What is the ruling on performing istikharah for a forbidden matter?
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The questioner : Shaykh, peace be upon you.
The Shaykh: And upon you peace.
The questioner : Performing istikharah, O Shaykh, for a forbidden matter, when he does not know that it is forbidden?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Does that mean, for example, after the istikharah, is it possible for this matter to become easy for him?
The Shaykh : It may become easy. Are not the groups who commit open sinfulness and transgression made easy for them? Allah says:[Al-A'raf 7:182-183], but istikharah, is it for something?
The questioner : Open the back!
The Shaykh : Open the back.
The questioner : Open the back.
The questioner : Close the door over here, my brother.
Another questioner : I didn't answer, the stove.
The Shaykh : The stove?
The questioner : Open the cover of the box.
The Shaykh : For whom? Ah.
The student : I want to put one with him.
The Shaykh : This is from underneath, it has no relation, it opened. Istikharah, my brother, is not prescribed except for things that are originally permissible. As for forbidden things, it is not permissible. Likewise, for things that are originally prescribed, meaning, for example, one who wants to perform Hajj: he does not perform istikharah. One who wants to perform 'Umrah: he does not perform istikharah. One who wants to give charity: he does not perform istikharah. But one who wants to travel for trade and does not know if it will succeed or not, or one who wants to partner with so-and-so and does not know if he will succeed with him or not, here is the place for istikharah. So istikharah has no relation to what is originally prescribed, nor does it have any relation to what is not originally prescribed. Do you understand me?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: All right.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh: And upon you peace.
The questioner : Performing istikharah, O Shaykh, for a forbidden matter, when he does not know that it is forbidden?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Does that mean, for example, after the istikharah, is it possible for this matter to become easy for him?
The Shaykh : It may become easy. Are not the groups who commit open sinfulness and transgression made easy for them? Allah says:
We will progressively lead them [to destruction] from where they do not know. (183) And I will give them time. Indeed, my plan is firm.
سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُمْ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ * وَأُمْلِي لَهُمْ إِنَّ كَيْدِي مَتِينٌThe questioner : Open the back!
The Shaykh : Open the back.
The questioner : Open the back.
The questioner : Close the door over here, my brother.
Another questioner : I didn't answer, the stove.
The Shaykh : The stove?
The questioner : Open the cover of the box.
The Shaykh : For whom? Ah.
The student : I want to put one with him.
The Shaykh : This is from underneath, it has no relation, it opened. Istikharah, my brother, is not prescribed except for things that are originally permissible. As for forbidden things, it is not permissible. Likewise, for things that are originally prescribed, meaning, for example, one who wants to perform Hajj: he does not perform istikharah. One who wants to perform 'Umrah: he does not perform istikharah. One who wants to give charity: he does not perform istikharah. But one who wants to travel for trade and does not know if it will succeed or not, or one who wants to partner with so-and-so and does not know if he will succeed with him or not, here is the place for istikharah. So istikharah has no relation to what is originally prescribed, nor does it have any relation to what is not originally prescribed. Do you understand me?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: All right.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.