When is the supplication for guidance (istikharah) performed? Is it before the closing salam, after it, or during prostration?
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The questioner : The question here is: When is the supplication for guidance (istikharah) performed? Is it before the closing salam, after it, or during prostration?
The Shaykh : No, what I see is that it is after the prayer, based on the statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the hadith of Jabir, as found in Sahih al-Bukhari: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach us the istikharah in all matters, just as he taught us a chapter of the Qur'an. He said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 3253Sahih (Darussalam) - this is the point in question - Sunan Ibn Majah 1383Sahih (Darussalam) up to the end of the known and memorized supplication - if Allah wills - and his statement (peace and blessings be upon him): This is clear, if not an explicit text, that the supplication is to be performed after the prayer.
Yes.
The Shaykh : No, what I see is that it is after the prayer, based on the statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the hadith of Jabir, as found in Sahih al-Bukhari: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach us the istikharah in all matters, just as he taught us a chapter of the Qur'an. He said:
If any one of you is deliberating about a decision he has to make, then let him pray two Rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer, then say:
إذا همَّ أحدكم بالأمر فليصلِّ لله ركعتين من غير الفريضة ، ثم يقولthen say: Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi ‘ilmika wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika
ثم لِيقُلْ : اللهم إنِّي أستخيرك بعلمك ، وأستقدرك بقدرتكLet him pray two rak'ahs and then let him say
فليصلِّ ركعتين ثم ليقُلْYes.
Source
www.al-albany.com
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