Mufti Menk – What is Istikharah?

Salam Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh

smilla rahmanir rahim al hamdu Lillah wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah who Allah Allah, he was happy he woman yesterday Buddha who were bad, we praise Allah subhanho wa Taala we thank him upon all conditions. We send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his entire household, all his companions, we ask Allah Subhana Allah to Allah, to bless every single one of them, to grant them every form of blessing, Rama, mercy. And at the same time, we ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to bless every single one of us. I mean, my brothers and sisters in life, we need to make some big decisions sometimes. I'm sure, we've all had decisions whereby we don't really know

exactly which way to go. Whether it's marriage, sometimes you don't know if it's going to be successful. Sometimes it's a decision of a huge business, sometimes shifting from one area or city to another. These are major decisions. Sometimes it has to do with a health matter, I don't know, should I? Or Shouldn't I go for the operation, for example, and so on. So these type of decisions as muslimeen what is the guidance we have in this regard? It's a very important issue, because it affects every single one of us, we should be knowing that there has to be something in the Quran that guides us in this regard. So primarily, we believe in Allah subhanho wa Taala, we believe in

Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam, we call ourselves Muslim, we should be understanding that Islam is a way of life. So therefore, if we lead our lives in accordance with the teachings of Islam, we will be able to make a decision that is not contradictory to the law of Allah point number one, which means no matter how important this matter is, if it is against the instruction of Allah, I'm not interested. That's the first step. First thing we should think about, I want to do something, is it against the laws instruction, if it is, no matter how crucial the deal is, no matter how many millions of rands I may be making, if it is against the decree of Allah, I don't even want to

consult anyone, and I don't even want to do anything else. I will block it and stop it there because I know this is no go area. May Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us all and may grant us a very deep understanding. I mean, secondly, if it is permissible, now I need to know what to do. So there is difference of opinion amongst the scholars as to the first step to take, but it's not a major difference in the sense that they will both lead you to the same thing. What is it? two main things one is known as mushara, or consultation, and two is istikhara. istikhara is a type of consultation, but it means to seek guidance regarding the better of two issues, to seek from Allah subhanho wa

Taala. The guidance as to which of these two things is better. That's the meaning of istikhara to ask Allah subhanho wa Taala is guidance where you are confused, and you are trying to say, oh, Allah guide me towards one of the two. I want to talk on this because I believe many people don't know how to do the Sahara, or what to look at after that, or whether or not your venture would be successful people don't know. So the first step is the consultation, for example. And like I said, some of the scholars say no consultation comes after the istikhara. I for one would like to believe that it's more important to consult initially. And then if you'd like you can engage in the istikhara if you

are still confused. So when I want to consult, what is the meaning of consultation, I need to present the exact situation I'm in to certain people whom I trust, number one, what do I trust about them? I trust their knowledge. I trust their genuineness towards me. Sometimes you have a knowledgeable person, say a lawyer. If a lawyer is not genuine towards you or does not fear Allah he becomes in order to they call them liar. I don't know if you know about that. He becomes a liar because he just wants to make money. So you need to know martial law as much as we need lawyers, we need honest lawyers. The same applies to accountants. The same applies to a plumber. The same

applies to an electrician, someone might come in and give you wrong advice. Why? Because he just wants to make money. So when you ask someone's opinion, he needs to be genuine towards you. That's something common you need to ask someone who has a feeling for you. He's not going to rob you steal you and at the same time, he's an expert in the field that you have a problem in or you are confused about. So if you are going to go for example, to

plumber with all due respect to plumbers, or let's change the example in case someone feels bad. If you're going to go, for example to a pilot and ask him about how to drive a Ferrari, I think you're making a mistake, unless you know that he's a pilot, who's also really, really good driver of these fancy vehicles. But Subhana, Allah, the point I'm raising is you need to ask the expert of the field, and he needs to be genuine. At the same time, if it is something really just, you need to know the person needs to be close to Allah as well. So Hanna hautala, you can't have a sinful person giving you guidance on a matter where he's not even bothered about what's in transgression of Allah

subhanho wa Taala or in conformity to the deen, he doesn't even bother about that. So sometimes you might want to seek the counsel of a non Muslim, but you will have to add to it something What is that, you will have to ask yourself this advice he's given me maybe genuine, maybe he's a good guy, maybe he feels for me, maybe he's an expert, but I need to make sure that it's Islamic as well. When you want, for example, to make a decision of IVF, and so on. Yes, you will get advice sometimes even from a non Muslim, but Islam has certain restrictions in that regard. It's permissible with certain rules and conditions. We're not saying it's totally not permissible. But you need to have the

guidance from a person who knows the dean or minimum you need to then ask an alum or a scholar or a knowledgeable person to say, Look, I've been given this guidance all I want to know from you, is it permissible or prohibited? Because you might not be an expert in this but halal Haram, you're an expert, but exactly what I should do, I've got that advice already. I just want to get the green light. May Allah subhanho wa Taala guide. So that is consultation, you consult, and you ask one person, two people, five people, 10 people, there is no limit to that. Not at all. In fact, even if you're a chairman or a leader or an Amir of a society, community, even if you're a president of a

nation, for example, you need to ask and consult the Prophet sallallahu Sallam himself, who was told to consult his companions, not because he needed it, because he had to show the importance of consultation to us. That's why he could have got revelation straight. And he did get revelation as to what to do and what not to do. But when you listen to people's opinions, especially as a leader, and when you want to give them importance to say, look, I just need to consult you on a matter, it doesn't mean I'm going to adopt what you're going to say. But at least I've got an opinion in my mind, at least I now know that you know what this is what someone said, This is what another person

said and myself, then who has to make the decision can be enlightened regarding the various opinions and make a decision based on that which would be enlightened make a decision, perhaps not according to anyone's opinion. But it's derived from snippets of what everyone has said. And I came up with a master plan Subhanallah that's what it is. So this is consultation, there are so many benefits of it. I want to move on. Thereafter. If you're still confused, and you still don't know, you know, what should I or shouldn't I marry? That's, I think one of the biggest things that people do istikhara about his marriage, should I or shouldn't sometimes I don't know why they do it because

they've made their minds up anyway. May Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us I had a young man, he told me I need you to make it harder for me and I told him the sooner is you making this the harder yourself. It is against the sooner to ask someone else to make any staccato for you, no matter who they are, the sooner is to ask them to make dua that you are guided in your istikhara but the pure sooner is that you yourself do the istikhara you do not ask anyone else to do your istikhara the prophets wa sallam was never ever not once in his life, asked to make any speaker on behalf of someone else. But he was asked to make dua O Allah O Messenger sallallahu sallam, we want to do this

and that make dua that we are rightly guided and so on. Or they asked his opinion, or they asked his instruction, but they never ever asked him to make any secara. So I told the young man, look, it's better for you to do it alone. But anyway, what's it about? He says, You know, I want to get married. I said, have you? Are you still confused? Because istikhara is when you don't know what to do. If you know what to do. What's the point? He says? No, you know, I've been going out with her for eight years. But now I want to think whether to settle down or not. Come on, come on. My brother eight years, the party's over. You could have had 10 walima already and look at where you are today.

May Allah Subhana Allah Allah forgive us. May He strengthen us? May He grant us ease. So let's not play the fool with Allah subhanho wa Taala you've been doing haram you either quit the Haram and everything or you can seek forgiveness and do something about it. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us an understanding. So now jabil the Allahu anhu says in a hadith the powerful Hadith in Bukhari, where he says the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to teach us the dua of istikhara, just like he used to teach us a surah of the Quran. What that means is to use the wording of the Hadith is ideal, preferable and even most

befitting because if

Prophet sallallahu Sallam taught this dua to the companions like he would teach a verse of or a surah of the Quran. It means I need to know that I need to know this application is because I want the guidance of Allah subhanho wa Taala. So what was the dua it is mentioned beautifully Allahumma O Allah, O Allah, now you're asking Allah so when do I ask Allah? I need to ask Allah subhanho wa Taala after having engaged in two units of voluntary prayer, or I could say this is the prayer of istikhara I am reading two units of voluntary prayer in order for me to be asking the guidance of Allah regarding this matter I am confused in Should I or shouldn't die. That's what it is. So I made

the intention. I read the Torah cat of Salah This is as per the hadith of jabil of the Allahu anhu. And what did I do after that after I made my Salaam some of the scholars say before you made this Alam because it is as soon as it is assumed that you are anyway and there's no there's no debate about it. But let's say after the Salah, you then ask Allah subhanho wa Taala What am I saying? Allah Oh Allah Iniesta Hiroko. I am seeking your guidance regarding this matter as to what is better for me these two issues here I want to know what is better for me from the two should I or shouldn't I I'm seeking your guidance or Allah in the as the hero can be in Mecca from your knowledge you are

the Knowledgeable Allah is the one who knows what's the De Luca quadratic, your power, your divine power that you have, I am seeking from it what is the power of Allah? Absolutely everything Allah is all powerful. I'm asking you all Allah. Now before I continue translating the rest of it, what's the point of making this when your life is not even lead on the same page as Allah wants it to be? What's the point imagines you you are transgressing against the law day and night and then you say all I need your guidance regarding a matter. Allah says Hang on, there are so many matters that I told you to not to participate in you did. Now you're asking me my guidance. So then the result will

probably be lopsided, the result will probably be wrong. Why because you are not on the right page. Therefore start off with a lot of St. Lucia start off with a charity with good deeds not have so far I asked Allah Allah forgive me. La ilaha illa Anta Subhana Allah in the conterminous Valley mean there is none worthy of worship besides you. I have definitely been from amongst those who are wrongdoers who have oppressed myself Oh ALLAH forgive me Allah grant me mercy of Allah don't hold against me the sins I've committed, I sought forgiveness. Now I'm seeking your guidance. I really need your help Oh ALLAH and promise Allah that you will change your ways and habits. What's the

point of saying, Oh Allah, I need to know whether I should do this business or not. But you don't read your Salah. You perhaps gamble you perhaps have a lot of other bad habits. Let's not mention all of them. But at the same time, if that is the case, and we do say well, my heart is softened. I need your help. I need your guidance Allah at the mercy of Allah soften your heart then you make the dua then you make the Salah you know Salah, obviously Torah is voluntary, you are missing out obligatory prayer which one is more important, obligatory even if you never made Salah to list the Torah your whole life, but you continued making your obligatory prayer there is a greater chance of

Allah guiding you to what is right by the mere fact that you are close to him, so Han Allah so let's understand the some people play the fool. They are lives far away from what we would know as the dean. They are called Juma and eat Muslims. You know what that means? I guess. But at the same time when it comes to St. Hara, they passionately religiously believe that no ways I'm going to get the guidance of Allah By the way, where is your taqwa? Where is your closeness to Allah subhanho wa Taala. So if we take a look at this we will find that you making the Tao you're saying Allah I'm asking for your help to make a decision here to guide me your power. I'm asking you from your power

was alchemy and follicle alim and I'm asking you from the great virtue that you bestow upon all the creatures that you have made. Ally's has definitely bestowed upon all of us great mercy we asking Allah Allah have mercy on me. Why am I asking Allah to have mercy on me? A lot of the times we are not even fit for the mercy of Allah, the way we lead our lives is very, very wrong. So we are saying Oh Allah forgive us. We are human. We make mistakes. We falter. I'm asking you from your mercy. I know Oh Allah, you're going to give me then we say Allah whom in Kandahar Amara hi ru Li O Allah, if this thing that I would like to do, and you either think of it or you either mentioned it, you think

of what you're taught what you want the guidance regarding or you mentioned it, if it is better for me in Canada.

If it is better for me, in what way? In what way did the province of Salaam say if it is if I'm going to be successful in this if the business is going to boom if the marriage is going to flourish? He never said that. He said if it is better for me in what way fi D in my deal

while merace in this livelihood in my life. So let's say D

in dunya, which let's interpret it that way for us to understand right so in my religion in my spirituality closeness to you and in my livelihood, my sustenance my living in this world, where are people to me and

my Akira my my hereafter? If it is better for me in every way of these three ways, then fuck the rules make it possible for me make it happen for me

and make it easy for me What a silly sama Barak Lee then grant me Baraka Baraka means blessings in it, Grant me Baraka in it, okay? And then the dual continues to say no alive This is bad for me, my Deen my livelihood, my Akira, then keep it away from me create a barrier between me and that item. And at the same time, make me happy with your decree for me your decision for me, Grant me that which is best for me and make me happy with your decision for me and inshallah I will mention it later on in the hotbar. But I would like you to learn it as soon as Jabberwocky Allahu anhu says Allah He the prophets of Salaam used to teach us this as though he taught us a sutra from the Quran.

How you know what Dini was a tune, or how you know, for example, alumna aku, Allahu Ahad, you should be knowing this Tao of istikhara it is a DA you are asking the guidance of Allah. So now after that, I've made the dua What do I do I continue in the obedience of Allah subhanho wa Taala. So where does the dream come in? I'm sure you and I have heard that hey, you're going to see a dream after that. No way in the Sunnah of Rasulullah sallallahu Sallam is a dream mentioned? Not at all, not once. He does not mention a dream. But you may see the dream. Yes, it's one of the ways but it's not necessarily the way it is reported that you continue in your life. The biggest way that you will

achieve a result of your istikhara is the feeling you have I will start getting a positive vibe within me. Suddenly in my mind, I will feel good about things when I talk to people every step something positive he said it's just facilitated I want to do a business deal and I'm thinking about it and one man phones me and he tells me you know what? This is a really good deal Hey, you talking about the same thing I was making this to her about last night that's a sign for example, or someone else holds you and gives you negative vibes you want to marry someone and in the morning without knowing someone phones you and starts telling you long stories Wait, wait wait, you need to

authenticate before you believe stories today? A quick way you know you want to marry this the Princess of sentence for example. I don't know who she is. But I'm just saying there is another 10 guys who want to marry the same princess when they know you're interested. They're going to phone you and say that princess she's no longer princess. Do you know that? She's been whatever may Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive us. what he's trying to do is get you away so that he can come into the scene. So you need to be alert. The same applies in business. People will call you to tell you things that are not true because they want the deal for themselves. Be alert. But Allah will

enlighten you, Allah will guide you Allah will facilitate things. Your mind you you will feel so good. You may see a dream what type of a dream if there is anything positive that you see anything? It could be I want to get married, but I'm busy seeing a beautiful scenery somewhere in Phuket, for example, may Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us the ability to appreciate the goodness and nature that he has. Yes, it may be a positive sign and suddenly I noticed a snake or a fire or something. Those are negative signs. These are just signs but primarily you will be feeling this feeling and it will be a strong feeling. May Allah subhanho wa Taala make it easy for us. Then when you when that thing

happens, Allah did not guarantee that your business will flourish. Nor did he guarantee that you are even going to marry the person. He's only telling you it's better for you, your deen your dunya your ashira to go for this. We know it's going to fail. We know it's going to end in divorce. But we telling you it's better for you your deen your dunya your Akira, let's understand this many people come to me and I'm sure to other allama hora

and then I proposed but when she did is to correct was negative she rejected? Why? How come this confusion between the two of us? Well I say my brother, Allah didn't say that both of you are going to be positive. It's better for you to propose and be rejected maybe for your ego, maybe for something else maybe to cut you down to size, whatever it is. Allah wants you to go through that for some reason to understand Do you really be happy with the decree of Allah? Allah didn't say when you do and is the Hara, then the other person will also have a positive result and you both will flourish. Similarly, people come through and say, you know we're going through marital crisis. We

are on the verge of divorce. But I did this to her she did this because we were supposed to get married. I saw the Prophet peace be upon him in my dream telling me to get married to this person. Wow. My show

It happens a lot it happens. I say that that doesn't mean did he say marry her it will be successful. Marry her You will never divorce her that's not what he said. You did an st Hara you said Allah is better for myself my Deen my dunya maybe Allah knows that it's best for your deen and your afra to go to Paradise that you go through a divorce. Perhaps through that divorce you might then end up with another person who is 100 times better or you might be saved from something this is why never ever misinterpret and istikhara as being a licensed where you are guaranteed This is successful normally when people say please can you do any staccato for me? I tell them number one

it's wrong meaning it's not strictly The sooner in the sooner you do it yourself like I said is the harder is to be done by the person affected and nobody else no matter who they are that's the proper sooner yes your mother makes do it for you Your father makes do it for you Everyone makes you say look I'm doing is to make dua that Allah guides me we make dua Allah guide you. But when you come in to tell me half the time, it's just to pass the buck because I'm going to tell you go for it, for example, and when you go for a divorce, you say that was that guy? He told me to go for it. Look, he says because all invalid, they are wrong. Why pass the buck? Develop your link with Allah subhanho

wa Taala and come forth. Alhamdulillah so we ask Allah subhanho wa Taala guidance. And really, it's up to us, it's absolutely important that we develop a link with Allah so that the guidance we receive is actually that which will make us happy, it will make us happy. And this is why right at the end of that draw, and I want you to go through its meaning it's beautiful. At the end, Allah subhanho wa Taala has taught Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam to teach us that Oh, Allah make me happy with the tech deal you've chosen for me? Primarily the destiny. You've chosen something for me. I went into a business I put in 20 million grants and I came out with zero I it was a loss. Well, I

tell you what, now you're in the masjid five times a day crying to Allah to bring you back on your feet. So wasn't it better for your deen that you had that loss? Allah says we brought you to the masjid we brought you to your knees so that you came closer to us? Didn't you say Oh Allah if it's better for my Deen my dunya my Acura Allah says well it definitely was you used to have 20 girlfriends now you could no money to oil that bad habit. So you at home saying My darling My darling that's all she wanted all along. So Allah says you suffered the loss you It brought you closer to your family. It brought you to the maturity develop your Akira you died good man close to

Allah but with zero rands surely that was the best thing possible Allahu Akbar, I hope you get the point. So the point here is many of us used to think that is the Hara means when once I get the response, everything is going to be, you know, hunky dory, as they say, No way. Not at all. It's not it just means this is better for you, you may go positive, negative in terms of you know, flourishing of of this world. But perhaps, Allah knows what is best May Allah subhanho wa Taala guide us. Similarly, this if you do not want to engage in the SDR itself, or you have you have engaged in Mr. hora regarding major matters, but you would like guidance regarding all your affairs.

There is a way what is the way that you are obviously hora use it as a DA there's nothing wrong with that. So it's not specifically and it's the heart of the matter. But through the day I say, Oh Allah, I'm making this drop while I'm driving while I'm walking, why Oh, Allah guide me, you know, Allah opened the door, there's nothing wrong, it's as soon as you can make that drop, just as a drop by the will of Allah. If you have the consciousness of Allah in you, Allah will guide you regarding all your affairs to what is best for you, not necessarily to what is most successful in terms of business or your social life, but it will be best for you may Allah subhanahu wa taala, open our

doors, my brothers and sisters.

Again, it's extremely important for us to know that consultation is also of vital importance. You know, many people think, okay, I just do the STR and see how it goes. You don't know speak to people ask those speak to your parents speak to your family members, or experts in the field speak to doctors say for example, and I'm sure a lot of us have been through this. Where as you grow older, sometimes your health begins to fail here and as part of Alice's plan to bring you closer to him. And then you talk to this doctor, and he says go for the op, and you talk to the other one. And he says, Don't go for the op, and you talk to a chiropractor and he says the doctors don't know and you

talk to the doctors and they say don't ever you dare go to a chiropractor and so on. Well, you are confused once again. So we ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to help us I'm not swiping at my friends here who are doctors, but it's a reality. It's a reality that you are confused sometimes. Remember if you are a person who fulfills Salah, you are a person who engages in ecfr Look, we all commit sin minor. Sometimes some people even major sin May Allah forgive us all. seek forgiveness. Don't lose hope in the mercy of Allah seek forgiveness of Allah, because that's how you get back onto the same page or

I was weak. I did something wrong. I'm changing my life. I'm not doing it again. I promise you Oh Allah, I'm not doing it again. Who knows. Some people have sought forgiveness and they've died a few days later some people have gone for Hajj they came back and they passed away and they change their lives. Brothers and sisters don't wait for Hajj you might never see don't wait for Ramadan. You might never witness it. seek Allah's forgiveness here and now and Allah will guide you in your face. Be happy. When something goes seemingly wrong in your life. Think Allah it might just be Allah saving you from something major. Allah doesn't want you to go into the business. Allah doesn't want

you to marry someone. Allah doesn't want you for example to participate in something perhaps he is protecting you without you knowing from something major major later on May Allah subhanho wa Taala help us to be convinced at whatever He guides us towards was Allah Allahu wa salam o Baraka ala nabina Muhammad