Assalamualaikum and hi everyone.
It has been forever since I type in here, so awkward to re-read back all my previous blog posts. Some are quite cringe, some are quite impressive for a 18-21 year old of me?! Cant believe I have that so many ideas and I was quite shocked that I am a bit chatter here than in reality. And here I am, at 27 years of age, trying to write and type again here hehe.
Recently, Ive experienced a big thing at this phase of my life, which really moves me until I have the courage to get in here. My ideas just flow through my head and my mind, and I just cant possibly held it any longer. Plus, posting my writings in igstory is just exhausting as its very limited and very public?! I chose to share it right here because it takes big effort and curiosity of my readers to read what I would like to share.
Its mainstream and cliche but I want to share my own experience of istikharah :)
Well, I am one of the poeple who actually did not quite believe of the power of istikharah. I once just think people talk or did istikharah just to spice up their love/marriage story, and I think it's just plain nonsense because people have been telling all sorts of weird dreams or petunjuk after istikharah. Like, do you think this is magic? Just like how people recite ayatul kursi to kononnya chase out evil spirits, walhal reciting ayatul kursi is to strengthen your faith so you will ignore the evil spirits.
Until 1 time I attend Aiman Azlan's online class on Prep for Marriage. The online class was amazing. 3 hours of eye-opener session, really. And one thing I learn from his class is about istikharah. Just to summarize, prepping for marriage involves istikharah of being the 5th step of making decision (after setting out your principle, setting your goals, taaruf, musyawwarah). You have to go through all 4 steps prior to istikharah. And from that class, Aiman Azlan also shares a fruitful talk on istikharah by Sheikh Abdul Nasir Jangda, (click link to watch) which again blowing my mind away.
There is famous Hadith about Istikhara in the book of Bukhari, volume 2, book no 21, Hadith no 263,
Jabir bin Abdullah RA said,’ Prophet Muhammad PBUH used to make us learn the way of performing prayer of Istikhara, just like he used to teach us about any of the Holy Quran. If anyone of you wants to do any kind of work (with right mindset), he must offer two Rakah of prayers other than the obligatory prayers then recite the Dua for Istikhara.’
How istikharah gives its magic?
Misconceptions #1 Istikharah did not help you choose between 2 decisions.
It's actually helping you to strengthen on your faith of the outcome of your 1 decision. For example, I was torn between choosing red or blue car. After, studying, asking opinions, comparing to my principle, I decided to take the red car. And so I do istikharah then.
Misconceptions #2 Istikharah guide is not through your dreams nor your weird magical blows or whatsoever
The guidance comes in many ways you can never imagine. Some let your heart feel at peace with it. Some makes the matter smooth for you. And in some case, you did not get what you even thought you have decided.
When did my experience come into this whole process?
Well, I actually have made a decision on proposing a person. Haha. Yeah, I am a girl with big balls :p After learning about istikharah from syeikh Abdul Nasir Jangda, I took a big step to actually practise it. I do it every day for almost a month.
So what is so powerful about istikharah that I talk so much about it?
Here I attach you the doa translation of istikharah
O Allah I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge and by Your power I seek strength, and I ask You from your immense favour, for verily You are able while I am not, and verily You know while I know not and You are the knower of the unseen. O Allah if you think that this affair, is good for me in relation to my religion, my life and end, then decree and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it, and if You know that this affair to be ill for me towards my religion, my life and end, then remove it from me and remove me from it, and decree from me what is good and wherever it be and make me satisfied with such.
Okay this whole doa is really brilliant. But I guess most of us like the 1st part of the doa, which we ask Allah to ease our way if the choice we made is good, or avoid the choice from us if the choice is actually bad. I agreee that is wonderful part of the doa, but I would like to highlight the most most most and most powerful part of the doa that could actually make me cry, really.
It's the almost end part of the doa that makes istikharah super powerful
'......and decree from me what is good, wherever it be and make me satisfied with such...'
Why this line made me cry? Because not only we ask Allah to help us on making that decision, but also if the decision is not good for us, we ask Allah to grant us the better things, good things out of the choice we made, no matter how, or when or where it might come from (wherever it be). Beacuse He is the knower of the unseen, perhaps the good thing for us comes in a way that our mind cant even process how to. Subhanallah amazing the bomb dot com!
And not only that, the last last last part of the doa, we ask Allah to make us satisfied with what may come to us. Whetehr our choice is not on our side, or the good thing comes to us unexpectedly, we ask Allah to make us satisfied with that!!! Because Allah know how hard, how difficult a human being to actually redha on things that is not on our favour. Subhanallah amazing times two the bomb dot com!!! How can one not cry reading this doa?!
Now come to my reality, I found strength from this doa and istikharah. A week prior I got the answer of my istikharah, my heart somehow know what it's going to be, and somehow I became not so hopeful on my choice. But I kept on doing it anyway, and indeed the istikharah is not just for me making sure I am making the right decision, but actually was prepping myself to be strong and acceptable on what the outcome will be, Why? Because of the half end part of the doa. I know Allah will decree to me good things for me and Allah will make my heart satisfied in any way.
And really, I was lying if I said I don't feel sad at all, but the period of sadness or disappointment lasted few moments. Really, I could do worse if it's not for Allah strength He provide to me haha. I actually feel more loved, and I get to see the bigger picture out of it and I just feel peace. Its undescribable feeling, but perhaps you can try to experience it.
You can do it anytime, Just 2 rakaat, not necessarily last 3rd of night. You can do it anytime, really.
I guess that's all for now. Happy to finally typing this. I hope everyone are always under His protection and may Allah grant you all endless happiness. I have few more ideas in future blog posts, fingers crossed I have the courage and effort to make another blog posts. Till next time everyone.
Love,
Qiqilalalola :)