"The Messenger of Allah used to teach his Companions to perform Istikharah in all matters, just as he used to teach them Surahs from 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: Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi 'ilmika wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika wa as'aluka min fadlika, fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdir, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lam, wa anta 'allam al-ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra khayrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa aqibati amri faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li thumma barik li fihi. Allahumma, wa in kunta ta'lamu annahu sharrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri fasrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anhu waqdur li al-khayr haythu kana, thumma radini bihi. (O Allah, I seek Your guidance (in making a choice) by virtue of Your knowledge, and I seek ability by virtue of Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power, I have none. And You know, I know not. You are the Knower of hidden things. O Allah, if in Your knowledge, this matter (then it should be mentioned by name) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood and my affairs (or: both in this world and in the Hereafter), then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if in Your knowledge it is bad for me and for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs (or: for me both in this world and the next), then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and ordain for me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with it.)"

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُعَلِّمُنَا الاِسْتِخَارَةَ فِي الأُمُورِ كُلِّهَا كَمَا يُعَلِّمُنَا السُّورَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ يَقُولُ إِذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِالأَمْرِ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ... مِنْ غَيْرِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَعِينُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ

The Prophet ﷺ used to teach us the way of doing Istikhara (Istikhara means to ask Allah to guide one to the right sort of action concerning any job or a deed), in all matters as he taught us the Suras of the Qur'an. He said, "If anyone of you thinks of doing any job he should offer a two rakʿat prayer other than the compulsory ones and say (after the prayer): -- 'Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi'ilmika, Wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratika, Wa as'alaka min fadlika Al-ʿazlm Fa-innaka taqdiru Wala aqdiru, Wa ta'lamu Wala a'lamu, Wa anta 'allamu l-ghuyub. Allahumma, in kunta ta'lam anna hadha-lamra Khairun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa'aqibati ʿAmri (or 'ajili ʿAmri wa'ajilihi) Faqdirhu wa yas-sirhu li thumma barik li Fihi, Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha-lamra shar-run li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa'aqibati ʿAmri (or fi'ajili ʿAmri wa ajilihi) Fasrifhu anni was-rifni anhu. Waqdir li al-khaira haithu kana Thumma ardini bihi.' (O Allah! I ask guidance from Your knowledge, And Power from Your Might and I ask for Your great blessings. You are capable and I am not. You know and I do not and You know the unseen. O Allah! If You know that this job is good for my religion and my subsistence and in my Hereafter--(or said: If it is better for my present and later needs)--Then You ordain it for me and make it easy for me to get, And then bless me in it, and if You know that this job is harmful to me In my religion and subsistence and in the Hereafter--(or said: If it is worse for my present and later needs)--Then keep it away from me and let me be away from it. And ordain for me whatever is good for me, And make me satisfied with it). The Prophet ﷺ added that then the person should name (mention) his need. (Using translation from Bukhārī 1166)

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُعَلِّمُنَا الِاسْتِخَارَةَ فِي الْأُمُورِ كُلِّهَا كَمَا يُعَلِّمُنَا السُّورَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ يَقُولُ إِذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِالْأَمْرِ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ... مِنْ غَيْرِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ثُمَّ لْيَقُلْ اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ

The Prophet ﷺ used to teach us the way of doing Istikhara (Istikhara means to ask Allah to guide one to the right sort of action concerning any job or a deed), in all matters as he taught us the Suras of the Qur'an. He said, "If anyone of you thinks of doing any job he should offer a two rakʿat prayer other than the compulsory ones and say (after the prayer): -- 'Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi'ilmika, Wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratika, Wa as'alaka min fadlika Al-ʿazlm Fa-innaka taqdiru Wala aqdiru, Wa ta'lamu Wala a'lamu, Wa anta 'allamu l-ghuyub. Allahumma, in kunta ta'lam anna hadha-lamra Khairun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa'aqibati ʿAmri (or 'ajili ʿAmri wa'ajilihi) Faqdirhu wa yas-sirhu li thumma barik li Fihi, Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha-lamra shar-run li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa'aqibati ʿAmri (or fi'ajili ʿAmri wa ajilihi) Fasrifhu anni was-rifni anhu. Waqdir li al-khaira haithu kana Thumma ardini bihi.' (O Allah! I ask guidance from Your knowledge, And Power from Your Might and I ask for Your great blessings. You are capable and I am not. You know and I do not and You know the unseen. O Allah! If You know that this job is good for my religion and my subsistence and in my Hereafter--(or said: If it is better for my present and later needs)--Then You ordain it for me and make it easy for me to get, And then bless me in it, and if You know that this job is harmful to me In my religion and subsistence and in the Hereafter--(or said: If it is worse for my present and later needs)--Then keep it away from me and let me be away from it. And ordain for me whatever is good for me, And make me satisfied with it). The Prophet ﷺ added that then the person should name (mention) his need. (Using translation from Bukhārī 1166)

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُعَلِّمُنَا الِاسْتِخَارَةَ فِي الْأُمُورِ كُلِّهَا كَمَا يُعَلِّمُنَا السُّورَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ يَقُولَ إِذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِالْأَمْرِ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ... مِنْ غَيْرِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ثُمَّ لِيَقُلْ اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to teach us the supplication for isthikharah (seeking what us beneficial from Allah) as he would teach us a surah (chapter) from the Qur'an. He would tell us: When one of you intends to do a work, he should offer two supererogatory rak'ahs of prayer, and then say (at the end of the prayer):

"O Allah, I seek Your choice on the better (of the two matters) based upon Your knowledge, and I seek Your decree based upon Your power, and I ask You for Your great bounties. For Indeed, You are the One Who Decrees, and I do not decree, and You know, and I do not know, and You are the Knower of the Unseen. O Allah, if you know this, and You are the Knower of the Unseen. O Allah, if you know this - here he should name exactly what he wishes - is better for me with regard to my religion, and my life, and my afterlife, and the end result of my affairs, then decree it to me, and make it easy for me, and bless me on it. O Allah, and if You know this to be evil for me - and he says just as he said the first time - then avert it for me, and avert me from it. And decree for me good wherever it might be, the make me content with it." A version goes: "If the work is good immediately or subsequently." (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1538)

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُعَلِّمُنَا الِاسْتِخَارَةَ فِي الْأُمُورِ كُلِّهَا كَمَا يُعَلِّمُنَا السُّورَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ يَقُولُ إِذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِالْأَمْرِ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ... مِنْ غَيْرِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ثُمَّ لِيَقُلِ اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ

[Machine] Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan performed Hajj, and Muawiya ibn Hudayj performed Hajj with him. Muawiya ibn Hudayj was known to insult Ali. He passed by the Prophet's mosque in Medina, and Hasan ibn Ali was sitting in a gathering of his companions. It was said to him, "This is Muawiya ibn Hudayj, the one who insults Ali.'' So the Messenger of Allah came to him and said, "Answer him." He said, "Who?" The Messenger of Allah said, "Hasan ibn Ali is calling you.'' So he came to him and greeted him. Hasan ibn Ali asked him, "Are you Muawiya ibn Hudayj?" He said, "Yes.'' Hasan repeated this three times, and then asked him, "Are you the one who insults Ali?" It was as if he was embarrassed, so Hasan said to him, "By Allah, if you are granted access to the Pond, and I do not see you approaching it, then surely you will find yourself among those who denounce the hypocrites. You will be wearing the garment of a stranger, distant from the camels, [as described] in the words of the truthful, the trustworthy (i.e., the Prophet ﷺ). And surely those who fabricate lies will be deceived."

حَجَّ مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ وَحَجَّ مَعَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ حُدَيْجٍ وَكَانَ مِنْ أَسَبِّ النَّاسِ لِعَلِيٍّ فَمَرَّ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ فِي مَسْجِدِ الرَسُولِ ﷺ وَالْحَسَنُ ... عَلَيْهِ الْحَوْضَ وَمَا أُرَاكَ أَنْ تَرِدَهُ لَتَجِدَنَّهُ مُشَمِّرَ الْإِزَارِ عَلَى سَاقٍ يَذُودُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ ذَوْدَ غَرِيبَةِ الْإِبِلِ قَوْلُ الصَّادِقِ الْمَصْدُوقِ ﷺ وَقَدْ خَابَ ... مَنِ افْتَرَى»

"Messenger of Allah would teach us Al-Isthikhara for all of our affairs just as he would teach us a Surah of the Qur'an, saying: 'When one of you is worried about a matter, then let him perform two Rak'ah other than the obligatory (prayer), then let him say: (Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi'ilmika, wa astaqdiruka biqudratika, wa as'aluka min falikal-azim, fa innaka taqdiru wa la qadiru, wa ta'lami wa la a'lamu, wa anta allamul-ghayub. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra khairun li fi dini wa ma'ishati wa aqibati amri, or said: Fi ajili amri wa ajilihi fayassirhu li,thumma barik li fihi, wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra sharrun li fi dini wa ma'ishati wa aqibati amri, or said: Fi ajili amri wa ajilihi fasrifhu anni wasrifni anhu waqdur Lil-khaira haithu kana, thumma ardini bih.)" 'O Allah! I consult Your knowledge, and seek ability from Your power, and I ask You from Your magnificent bounty, for indeed You have power and I do not have power, and You know while I do not know, and You know the unseen. 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. If You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion and my livelihood and my life in the Hereafter - or he said: for my present and future - then divert it from me and divert me from it, enable me to find the good wherever it is, then make me pleased with it."He said: "And he mentions his need."

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُعَلِّمُنَا الاِسْتِخَارَةَ فِي الأُمُورِ كُلِّهَا كَمَا يُعَلِّمُنَا السُّورَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ يَقُولُ إِذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِالأَمْرِ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ... مِنْ غَيْرِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ثُمَّ لْيَقُلِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to teach us the supplication for isthikharah (seeking what us beneficial from Allah) as he would teach us a surah (chapter) from the Qur'an. He would tell us: When one of you intends to do a work, he should offer two supererogatory rak'ahs of prayer, and then say (at the end of the prayer):

"O Allah, I seek Your choice on the better (of the two matters) based upon Your knowledge, and I seek Your decree based upon Your power, and I ask You for Your great bounties. For Indeed, You are the One Who Decrees, and I do not decree, and You know, and I do not know, and You are the Knower of the Unseen. O Allah, if you know this, and You are the Knower of the Unseen. O Allah, if you know this - here he should name exactly what he wishes - is better for me with regard to my religion, and my life, and my afterlife, and the end result of my affairs, then decree it to me, and make it easy for me, and bless me on it. O Allah, and if You know this to be evil for me - and he says just as he said the first time - then avert it for me, and avert me from it. And decree for me good wherever it might be, the make me content with it." A version goes: "If the work is good immediately or subsequently." (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1538)

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُعَلِّمُنَا الِاسْتِخَارَةَ كَمَا يُعَلِّمُنَا السُّورَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ يَقُولُ: «إِذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِالْأَمْرِ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ مِنْ غَيْرِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ... ثُمَّ لِيَقُلْ:»

«اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ۔ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا

We used to be taught istikharah as we were taught a surah from the Quran. When one of you intends a matter, let him say: "O Allah, I seek Your guidance by Your knowledge, I seek ability by Your power, and I ask You from Your vast bounty. Indeed, You are able and I am not able, You know and I do not know, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if this matter that I intend—and you name it—is good for my religion, good for me in the matter of my worldly life, and good for me in the outcome of my affair, then make it easy for me"—I think he said, "then bless me in it"—"and if it is bad for me in the matter of my religion, bad for me in the matter of my worldly life, and bad for me in the outcome of"—I think he said, "my affair"—"then turn it away from me, make good easy for me, decree it for me, and make me pleased with it."

قَالَ كُنَّا نُعَلَّمُ الِاسْتِخَارَةَ كَمَا نُعَلَّمُ السُّورَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَحَدُكُمْ أَمْرًا فَلْيَقُلْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ ... بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْوَاسِعَ إِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ هَذَا الْأَمْرُ الَّذِي ... بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ عَنْ عَاصِمٍ عَنْ زِرٍّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ بِنَحْوِهِ وَهَذَا الْحَدِيثُ لَا نَعْلَمُهُ يُرْوَى مِنْ

Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa that Sawda bint Abdullah ibn Umar, who was in the household of Urwa ibn az- Zubayr, set off walking between Safa and Marwa when doing either hajj or an umra. She was a heavy woman and she began when everybody was leaving after the isha prayer, and she still had not completed her circuits when the first call was given for subh, but finished them between the two calls to prayer. If Urwa saw people doing circuits on riding beasts he would tell them in very strong terms not to do so, and they would pretend to be ill, out of awe of him. Hisham added, "He used to say to us about them 'These are unsuccessful and have lost.' " Malik said, "Someone who forgets say between Safa and Marwa in an umra, and does not remember until he is far from Makka, should return and do say. If, in the meantime, he has had intercourse with a woman, he should return and do say between Safa and Marwa so as to complete what remains of that umra, and then after that he has to do another umra and offer a sacrificial animal." Malik was asked about someone who met another man when doing say between Safa and Marwa and stopped to talk with him, and he said, "I do not like anyone to do that." Malik said, "If anyone forgets some of his tawaf or is uncertain about it and remembers only when he is doing say between Safa and Marwa, he should stop the say and complete his tawaf of the House apart from that about which he is certain. After that he prays the two rakas of the tawaf, and then begins his say between Safa and Marwa."

يَنْهَاهُمْ أَشَدَّ النَّهْىِ فَيَعْتَلُّونَ بِالْمَرَضِ حَيَاءً مِنْهُ فَيَقُولُ لَنَا فِيمَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُ لَقَدْ خَابَ هَؤُلاَءِ وَخَسِرُوا قَالَ مَالِكٌ مَنْ نَسِيَ السَّعْىَ ... بَيْنَ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ حَتَّى يُتِمَّ مَا بَقِيَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْعُمْرَةِ ثُمَّ عَلَيْهِ عُمْرَةٌ أُخْرَى وَالْهَدْىُ وَسُئِلَ مَالِكٌ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَلْقَاهُ الرَّجُلُ ... وَهُوَ يَسْعَى بَيْنَ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ فَإِنَّهُ يَقْطَعُ سَعْيَهُ ثُمَّ يُتِمُّ طَوَافَهُ بِالْبَيْتِ عَلَى مَا يَسْتَيْقِنُ وَيَرْكَعُ رَكْعَتَىِ الطَّوَافِ ثُمَّ يَبْتَدِئُ

[Machine] "When the first trials came upon me, they appeared confusing to me, so I said, 'O Allah, show me the truth and guide me to cling onto it.' Then I saw in a vision what a sleeping person sees, both the worldly life and the hereafter, with a wall that was not tall between them. So I said, 'If only I could climb this wall to see my brave martyrs and ask them.' They replied, 'We are the angels.' I asked, 'Where are the martyrs?' They replied, 'Go up the steps.' So I ascended a step, and Allah knows best about its beauty and vastness. Then I saw Muhammad ﷺ and Ibrahim ﷺ , who said to Ibrahim, 'Seek forgiveness for my ummah,' and Ibrahim replied, 'You do not know what they have done after you, how they spilled their own blood and killed their imam. Why don't they do as Sa'd (ibn Abi Waqqas) has done?' So I said, 'By Allah, I have seen a dream that Allah may benefit me with it. I will go and see Sa'd and be with him.' So I went to Sa'd and narrated the story to him. He said, 'How delighted I am with this! Indeed, those who are not like Ibrahim have failed.' I asked, 'Which of the two groups are you with?' He replied, 'I am not with either of them.' I asked, 'What do you command me?' He said, 'Do you have any sheep?' I replied, 'No.' He said, 'Then buy a sheep and stay with it until your situation becomes clear."

الْحُسْنِ وَالسَّعَةِ فَإِذَا أَنَا بِمُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ وَإِذَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ شَيْخٌ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ اسْتَغْفِرْ لِأُمَّتِي وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ يَقُولُ إِنَّكَ لَا تَدْرِي مَا أَحْدَثُوا ... اللَّهَ يَنْفَعُنِي بِهَا أَذْهَبُ فَأَنْظُرُ مَكَانَ سَعْدٍ فَأَكُونُ مَعَهُ» فَأَتَيْتُ سَعْدًا فَقَصَصْتُ عَلَيْهِ الْقِصَّةَ قَالَ فَمَا أَكْثَرَ بِهَا فَرَحًا وَقَالَ لَقَدْ خَابَ ... مَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ خَلِيلَهُ قُلْتُ «مَعَ أَيِّ الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ أَنْتَ؟» قَالَ مَا أَنَا مَعَ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُمَا قَالَ قُلْتُ «فَمَا تَأْمُرُنِي؟» أَلَكَ غَنَمٌ؟ قُلْتُ