secret is all revealed to You” (meaning nothing is hidden from You) [Mu`jam al-Kabeer (8027). Al-Haithamee said in Majma` al-Zawaaid (17009): “It is reported by al-Tabaarnee and in its chain is Fadhdhaal bin Jubair and he is “Dha`eef” and there is a consensus about this.”]

He تعالى created the creation and knows best what is good for them and when. He تعالى provides for them out of His Perfect Knowledge and Wisdom when it is beneficial for them and withholds it from them when it is harmful for them.

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿ وَلَوْ بَسَطَ اللَّهُ الرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِ لَبَغَوْاْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَلَـكِن يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ مَّا يَشَآءُ إِنَّهُ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرُ بَصِيرٌ - وَهُوَ الَّذِى يُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُواْ وَيَنشُرُ رَحْمَتَهُ وَهُوَ الْوَلِىُّ الْحَمِيدُ ﴾

{And if Allaah were to enlarge the provision for His slaves, they would surely rebel in the earth, but He sends down by measure as He wills. Verily, He is, in respect of His slaves, Well-Acquainted, All-Seer (of things that benefit them). And He it is Who sends down the rain after they have despaired, and spreads His Mercy. And He is the Walee (Helper, Supporter, Protector, Lord), the Worthy of all praise.} [Surah al-Shooraa (42): 27-28]


“Hate no one, no matter how much they’ve wronged you. Live humbly, no matter how wealthy you become. Think positively, no matter how hard life is. Give much, even if you’ve been given little. Keep in touch with the ones who have forgotten you, and forgive who has wronged you, and do not stop praying for the best for those you love."

Ali bin Abi Talib (RA)
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