For example, do I seek guidance from Allah when I want to go on Hajj, for example, or jihad?
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The questioner : It is reported from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) that they said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach us the prayer for guidance in every matter of our affairs, just as he taught us a chapter of the Qur'an. My question is: Is the prayer for guidance only for worldly matters, or does it also apply to acts of worship? That is, for example, do I seek guidance from Allah when I want to go on Hajj, for example, or jihad? If the answer is affirmative, how do I reconcile this with what is reported in the supplication for guidance: "O Allah, if You know that my journey to Hajj or jihad, for example, contains good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and the outcome of my affair, then decree it for me. And if You know that this matter contains evil for me in my religion, and so on." How can it be that there is no good in Hajj, which is an obligation, for me in my religion? And how can there be evil in going to jihad, which is an individual obligation? I ask for clarification. May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. The hadith reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the prayer for guidance is comprehensive and general for every matter that a person is concerned with and does not know whether the good lies in doing it or leaving it; in such a case, he seeks guidance from Allah the Exalted. However, it does not apply to matters that are obligatory upon a person, because performing obligatory matters is good without hesitation. Accordingly, if Hajj becomes obligatory upon a person and the conditions for its obligation are met, he must perform Hajj without seeking guidance. Similarly, if the time for the midday prayer arrives, he must pray without seeking guidance. Likewise, if jihad becomes obligatory upon him and becomes an individual obligation, he must fight in the path of Allah without seeking guidance. But if a matter is prescribed and not obligatory upon him, then the prayer for guidance may apply to it. This means that some prescribed acts are better than others. A person may want to perform a voluntary Umrah or a voluntary Hajj, but he does not know whether Hajj is better, or whether staying in his country to call people to Allah, guide them, direct the Muslims, and attend to the interests of his family and home is better. In that case, he seeks guidance from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. He seeks guidance not because he may doubt the virtue of Umrah, but because he may doubt whether going to Umrah at this time is better, or whether staying in his country is better. This is a possible scenario, and the prayer for guidance is permissible in it. Whoever reflects on the hadith of the prayer for guidance and the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) will know that it is not prescribed except in a matter in which a person hesitates. As for a matter in which there is no hesitation, the prayer for guidance is not prescribed in it. And as I mentioned earlier, obligatory matters do not admit of hesitation or doubt regarding their performance, because they must be carried out in all cases as long as the conditions for their obligation exist.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. The hadith reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the prayer for guidance is comprehensive and general for every matter that a person is concerned with and does not know whether the good lies in doing it or leaving it; in such a case, he seeks guidance from Allah the Exalted. However, it does not apply to matters that are obligatory upon a person, because performing obligatory matters is good without hesitation. Accordingly, if Hajj becomes obligatory upon a person and the conditions for its obligation are met, he must perform Hajj without seeking guidance. Similarly, if the time for the midday prayer arrives, he must pray without seeking guidance. Likewise, if jihad becomes obligatory upon him and becomes an individual obligation, he must fight in the path of Allah without seeking guidance. But if a matter is prescribed and not obligatory upon him, then the prayer for guidance may apply to it. This means that some prescribed acts are better than others. A person may want to perform a voluntary Umrah or a voluntary Hajj, but he does not know whether Hajj is better, or whether staying in his country to call people to Allah, guide them, direct the Muslims, and attend to the interests of his family and home is better. In that case, he seeks guidance from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. He seeks guidance not because he may doubt the virtue of Umrah, but because he may doubt whether going to Umrah at this time is better, or whether staying in his country is better. This is a possible scenario, and the prayer for guidance is permissible in it. Whoever reflects on the hadith of the prayer for guidance and the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) will know that it is not prescribed except in a matter in which a person hesitates. As for a matter in which there is no hesitation, the prayer for guidance is not prescribed in it. And as I mentioned earlier, obligatory matters do not admit of hesitation or doubt regarding their performance, because they must be carried out in all cases as long as the conditions for their obligation exist.