[7] ” (5) قلت لابي عبد الله عليه السلام...

[7] ” (5) قلت لابي عبد الله عليه السلام: بلغني أنك قلت: ما استخار الله عبد في أمره مائة مرة إلا قذفه بخير الامرين Imam Jafar al-Sadiq -asws said: ‘There is no believing slave (of Allah -azwj ) who would ask the best from Allah -azwj one time in his affair, except that He -azwj would provide means to select the best between the two ways.

[8] (6) سمعت أبا عبد الله (عليه السلام) يقول: ” ما استخار الله عزوجل عبد مؤمن إلا خار له، وإن وقع في ما يكره Imam Jafar al-Sadiq -asws said: “There is no believing slave (of Allah -azwj ) that asks Allah -the Glorious and High -for goodness except that Allah prepares the best for him even if he would not like it. [9] ” For What Matters One May Take Istikhara?

Istikhara may be taken on anything, which one has under his jurisdiction, excluding those matters, which are related to what would happen in the future, or how, and what someone else would react/do. Seeking advice of fortune-tellers, palm-readers or any other ‘Amal’ apart from supplications as per traditions of Masomeen -asws , are certainly forbidden.

One would also not take Istikhara on certain matters which, although are permissible and belong to present but for some reasons outside one’s powers, e.g., if one has no money and there is a request for a loan from a fellow brother then he has no option but to decline the loan request. Similarly matters related to compulsory/permissible (Wajib/halal) non-permissible (Harram) are also outside the scope of Istikhara.

Those matters which are within one’s means and are permissible under Islamic law are therefore, the ones for which Istikhara is Mustahib, regardless of their value/importance, e.g., issues from buying or selling a house/car to going for a hair cut or buying a pair of shoes.

As per the traditions of Masomeen -asws : (1) عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام أنه كان إذا أراد شرى شئ من العبد والدابة أو الحاجة الخفيفة أو الشئ اليسير، استخار الله عز وجل فيه سبع مرات، فان كان أمرا جسيما استخار الله فيه مائة مرة Imam Abi Abdullah -asws would seek guidance from Allah -azwj whenever Imam -asws has an intention of buying or selling something, from slaves or animals or the less valuable items or less effort requiring tasks.

And would make supplications to Allah -asws (before taking Istikhara) seven or one hundred times, depending on the seriousness of an issue.