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