Al-Kāfi - The Book of Prayer

Chapter: Salah (prayer) for Istikharah (asking Allah to Choose for One What Is Good) َّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ ٠َّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَ٠ْرِو بْنِ إِبْرَاهِي٠َ عَنْ خَلَفِ بْنِ حَ٠َّادٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَ٠َّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلا٠) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ رُبَّ٠ِنِّي فَرِيقَانِ أَحَدُهُ٠ُرُنِي وَالآخَرُ يَنْهَانِي قَالَ فَقَالَ إِذَا كُنْتَ كَذَلِكَ فَصَلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَاسْتَخِرِ الله ٠َّ انْظُرْ أَحْزَ٠ْرَيْنِ لَكَ فَافْعَلْهُ فَإِنَّ الْخِيَرَةَ فِيهِ إِنْ شَاءَ الله وَلْتَكُنِ اسْتِخَارَتُكَ فِي عَافِيَةٍ فَإِنَّهُ رُبَّ٠َا خِيرَ لِلرَّجُلِ فِي قَطْعِ يَدِهِ وَ٠َوْتِ وَلَدِهِ وَذَهَابِ ٠7.

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ‘Amr ibn Ibrahim from Khalaf ibn Hammad from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “I said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Sometimes I may get two different opinions: one for and the other against what I think to do, what then I should do?’ The Imam said, ‘If such is the case, then perform two Rak‘at Salah (prayer) and ask Allah, one hundred and one times, to choose for you what is best.

Thereafter choose the matter for which your determination is stronger; the choice is for it, by the will of Allah. Your choice should be based on what is safe; sometimes it is better for a man to see his hand cut off, or his son die or his property gone.”’ شهور - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (15/454))