If a person is able to reach to this state by better methods...

If a person is able to reach to this state by better methods such as thinking and asking others for advice, then it is not necessary for him to seek refuge with the Istikhara ; leave aside what would happen to the one who acted upon the outcome of the Istikhara which has been performed out of confusion and ignorance and by not following the prescribed conditions and prerequisites.

The result of having such an outlook in regards to the Istikhara is that the person does not use his brain in day to day life and ends up unsuccessful in the twists and turns that life takes him through. Because of this, he loses the real rewards of this world that come from using one's intelligence and seeking advice from others.

Various types of Istikhara and the proper method of use 1) Istikhara by Supplication: The actual meaning of ` Istikhara ' is "asking what is best and proper from Allah, the Merciful" which in itself is a form of supplication. Reliance (upon Allah ), leaving all of one's affairs (to Allah ) and having a good or favorable opinion of Allah are the requirements before one performs any supplication.

This means that in all of one's affairs, the person supplicates to Allah and sincerely, asks Him to make his path easy and to have a good outcome. The Istikhara by supplication in all instances takes precedence. It has been recommended that before one performs even the smallest act, he start off by supplicating to Allah .

In the ahadith, it has been emphasized that this type of Istikhara should be performed before every action, and is one of the reasons for the success of a person, since in reality, the Istikhara by supplication includes: • Praising and Glorying Allah coupled with modesty and humility towards Him; and asking one's needs and requests from the One who is completely needless. Having good thoughts about Allah and that He only prefers and accepts that which is good for His servants.

However, the most important thing is that one will have peace of mind and a sound heart when performing any action. Istikhara by Seeking Advice from Others: When a person needs to find what is truly the best for him, he asks advice from the believers who are capable of providing this advice to him. However, this must be performed after supplicating and asking Allah for the best and asking Him to guide him where prosperity lies.

He too only wishes what is truly the best and only He knows what is good and bad and is able to have His answer come from the mouth of His servants.