Question:
Assalamualaikum SS Mufti. I have a question regarding istikharah prayer. From what I have learnt, istikharah prayer is performed when a person wants to make a choice or is asking for guidance for a certain matter. My question is, is it permissible to perform istikharah prayer before committing a prohibited matter? For example, if someone intends to rob or steal but he performs the istikharah prayer first, for I see a misunderstanding in this matter. Hope for an explanation from you.
Answer:
Waalaikussalam wrt. wbt.
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the many countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Istikharah prayer is one of the sunnah prayer that is encouraged as a way to ask for guidance and the best way from Allah SWT in any choice or career that he is intending to pursue. This is in accordance with a hadith from Jabir bin Abdullah, he said, the Prophet PBUH said:
إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ العَظِيمِ ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ ، وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الغُيُوبِ ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي ، أَوْ قَالَ : فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ ، فَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي ، أَوْ قَالَ : فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ ، فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي ، وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ، ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ ، قَالَ : وَيُسَمِّي حَاجَتَهُ
"The Prophet. may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to teach us the istikhara in matters just as if it was a sura of the Qur'an. He said, 'When someone is concerned about something, he should pray two rak'ats and then say, 'O Allah, I ask You for the good by Your knowledge and I ask You for strength by Your power and I ask You for some of Your immense abundant favour, You have the power and I do not. You know and I do not know. You are the Knower of the Unseen Worlds. O Allah, if You know that this affair is good for me in my deen, my livelihood and the end of my affair (or he said 'in the beginning of my affair') and its conclusion, then avert it from me and avert me from it. Decree for me the good wherever it is and then make me content." Then he should state what he needs.'"
Sunan al-Tirmizi (480), Sunan Ibn Majah (1383). Imam al-Tirmizi said the hadith is hasan sohih ghorib
We have commented and discussed regarding istikharah prayer and its related issues in several previous articles. Among them are:
- Al-Kafi 829: What Is Istikharah? [1]
- Al-Kafi 1473: The Ruling of Performing Istikharah Prayer in Congregation [2]
- Irsyad al-Fatwa Series 342: Is Dream the Condition as The Answer for Istikharah?
Coming back to the question presented, istikharah prayer is sunnah for permissible matters. For example, in choosing a spouse, parents who are accepting an in-law, to go on travel and others. It is performed to ask Allah SWT for the best way and guidance for a certain matter. As for matters which are clearly prohibited, then it is impermissible to perform istikharah prayer.
Syeikh Syamsul Haq ‘Azim al-‘Abbadi stated that the meaning of istikharah itself is asking for ease and goodness from two good matters. Whether it should be pursued or left. (Refer Aun Al-Ma’bud Bi Syarh Sunan Abi Daud, 25/448)
Imam Badruddin al-‘Aini said the meaning of istikharah is asking for goodness. (Refer Umdah Al-Qari Syarh Sahih Al-Bukhari, 23/11)
This means that istikharah prayer is performed for permissible matters and not haram matters. How can there be any good in something that is prohibited by Allah SWT. This is clearly observed in part of the supplication taught by the Prophet PBUH:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي ، أَوْ قَالَ : فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ ، فَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ
“O Allah! If you know that this matter is good for me in my religion or my livelihood, and for my life in the Hereafter - or he said: for my present and future - then make it easy for me, then bless me in it.”
Surely, the above supplication is a request for guidance and the best way for permissible matters. Anything that is prohibited has no goodness in it and would even lead to the wrath of Allah SWT if a person commits it.
Syeikh Abdurrahman al-Mubarakfuri when commenting on this hadith said that istikharah prayer and its supplication is sunnah when a person does not know which is the truth. What is known as good such as worship and good deed and the haram then performing istikharah prayer is unnecessary. (Refer Tuhfah Al-Ahwazi Bi Syarh Jami’ Al-Tirmizi, 2/591)
To conclude, it is impermissible to perform istikharah prayer for haram matters such as oppression, stealing and other prohibited matters. The reason is istikahrah prayer is performed to ask for the best solution or choice in permissible matters. Whereas haram matters will only lead to the wrath of Allah SWT.
May Allah SWT bless us with goodness and understanding. Amin.
Wallahua’lam.
Endnotes:
[1]https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/2638-al-kafi-829-apa-itu-istikharah?highlight=WyJpc3Rpa2hhcmFoIl0=
[2]https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/3876-al-kafi-1473-hukum-mengerjakan-solat-istikharah-secara-berjamaah?highlight=WyJpc3Rpa2hhcmFoIl0=
[3]https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-fatwa/irsyad-fatwa-umum/3874-irsyad-al-fatwa-siri-ke-342-adakah-disyaratkan-bermimpi-sebagai-jawapan-istikharah?highlight=WyJpc3Rpa2hhcmFoIl0=